The Vultures are Circling - Are NUFC 'easy-pickings'?

Newcastle crashed out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday with a display that was both abject and unacceptable of a side – any side – picked to wear the black and white stripes of Newcastle United.

Forget the fact that it was not first team players. Forget the fact that it was early in the season. Forget the fact that there has been a black cloud over St James’ Park for the last few weeks. There can be no excuse for a performance as insulting to the fans that paid money to watch them, as that.

The team picked by Benitez was not particularly surprising, as he had warned all week that he was going to have to use the ‘depth’ of his squad, in order to protect the first teamers for the West Ham game on Saturday.

But what was a surprise, was that – other than the effervescent Rolando Aarons – not one player put in a performance that belied the lack of faith that Benitez has in them to perform at the top level.

Whether they were hoping to prove a point to Benitez and show they were worthy of a place in the Premier League squad; or whether they were disgruntled and determined to show potential suitors that they were worth taking a chance on, this was a perfect opportunity for them.

Yet the majority looked like they could not have cared less – about the game, the club or the fans – and that is a disgrace on every level.

Aleksandar Mitrovic – cult hero to many – had even more reason than most to want to impress. All the talk has been of the need for a quality striker, so surely Mitro would show Rafa that he could spend his money elsewhere, by putting in the kind of performance that he seems to save for his national side?

It all started well enough for him, with his rifle finish inside three minutes, followed by his one finger pointing straight up statuesque celebration.

But that was about as good as it got from him, as he spent the next 118 minutes like a little lost sheep, gambolling aimlessly round the field.

And, alas, hard to believe though it may be, he was by no means the worst player on the pitch.

There were, in fact, two outstanding candidates for that ignominious honour – enter Mo Diame and Achraf Lazaar.

Lazaar, who came on as a second half substitute, should have been champing at the bit to put in a performance in order to secure a move to another club. But his performance was more akin to a player in a huff, and with the ability of a Northern League full-back (apologies to any said full-backs who may have just been offended).

He looked more worried about messing up his sleek, gelled hair than proving he was the athlete he portrays himself to be in his self-promoted videos.

He missed tackles, got caught in possession, was constantly out of position, and could not cross a ball if his life depended upon it.

Then there was Diame. To sum up his performance to anyone that may have been fortunate enough to miss it, and describe exactly how pitiful it was, would be to say he is a poor man’s Moussa Sissoko – and there can be few bigger insults than that.

He was appalling. He rarely looked interested, and to be totally honest, his quality of play made that ‘pass’ to the referee at Huddersfield on Sunday look good!

His whole night was summed up in one moment when, following a good run to the edge of the box from Jacob Murphy – who then rolled the ball across – Diame steamed in with a shot, pinching the ball off the foot of the perfectly tee’d up Matt Ritchie, and sliced it at least 20 yards wide.

It would be unfair to single out the youngsters who were drafted in, because they looked just that. Kids brought in to fill a gap, and gain experience. Even Murphy, who showed a few moments, looked as though he was trying too hard to impress.

It was the older heads that should be apologising to the fans.

But with a massive game ahead on Saturday, and morale looking lower than a snake’s belly at the moment, the last word on the game should be a positive one.

And the only positive thing to come out of it, was Rolando Aarons.

He looked lively from the outset, and was probably the only player that decided to roll his sleeves up and take his chance.

His performance will be the one heartening sign for Rafa, on a night where plus-points were at a premium.

He ran out of steam in the second half before coming off late in the game, but it is not surprising, as he was doing the job of multiple players by himself.

He was so eager to get on the ball – unlike most of the others – that he was running 40 yards cross-field to get involved.

His display was capped off by a magnificent strike from 20 yards that should have signalled the beginning of the end for Forest.

If only more players had adopted Aarons’ attitude. Had they done so, I am sure the result would have been a lot different.

For now though, Rafa must earn his money, and prove his man-management skills, by lifting the players in time for the crucial game at the weekend.

He needs to stop the rot now, before things get out of hand.

The vultures are circling, and it is up to everyone at Newcastle United Football Club to show that they are not here to be the division’s easy-pickings.