Pod On The Tyne: an independent NUFC podcast

People are already calling it shambolic, a new low, embarrassing to see a man underperforming so badly... but, in Chris's defence it was supposed to be his day off.
Live from St James's Park (and central Halifax), we look back at a woeful evening when Newcastle threw away a leading position, equalised, then threw away a point.
Where do we go from here, other than to the Tottenham surgery... and can the attack-minded summer signings make some sort of an impact in the last three months of the season?!

Can you be dumped out of the cup in a semi-final? If so, that's what happened to Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium, and thoroughly unceremonious it was too.
Needing to overturn a two-goal deficit, Omar Marmoush (x2) and Tijjani Reijnders instead gave Manchester City a five-goal cushion at the break. Despite a nice goal for Anthony Elanga and several more chances, the game had been decided almost before it begun.
We consider a miserable evening, which also included a hamstring injury for Anthony Gordon, and there's a pre-match discussion of the January transfer window and a disappointing few days for The Lasses.

Newcastle have an unenviable record at many of the Premier League's more illustrious venues, but Anfield stands with the best of them.
Could this time be different with Eddie Howe throwing a striker-free 4-3-3 curveball at Arne Slot and Anthony Gordon capping a positive start to give Newcastle the lead...
No.

Another trip to Paris, another 1-1 draw, but instead of deflation there was a sense of pride and encouragement. That was despite confirmation of a play-off place for Eddie's Mags rather than direct passage to the quarter-finals.
A back three and some interesting rotations made it look like the manager had at least one eye on the Liverpool game but they overcame an early onslaught from the European champions and some interesting decisions from the referee. By the end, Newcastle were ruing a big missed chance for Harvey Barnes that would've won it.
In this hybrid matchday/weekly episode we also look back at our live show, held at the Gosforth Civic Theatre on Friday, a great night with some very special guests.

Newcastle don't win when Bruno Guimaraes doesn't start. That holds true to a tally of eleven games now and, with PSG away in the Champions League on Wednesday, nerves are frayed in the PotT bunker at St James's Park.
That PSG game is the first in a hugely testing run of fixtures, six of the next seven are also away from home, and it could be a make or break stretch for the team should they wish to challenge for a trophy again this season.
It looks an increasingly difficult task and one thing that will have to change is how the squad's two strikers work with the players around them and get on the end of some chances.