'No cause for concern'

They say all good things come to an end. And thus, Newcastle United's longest run of games won (nine) has done just that, with a comprehensive thrashing by Bournemouth. You can see why, in Eddie Howe's time away from management, he chose to go and learn from Andoni Iraola who at that time managed Rayo Vallecano.

Saturday just seemed like a match too far for Newcastle. Towards the end of our midweek game against Wolves we looked a little leggy and tired, but we were winning so convincingly it didn't really matter. Up against a more athletic, pressing opponent this weekend we could not cope.

I am not so knee jerk that I think it's the beginning of something terrible. It's possible that the players were just tired. I understand; January is tiring. We all feel a bit lethargic - it's a long month and it's ages to payday. Maybe that's the issue! It's probably that. I think what is notable for me is that the apparent tiredness of the players on the pitch didn't come hand in hand with any sort of poor attitude from Newcastle - it's true that Bournemouth got under our skin at points (*cough* Joelinton *cough*) but at no point did it feel, watching in the stadium, that the team had given up or didn't want to find a way to win.

I think that's the key thing that doesn't make me worry. Mix that with Bournemouth being the best side I've seen come to St James' Park this season, a week before our next game, and our next game being against Southampton (no offence Southampton) and I think there is no cause for concern.

More buoying still is the fact that Howe doesn't shy away from defeats - analysing them, talking about them, learning from them. Every team has an off day and I'm confident that's all this was. Better it happens on this weekend just gone than in the semi final we hope to put to bed in a couple of weeks.

Find more from Charlotte Robson at the True Faith: Newcastle United Podcast