Newcastle did just enough in south-east London to progress to the next round of the Carabao Cup. Joe Willock scored the only goal of this boisterous, fun, slightly vague cup tie against a spirited Millwall team that was not so much down to the bare bones, as the bones beneath the bones.
By the end there was a sense both sets of fans were more or less happy. Millwall for the vigour of the performance and Newcastle for the result, the clean sheet and any signs of early progress in the dawning of the age of Jaissle-ball.
“We were worth it, we faced it, we did it,” was Matthias Jaissle’s verdict, having sent out a strong team, Jacob Ramsey coming in on the right for the early-season hot-hands Anthony Elanga. This was a significant win for Newcastle, who have been excitingly direct at times under their twinkly new manager, with his much-trailed blueprint for rapid transition, hyper-vertical attack and getting it forward quick-smart to the lads up front, but who still need to groove that system.
Millwall also are not sure what they are yet this season, although this is more to do with injuries. They have 13 players out, which is at least an improvement on the previous 15. Absurdly, Alex Neil has already come under some pressure after a couple of losses. Football needs its irrational edge, but there is also a limit.
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At kick-off the sky was still a deep blackish blue above the lip of the Dockers Stand, the lights of the south London trains trundling past the unfilled corners of the ground. The Den was its usual self, a place that always manages somehow to generate that unique crackle of nonchalant hostility, no matter how midweek the crowd (and this one was a near-full house).
Newcastle had most of the ball early on, but looked like what they are, a team still finding its shapes and rhythms. “They are PONY, Wall!” was one measured home fan assessment of the Jaissle project at this early stage.
It is a fair point perhaps. Newcastle’s manager does have a very precise idea of the patterns and tempo-shifts he wants from his team. This sort of systems-football can lead to periods of drift while players learn the brief.
Newcastle settled and began to dominate possession. Willock had the first real chance, snatching the ball from Romain Esse deep in the right-back zone and shooting powerfully but too close to Filip Marschall.
In return Millwall offered graft, full-stretch defence and two deep banks of four in the classic old-school style. With 36 minutes gone Caleb Taylor headed just wide charging on to a nicely flighted free-kick, their first effort at goal. By half-time this had become something more like a cup tie as Millwall created pressure down the left, ratted and pressed nicely in midfield, and delivered some potent set pieces.
Tino Livramento came on for Amar Dedic at the break. But it was Millwall who began at a clip, a zinging low cross from the right creating a scramble close to the Newcastle goalline, the ball eventually falling to Jenson Metcalfe, who shot with power just over the bar.
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After which it was more diffuse pressure from Newcastle. Most teams would feel the absence of a midfielder of Bruno Guimarães’ passing quality. This one definitely does.
For a while the game looked like it was, an early season cup distraction for two chop and change teams, no lack of energy, but all feints and ducks and grapples, like a boxer warming up in the mirror. By the hour mark Newcastle had 70% possession plus 17 shots at goal, but somehow Millwall’s collection of hurled together parts still looked more likely to create a telling chance.
Elanga came on, a measure of Newcastle’s desire to get this done. Millwall had the best chance of the game up to that point on 79 minutes, Taïryk Arconte, a real menace on the right, hitting the post with a shot that pinged back on to Lukas Hornicek’s body but somehow stayed out.
Moments later Newcastle scored with their first real moment of quality near goal. It was a lovely move to make it. Matias Fernandez-Pardo produced the key pass, a cute little shimmy and nudge outside to Lewis Hall. His cross found Willock in the centre, who finished it with a smart side-foot shot across the face of goal.
Millwall continued to press, without finding much penetration and by the final whistle there was a concerted wave of noise coming from the full half-end of Newcastle fans, for whom the journey home into Wednesday morning would at least be a happy one.
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