Newcastle and their fans do not show any inclination to leave the moment

What happens after everything? What follows 70 years of desire? How to replace the magnificent obsession and where to do Newcastle United Are you going from here? These questions may seem existential, even if when the identity of an entire attempt club, bankruptcy and waiting has been overturned, it is not entirely clear how anything else can be.

After all that time, maybe they can wait a little longer for the answers.

Perhaps the answer is simply Sandro Tonali, who collected the ball from the corner flag to the 74th minute and met the ball so gently, so unlikely that he scored from a ridiculous corner, Winning a reckless game with a surprising moment that seemed like a Champagne inhalation.

“It was a 70 % and 30 % cross shot,” said the Italian with the type of honesty that destroys romantic encounters relationships, but it was also the perfection of 100 % (even if he were saying the truth, he really needs to work more on his crossing).

Thomas Frank, the head of Brentford’s coach, called him something “on a million”. “I have seen it exercise them in recent weeks from that type of corner,” said Howe. “Let me say one thing about Sandro. He can hit a ball like nobody. When he hits him, I fear for the wrists of our goalkeeper because he can hit him so hard. It was a great moment in the game because we needed it. It was a lot in the balance. It is a great moment of our season.”

In his first glance of Their winning team of the Carabao CupSt James’ Park did not give any inclination to let go of the moment, to deliver the recent past to the history books that have traditionally read as an epic tragicomance. The victory over Brentford may have been the slow burning of a drunk hangover and was full of hairy moments, but he kept the party Going and, who knows, perhaps the celebrations can extend to the end of May.

The “winners” said that on the front of the day’s program, the end of Leazes characterized a trophy made of flags and the big screen showed a replay of that Sunday in Wembley when everything changed. Blazoning through the east stand before the kick -off, some texts borrowed from Sam Fender: “For all those who did not do the night”, in honor of those who did not live long enough to see the Newcastle win something.

Newcastle fans borrow a text from Sam Fender (Serena Taylor/Getty Images)

And then the first song of the Gallowgate, “You don’t know, Pompano, the Newcastle won the cup”.

Shortly after: “We are Newcastle and we won the fucking cup”.

And then a little later: “Europe again, Olé Olé Olé”, and, “This is for Barcelona …”

For supporters of other clubs, it will look like an Overkill – all this for a trophy that has often been not loved – but empathy festers in football and this is not for them. The Newcastle is now in an altered landscape, whose final test is certainly sailing on a way beyond the type of team of the medium-time level Premier League which Brentford away has often stumbled on this season.

In that context, it seemed a significant affirmation, if not really of the Wembley variety, therefore something else, lifting them to fifth place in the table, with a game in the hands of the teams above them. “The trophy was last week and now we have to think about a new week,” Tonali said. “Now We only think about the Champions League And not the cup of Carabao. “

It was not a comfortable evening or, in some parts, a particularly convincing performance. Newcastle allowed their initial advantage, with Bryan Mbeumo who converted from the point after Nick Pope slipped and captured Yoaane Wissa, while Ethan Pinnock nodded a free header on the pole at 1-1 when he was supposed to score.

Even once Tonali had restored Newcastle’s advantage, the home team still stammered to victory. Eight minutes of additional time allowed Brentford late onlaget. With the remaining seconds, Bruno Guimaraes seemed to catch Mikkel Damsgaard in the area – “It was a penalty,” said Frank – but the referee, Peter Bankes, ignored the appeals of visitors.

Sandro Tonali scored a cross with “70 percent” (Michelle Mercer/Getty Images)

“There have been very similar games to that – Fulham, Bournemouth – where we lost and then kicked us later,” said Howe. “This could have easily entered that category, if we would have left him. But very similar to West Ham before the final of the cup, we put on the ground a huge victory and this is something that you have to do in a season in the Premier League to be successful and to get to where we want to arrive.”

If a touch of luck was necessary, at least Newcastle modeled its destiny. There have been some great interventions from their great players (who have not always been like this), even by Alexander Isak, even if the Howe’s verdict was that “this was not his most beautiful game”. Howe offered mitigation: Isak “did not feel 100 % in the groin and in its movement”, That’s why it was withdrawn after 66 minutes – Yet the Sweden striker has still provided the two moments of genuine quality of the first half.

The first showed an imperfect genius. Having embarrassed Pinnock, then twice Sat Nathan Collins on the back, Isak torn a higher high ride on his left for Harvey Barnes to draw on an empty net, rather than shooting. But Barnes was offside and the wing knew it. “Why aren’t you finished?” It was Barnes’s immediate answer.

Less than two minutes later, Isak delivered his usual place. Jacob Murphy provided the usual assistance and Isak’s flying shot the Newcastle ahead for the interval. This marked the 20th high -level Isak Goal of the season, making it the first Newcastle player to score 20 times in consecutive campaigns in the Premier League.

“You are defined by your ability to score goals in this championship,” said Howe. “He did it incredibly well since he’s here.”

In this sense, the victory was business as usual for Newcastle. In another, nothing will never be the same. “Football goes very quickly,” said Howe. “You can’t take a breath for a second. So I really hoped that the players were professional, put Wembley behind them and go on and work. We did.”

Guess what: Newcastle won.

(Photo above: Alex Dodd/Getty Images)