Newcastle 4-0 Birmingham - Match Reaction

Newcastle ran out 4-0 winners against Birmingham on Saturday afternoon. A second hat-trick of the season for Dwight Gayle ensured the victory, aided in between by another contribution from Yoan Gouffran. By all accounts this was another routine win for the Toon, and it placed them back on top of the Championship table after Brighton had briefly claimed the position on Friday night.

The game itself requires little analysis. See Brentford, Ipswich, Preston, Cardiff etc. But we might notice that this win came on the back of a rare disappointing week for the Magpies. A poor home loss to Blackburn, a missed chance in the cup, and a potentially demoralising loss against Nottingham Forest had a few wondering how United would respond. We got our answer on Saturday, as Newcastle showed very little sign of lingering disappointment, and marched convincingly to victory. This was notable not because it was Birmingham at home, but because it represents a shifting mentality in the dressing room. With Benitez at the helm, he is proving adept at ensuring we quickly overcome periods of adversity.

Think back to Pardew. Recall the inevitability of two losses turning into three. Three into four. Recall how only a brief run of poor form stripped the team of all confidence, and made us terrified of the ball. Recall the shower of excuses after another terrible performance, where manager would absolve himself and his players of any accountability.

Recall and then relax. For now we seem so much more resilient. We seem far more capable of withstanding pressure. Our confidence doesn’t appear dependent on the game before. True, we are playing in the Championship, and our games are easier. But attributes like confidence, resilience and bravery are just as important, and can be equally brittle, regardless of which league you play in. Newcastle still have to withstand pressure. Perhaps even more than they used to. They still need to play with confidence. They still have turn up and play free-flowing, fluid football. I suppose what I am getting at is: would a Championship team managed by the silver one have dispatched Birmingham in the way we did? What sort of mentality would this team have on the back of three defeats?

Imagine the litany of excuses after the Forest game. Imagine how easily Pardew would have allowed his players to absorb the victim mentality he so willingly espouses. It is hypothetical of course, but I see a Pardew team, at best, securing a draw against Birmingham. And no doubt we’d have to hear about our character and resilient after a ‘difficult week’.

This game, like most, will appear to have been routine at the end of the season. And it was. And that’s what makes it so refreshing. In Rafa we trust.