Watch-changing time

In qualifying for the group stage of the Europa League over Atromitos, Newcastle United rode a wave of luck a mile wide.  To be sure, injuries to Ryan Taylor and James Perch are the last thing a small squad needs, but in the actual matter of advancement in the competition, NUFC can be hugely relieved.  Two certain penalty appeals against them that resulted in bookings for diving to the Atromitos players fouled and the goal scored was the result of a massive deflection.  In fairness, they were going through anyway on the away goals rule, but as it was 1-1 from the first leg, the maths of the Greeks needing to score at least one goal was unchanged from going behind.  Atromitos were far from atrocious and Newcastle have still to rediscover last season’s mettle in their first four games of the season.  Ramadan has undoubtedly affected Muslim players Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse, Ba handling it slightly better in his second season on Tyneside.  They will improve when eating on a more standard basis.

Chelsea were also lucky in their Super Cup meeting with Atletico Madrid – an unusual statement when they lost 4-1, but Atletico struck the bar twice on their own account and once off Chelsea defender David Luiz, so it could have been 7-1.  I tuned in quite late on when Atletico were four-nil up and saw Gary Cahill register, so I witnessed a 1-0 Chelsea win.  In reality, Atletico did to the west Londoners what Bayern Munich should have done, had they not been spooked by the pressure of the possibility of winning the Champions League trophy at home.

Atletico’s comprehensive victory despite hitting the post three times, lays bare the pathetic nature of Liverpool’s play last season.  The management pointed to how many times they had hit the bar, but there comes a point when it moves from bad luck to bad shooting and Atletico are the gleaming example.  This season Liverpool have to travel to Anzi Makhachkala, a southern Russian club in the most dangerous regions of the world.  Killings, kidnappings and mass criminality in general are issues with which the Scousers have to contend and then they leave Liverpool to travel to southern Russia.