Here are some compliments so weak they could be invisible to the human eye: never before Newcastle UnitedEdit reached three in a row League Cup quarter finals. Yet in a strange way, this barely legible achievement also represents a revolution. Three years after its acquisition, there is much open to interpretation at St James’ Park, including the general direction of travel, but in this sense its forward momentum is indisputable.

Newcastle are not aiming to make the round of 16, but a club synonymous with not winning (especially in this competition) is at least trying again. From 2007 to 2021, also known as the great Mike Ashley wasteland era, they managed to get past the fourth round of the FA Cup precisely once and in the Carabao Cup it was three times. It was a ridiculous total that (half-hearted drum roll, please) has now been equaled.

There have been many failures, chances, failures and terrible draws, but reaching another quarter-final (and another home tie, a regret against Brentford – comes at a significant time. After five games without a win in the first division And with confidence shaking, Eddie Howe needed a little confirmation. He needed something to demonstrate his progress, to his players, to his fans, maybe to himself.

What is there without this? Newcastle are 12th in the table, a very Ashley position even if the circumstances are different. They have suffered and stagnated for two transfer windows without noticeably strengthening their first XI; Steve Bruce and Rafa Benitez might nod sagely at that. And for now, big ambitious projects like a remodeled stadium or a new training ground remain just that. Unrealized ambitions.

Howe and his team have led Newcastle forward and the League Cup now offers them a route out of this run of malaise, if we can call it that. This was a great win against a great team at a crucial time and, perhaps more than that, it was also an affirmation. Chelsea They had the ball, but Howe’s players seized the momentum, pressing high, pushing hard and pushing their opponents towards the precipice of error. Howe called it “what we’ve been looking for.”

He was no longer lost, here was the intensity Howe had injected into Newcastle’s veins, here was the aggression that fans fell in love with. The dissipation of those things can be attributed to a multitude of failures, from a summer of uncertainty, a change of sentiment at the club, a dressing room that must find motivation from within and a general stagnation of that relentless drive, but the fight came flowing towards back. Relief followed close behind.

Howe made no attempt to downplay any of that. “We needed a performance and a result,” the coach said afterwards. “We got it done tonight, especially in the first half. It was the hallmark of our best moment: front foot, very good energy, good feelings, good quality, good attitude, most importantly, and a great victory.” Later in his press conference, there was more emphasis: “That was a really important moment.”

An early challenge Antonio Gordon He set the tone and the crowd responded. Chelsea advanced and Newcastle caught them, sending a jolt of panic through their bodies. It sounds so ridiculously simple, so lacking in analytical detail, but the belief became tangible and everyone fed on it. The pressure worked for Newcastle, so they did it again and again and Enzo Maresca’s players, who had beaten them at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, collapsed.

“Games change in the blink of an eye and also feelings and momentum can change very quickly,” Howe said. “When you are in a difficult moment, you need someone to push you to live life backwards and the only people who can do that are ourselves. It’s about players and staff coming together and the intention of the players was very good. You could see from the beginning that we were there mentally.”

The first goal was brutal, Chelsea played and Newcastle played hard. Joelinton putting Renato Veiga under pressure, Sando Tonali slides and the ball breaks for Alejandro Isak to score. The second was opportunistic, Lewis Hall After taking a quick free kick, Isak’s cross deflected Christopher Nkunku, Joe Willock directing it and Axel Disasi waving. In that brief period between the 23rd and 26th minutes, St James’ boiled.

It wasn’t one way, but at the other end Newcastle threw themselves into blocking and clearing, taking heart and inspiration from the sharp points in front of them. “Trust is a fragile thing in many ways,” Howe said. “You can talk about it, you can do a lot of different things, but winning is the only thing that gives it back. “We will feel much better about ourselves after that.”

There were other points of interest. Tonali’s first substitutions in Newcastle’s previous two games had provoked a weak round of boos in Howe’s direction, but against Chelsea the Italian was positioned in the center of midfield and brought intelligence, power and energy with him, in and out of the possession. He seemed liberated and recharged.

The best teams are not automatically made up of the best players and Newcastle’s midfield has been left disjointed. The balance came with Tonali in the middle, Sean Longstaff on the right and Willock on the left, carrying the ball down the field. All three were excellent. Ahead of them, Joelinton squandered an early opportunity but made up for it with sheer strength and a taunting threat. That meant Gordon shifted to the right, but the trade-off was necessary.

So far this season, Newcastle have played and left questions in their wake, but this match finally provided answers, or something close to some. Rest assured, no one is suggesting that Bruno Guimaraeswho entered in the second half, should definitely make way, but at least there are alternatives and at least the Brazilian now knows it too. That shake is vital. So was the reminder that Howe’s team still has a beautiful, bastard mess in their locker and that, in this competition, the dream is alive.

(Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)