With the Saudi owners in town for a summit that will shape the vision of Newcastle United for future generations, here was a reminder that the current vintage are in need of more immediate support.
This was a game that showcased the strengths and vulnerabilities of Eddie Howe’s squad, with its big fish swimming in shallow waters.
They won and moved back into the Champions League places because they have world-class players such as Alexander Isak. They were nervy until the last because they don’t have enough of them.
Yasir Al-Rumayyan, PIF governor and club chairman, is here on Tyneside to make key decisions on stadiums and training grounds. But before they put spades in the ground on either of those off-the-field projects, they need to build on the promise of what they have on it.
Newcastle’s players can produce special matches and special moments, and that much was evident by the manner in which they scored four goals inside 11 minutes in the first half.
There were Met Office warnings of a storm that never came to pass, but that period was like a cyclone of black-and-white jerseys tearing through the visitors.
Alexander Isak scored twice as Newcastle beat Nottingham Forest in a thrilling match
The in-form striker bagged a brace during a first half blitz from the home side at St James’
Isak netted his first goal from the penalty spot after Ola Aina’s handball in the area
That the goal-blitz played out to a backing track of Howe’s name felt like a message being sent to those in the plush seats – the manager has our backing, now he needs yours.
Because after two years without a first-team addition, what then happened in the second half laid bare their frailties.
Newcastle became tired, ragged and clung to a decreasing lead with such anxiety that team-mates Anthony Gordon and Fabian Schar looked ready to square up to each other late on. Al-Rumayyan was at the boxing in Riyadh on Saturday, but that would not have been a good look in front of the boss.
By this stage, it was Forest throwing the punches. They trailed 4-1 at half-time after a first half in which they looked like they didn’t much fancy the prospect of European travel next season. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were gifted an early lead but responded in kind with the generosity of their own defending.
But the second half saw Forest revert to the team who have been in the top four for nine weeks now – and Newcastle were on the ropes throughout. Nikola Milenkovic pulled one back on 63 minutes and Ryan Yates nicked another from close range in the 90th. In truth, Forest just ran out of time.
Had there been much more than the three minutes added, you would have fancied them to complete the comeback. But because of that earlier passage in which they lost their discipline, their bearings and their minds, they lost a match from which they more than deserved a point, if not more.
Callum Hudson-Odoi fired them in front after just six minutes, capitalising on an error by Jacob Murphy and Nick Pope’s positioning to smash in from 25 yards. But rather than sit in and frustrate Newcastle, it was their own manager they drove around the bend.
Lewis Miley was afforded too much space to swipe home an equaliser on 23 minutes. Ninety seconds later and Lewis Hall was also given the freedom of Forest’s half to burst into the area and his shot was deflected into the path of Murphy, who improvised to turn in with his stomach. It was Forest, though, who’d had the wind taken out of them.
Forest suffered their second defeat in consecutive games despite fighting hard to come back
Lewis Miley (left) equalised for the home side after the vistiors had taken an early lead
Jacob Murphy also got himself on the scoresheet during an action-packed first half
Nikola Milenkovic (31) reduced the deficit as Forest improved after the half-time break
Ryan Yates (right) added a third in the 90th minute to make it a nervy ending for the home fans
It would have been three goals in five minutes had VAR and referee Stuart Attwell not needed a ludicrous amount of time to determine that Ola Aina had handled from Hall’s delivery. That penalty was eventually converted by Isak, but only just.
It was a Panenka of sorts. For a split-second it looked more like a panettone as Matz Sels read the intent and stood up to save. He then flapped at the ball and ended up in the net with it. The calamity of that captured what was happening to his team and a minute later Isak had another.
Joe Willock galloped into open ground, as he did throughout the first half, and played in the Swede, who clipped beyond Sels via a deflection off the sliding Murillo.
The Brazilian centre back was unfortunate, but the desperation of his attempt spoke to the desperation of his original positioning.
Forest were bad, but it was also a whirlwind showing of attacking force by Newcastle. However, they could not have blown any colder after half-time.
Those padded seats in the directors’ box would have felt pretty uncomfortable as the home side – and not by the instruction of Howe – sat back.
It would be wrong to say they defended their lead, because this was no coherent resistance. Their best hope was that the clock beat Forest, and it did.
Newcastle’s group is in need, and deserving of, new energy and ideas. They have gone so hard for so long that they have looked weary at times this season. Of late, they just cannot perform over 90 minutes.
For while the big infrastructural decisions are due in the boardroom, this was a timely prompt of the repairs and upgrades that are necessary in the dressing-room.
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