In October 2002, when Newcastle United were a Champions League club, they hosted Juventus at St James’ Park. Newcastle needed to win. They had lost their first three group games and elimination was staring Bobby Robson in the face, as were fresh injuries.
Juventus had beaten Newcastle 2-0 in Turin three weeks earlier – two goals from Alessandro Del Piero. Now Del Piero turned up on Tyneside alongside players of the calibre of Buffon, Thuram, Ferrara, Davids and Nedved. Juve reached the Champions League final that season.
Robson, meanwhile, fielded a back four of Andy Griffin, Andy O’Brien, Titus Bramble and Aaron Hughes.
Newcastle won 1-0. Griffin scored the goal. It was a stadium-shaker of a night. From rock-bottom, Newcastle then beat Dynamo Kiev and Feyenoord. They qualified behind Juve.
It was a triumph of organisation, tenacity and noise, an illustration of how to marshal apparently inferior resources, ally them to a ferocious atmosphere, and inspire a club. It is an example to Newcastle 2018.
Must-win games
Second-bottom without a win all season, Rafa Benitez’s side face consecutive home games against Watford today and Bournemouth next Saturday.
At least one of these matches is must-win.
For that to happen, something has to change; and for change to occur, the sterile atmosphere at the ground this season must receive an injection.
In games that could have been won – against Arsenal and Brighton – the crowd has been passive.
“Fans behind the team, the players feel that,” Benitez said, “and they find 5-10 per cent more. It can make the difference in their passion, what they put in physically, winning second balls, things like that. In terms of extra motivation, yes, it makes a difference.”
Benitez knows the power of a crowd from Anfield. He mentioned “Istanbul”. But the crowd at Newcastle also knows Benitez’s caution.
‘Pressure’
As he said: “You start a game here, put pressure on the other team, you can hear the fans. You can feel that. It is really important. The problem is if you don’t score a goal, carry on and get too exposed. The fans want you to push. You go higher and leave the defence open.”
Mutual understanding is required. And yet at a moment when a repeat of the Juventus momentum is needed, the depth of disillusion bred by 11 years of Mike Ashley’s ownership means that sections of Newcastle fans have either walked away or are considering boycotts.
Thus, Benitez has to manage more than a squad. His response was that Newcastle United, as a club, must rediscover the meaning of their name.
Speaking 24 hours after captain Jamaal Lascelles had tried to say the same thing, only for it to get lost, sparking some trenchant supporter criticism, Benitez said: “I think the fans can be upset, but… what message did we send in the Championship and in the Premier League last season? When something was right we said, listen, Newcastle United – united.
“We have to be sure we support the players, and after we can have opinions. We have to stick united or it will be very difficult to survive.
“The players have a clear idea of the way to go forward. You have to play with passion and intensity, but stay calm and make the right decisions. So some fans booing players does not improve their performance.”
As in 2002, Newcastle may be losing, but they are not a lost cause. Six of their seven Premier League defeats have been by a single goal. And while Watford are doing well, they are not Juventus.
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