Newcastle were on a run of six straight Premier League wins but couldn't find a way past Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Defender Fabian Schar had the best chances but wasted three good opportunities as Leeds held firm to end a two-game losing streak.
Newcastle’s All Whites striker Chris Wood also missed a good chance from a Kieran Trippier cross. Meslier saved Wood’s effort.
“The desire was there, the quality was there but the finishing wasn’t there. We had a number of opportunities that normally we take," Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said.
Isak returns, pushing Wood to the bench (no Wilson in either) in the FA cup match vs Sheffield Wednesday.
Looks like a pretty 2nd string line up (even compared to the ones Howe has put out in the League Cup), so Howe taking the League 1 opposition lightly (the same one Waine debuted in today!) or not caring too much about the FA cup for now.
fwiw is anyone is following the forum right now, the match is on Sky Sport 7 right now - writing this at 8am (0-0 at half time). Wood on the bench so might see him on in the 2nd half.
Edit - Yep Wood on at half time for Isak, let's go!
Newcastle lose 2-1 and out of the FA cup to a League 1 team despite having a strong team on by the end. Wood the primary villian if you're a Newcastle fan, a few bad touches with his back to goal and put a sitter 50 rows back into the grandstand.
Don't think Howe will mind too much being out of the FA Cup. Making the top 4, and UCL is now the target. They as yet don't have the depth of Man City, Man U etc
Newcastle also still have the League Cup. They host Leicester mid week in a QF, so still a chance of some Cup silverware
I mean the fans didn’t want Almiron or Murphy and then Howe played them into a run of form. There are a lot of fans who like Wood who have to keep their heads down, but pop up in force when he has a good game.
Wood has taken a really long time to get going. However, a team sitting third or fourth in the PL shouldn’t be looking at one miss and blaming that striker against a [omg League One] championship team.
If they’ve only created one good look then that should be the reason for the inquest. Most PL teams pummel the goal in these fixtures. Isak and Wilson have missed shockers in their games too, but seem to have more credit stored up.
Edit: that is quite a miss! Thought there might have been a bobble. But there should have been 5-6 similar chances created in that second half given the disparity between the teams. Often top team strikers will miss those, but pick up two more in a win so the miss is forgotten.
Looked like a small bobble to me as well. The Woodsman ain't leaving Newcastle any time soon. Howe secretly won't mind being out the FA Cup.
The fans angst is in part to the club winning no silverware since 1969! I had no idea until reading that today. Staggering really for a club as big as Newcastle.
Despite patchy form I can’t see him going anywhere just yet. From his perspective the chance of silverware and European football, even if only from the bench, must be a big factor. From the club’s perspective, strikers with over 50 premier league goals who are happy to be 5th or 6th choice are not easy to come by. Patience will run out eventually but I can see how it works for now.
With Wilson, Isak, Joelintin and co i think Wood was just there for midweek games, but Newcastle will have less of them now. He's been playing of late on weekends with injuries to starters. If Howe buys/loans a striker this window Wood may struggle to make the bench. I wouldn't blame him for staying with potential of Europe and seeing his payslip every week. I guess it depends what he wants in this part of his career, but for us All Whites supporters i hope he plays somewhere.
With Wilson, Isak, Joelintin and co i think Wood was just there for midweek games, but Newcastle will have less of them now. He's been playing of late on weekends with injuries to starters. If Howe buys/loans a striker this window Wood may struggle to make the bench. I wouldn't blame him for staying with potential of Europe and seeing his payslip every week. I guess it depends what he wants in this part of his career, but for us All Whites supporters i hope he plays somewhere.
Isak, Wilson and Wood are the only dedicated strikers, Joelinton is a midfielder now.
Newcastle played Almiron, Wilson and Joelintin up top in a 3. Wilson and Isak are the first choice 9's and i'd say Joelintin would be the next if need be. A couple of them are injury prone so that's why potentially Wood is being hung on to...otherwise he should be out on loan - he needs minutes and surely Newcastle want him playing in some capacity. Not getting on midweek is a red flag for a player. Maybe he enjoys his role.Friar Tuck
Showtime Nixie
With Wilson, Isak, Joelintin and co i think Wood was just there for midweek games, but Newcastle will have less of them now. He's been playing of late on weekends with injuries to starters. If Howe buys/loans a striker this window Wood may struggle to make the bench. I wouldn't blame him for staying with potential of Europe and seeing his payslip every week. I guess it depends what he wants in this part of his career, but for us All Whites supporters i hope he plays somewhere.
Isak, Wilson and Wood are the only dedicated strikers, Joelinton is a midfielder now.
Finished a 2-0 win to Newcastle, and they are through to the League Cup semis.
Wilson came off at 78 mins, to be replaced by Isak. So seems the Woodsman is now ranked 3rd, re the no 9s.
But he ain't going anyway before season end. Wilson is injury prone, and Isak has only just returned to fitness after a long time out.
That shanked shoot on goal verus SW in the FA Cup, wasn't a great look. But Howe knows what Wood offers, and there will be occasions still this season when bringing him on, late on will happen. Then he is only an injury away from even starting in a game or two.
But I'm sure at season end it will all be reviewed, and if Newcastle make the UCL with it's nice extra windfall, they may release Christopher Wood. Hope not. Would love to see in UCL next season - even if just limited mins.
Finished a 2-0 win to Newcastle, and they are through to the League Cup semis.
Wilson came off at 78 mins, to be replaced by Isak. So seems the Woodsman is now ranked 3rd, re the no 9s.
But he ain't going anyway before season end. Wilson is injury prone, and Isak has only just returned to fitness after a long time out.
