BIG CUP GONNA BIG CUP
First up: an apology. Perhaps Big Cup’s group stages are actually interesting after all. This week chucked up plenty of excitement. That’s once you set aside Manchester City teaching Young Boys a lesson in economic dominance and how it will buy you an unstoppable striker whose version of a goal drought is three matches. But with Manchester United’s redemption act – André Onana and Harry Maguire doing it for Sir Bobby – Tuesday featured real drama before Wednesday brought a lesson in Big Cup oscillations to Eddie Howe’s Newcastle. On a Tyneside night so soggy that even Jason Tindall’s pompadour sagged a tad, Borussia Dortmund arrived on Tyneside and picked off Eddie’s men with greater ease than the 1-0 scoreline suggests.
OK, Gregor Kobel’s crossbar was rattled on a couple of occasions but those in laser yellow might easily have scored a couple more goals, just like the one from Felix Nmecha which proved decisive. That’s the thing about Big Cup: one week you are holding PSG’s hand to the fire, with St James’ Park partying like like it’s 1997 and Tino Asprilla is still performing cartwheels; then suddenly, the away fans have turned the Leazes End’s higher tier into the Yellow Wall. The whole night seemed to get caught in the throat of the Toon Army [a frog on the Tyne? – Daily Ed]. There was tension, and the creeping sense that fortune was not on Newcastle’s side. Alexander Isak’s groin-gah and Jacob Murphy’s shoulder-knack added to a growing injury list. “It’s fine margins,” wailed Eddie Howe, using an explanation now so prevalent, including from England’s brave rugger boys last weekend, that it’s surely due a Bryan’s Gunn video compilation on Social Media Disgrace TwiXter.