That shanked shoot on goal verus SW in the FA Cup, wasn't a great look. But Howe knows what Wood offers, and there will be occasions still this season when bringing him on, late on will happen. Then he is only an injury away from even starting in a game or two.
But I'm sure at season end it will all be reviewed, and if Newcastle make the UCL with it's nice extra windfall, they may release Christopher Wood. Hope not. Would love to see in UCL next season - even if just limited mins.
He might as well stay at Newcastle, even if they bring in new strikers for next season, which will be all but guaranteed with qualifying for the Champions' League + Saudi sportswashing funds - Youssoufa Moukoko the latest linked. His stock seems to have fallen a fair bit from the Burnley days, so if he does leave the chances of getting close to what he currently earns are probably low, so it makes financial sense to stay put.
I think I read he is generally liked at the club, gets along well with teammates and is happy with a back-up role, so no real issues there either. It could be his only chance at experiencing UCL football, unless he goes out on loan elsewhere in Europe. He has played solely in England since 2009, so that could either mean he's too accustomed to leave, or he could see it as a last chance to experience other cultures - the Turkish Super Lig love an ex-PL pro and Besiktas are set to lose Wood's Burnley replacement, maybe he could replace his replacement?
He might even just focus on getting the 19 caps he needs to overtake Vicelich and getting a run, even if not a starter, at the 2026 World Cup and become the first All White to play at two WCs. If achieving that means being a PL club's fourth/fifth choice striker then he might take that trade-off.
Finished a 2-0 win to Newcastle, and they are through to the League Cup semis.
Wilson came off at 78 mins, to be replaced by Isak. So seems the Woodsman is now ranked 3rd, re the no 9s.
But he ain't going anyway before season end. Wilson is injury prone, and Isak has only just returned to fitness after a long time out.
That shanked shoot on goal verus SW in the FA Cup, wasn't a great look. But Howe knows what Wood offers, and there will be occasions still this season when bringing him on, late on will happen. Then he is only an injury away from even starting in a game or two.
But I'm sure at season end it will all be reviewed, and if Newcastle make the UCL with it's nice extra windfall, they may release Christopher Wood. Hope not. Would love to see in UCL next season - even if just limited mins.
He might as well stay at Newcastle, even if they bring in new strikers for next season, which will be all but guaranteed with qualifying for the Champions' League + Saudi sportswashing funds - Youssoufa Moukoko the latest linked. His stock seems to have fallen a fair bit from the Burnley days, so if he does leave the chances of getting close to what he currently earns are probably low, so it makes financial sense to stay put.
I think I read he is generally liked at the club, gets along well with teammates and is happy with a back-up role, so no real issues there either. It could be his only chance at experiencing UCL football, unless he goes out on loan elsewhere in Europe. He has played solely in England since 2009, so that could either mean he's too accustomed to leave, or he could see it as a last chance to experience other cultures - the Turkish Super Lig love an ex-PL pro and Besiktas are set to lose Wood's Burnley replacement, maybe he could replace his replacement?
He might even just focus on getting the 19 caps he needs to overtake Vicelich and getting a run, even if not a starter, at the 2026 World Cup and become the first All White to play at two WCs. If achieving that means being a PL club's fourth/fifth choice striker then he might take that trade-off.
It's also a possibility that playing less games could actually prolong his pro career. If he's playing the equivalent of 20 games a year rather than 50 or 60, but keeping himself fit and in good shape, then he could be stretching out his remaining time (including at international level) rather than being ground down by a relentless slog. I have zero scientific basis for this assertion, is just a thought.
Howe strikes me as a fairly astute manager, and I can imagine him having a specific role for a player like Wood, who has experience and nous etc. He's a pretty solid back up option, rather than a journeyman or a rapidly promoted youth teamer. Am sure a few other Prem teams would be happy with a Wood-calibre striker on the bench if their first choice gets injured. If they had no use for him then they'd sell him - but I get the sense (again with no basis, just a thought) that he is a part of a bigger picture for Newcastle, doing something that a lot of big names wouldn't do, but with the club still getting someone with a solid if not spectacular goal return across his career.
Having said all that, they'll probably turn around and release him now, innit...
Good chance for Newcastle now to make the League Cup final, with Man City knocked out. Must be a chance to even win the Cup now, and break their very long trophy less period.
With semi against Saints being over 2 legs (24th & 31st January) will mean some mid week games/congested schedule for a bit, so increase Wood's chances of getting some game time.
Nottingham Forest to play Man U (who are still alive in 4 different competitions) in the other 2 legged semi.
I mean he'd be their lead man for the time he was there and they clearly are trying to avoid the drop zone. He'd miss out of Champs league footy though - I guess he has to decide whether playing regularly in the EPL or bench warming in Europe is what he wants to do.
I mean he'd be their lead man for the time he was there adn they clearly are trying to avoid the drop zone. He'd miss out of Champs league footy though - I guess he has to decide whether playing regularly in the EPL or bench warming in Europe is what he wants to do.
Then I really can't see why he'd go? Money speaks volumes of course, but if it came down to sitting on the bench in a top four squad with the chance of going to Europe and getting some game time in the big leagues vs sitting on the bench for a side battling to stay in the EPL I know where I'd be staying.
If he transfers he misses a chance to win a trophy in the efl cup, which he's played in and scored at least one goal in too that i can remember. Interestingly Forest is still in the cup semi too (on the other semi vs Man u) but he'd be cup tied I assume so couldn't play for them in that.
Considering he wanted to go to Newcastle as a chance to win something (if I remember his quote correctly after leaving Burnley) it will be a weird feeling if he ends up as Forest player in the stands at Wembley as they play Newcastle, especially if Newcastle wins.
Even as the third striker at Newcastle he'll likely get game time in the semi (home and away leg) and final (if they make it), given the congested schedule.
