good analysis from a FB page I follow (translated via Chatgpt, dont have time to edit)
Newcastle is a team that primarily uses a 4-3-3 formation as its playing system. Their characteristics are not focused on possession play; they are not very technical but rely on their physicality and play with a lot of intensity, which is typical of English teams. When pressed hard, they tend to play long balls forward and work on second balls. They are not a team that prioritizes building from the back and keeping possession at all costs. Often, their goalkeeper doesn't initiate play from the back but opts to launch the ball long. We have analyzed their match against Liverpool, who also plays a 4-3-3 system with similar principles to ours. In the case of regaining possession and building from the back, Newcastle typically sets up in a 4+1 formation, as seen in the first picture.
Having difficulty finding the central midfielder, Tonali drops deeper to provide an additional option, forming a sort of 4+2 formation, as shown in the second picture, with the opposite winger becoming the apex of the triangle.
Therefore, when pressed, they struggle to break free from the opposition's pressure and often resort to playing long balls, primarily to their forward or, if available, switching play to the opposite wing. Pressing them can be an effective strategy, especially when playing at home.
Moving to the defensive phase, Newcastle is a team that is not afraid of transitioning to a defensive stance when necessary, as seen in the third picture.
In their pressing, the wingers tend to mark the full-backs, the forward marks the central defenders, the wide midfielders engage with the opposing wide midfielders, and the central midfielder steps up to mark the opposite central midfielder, as shown in the fourth picture.
This approach leaves space behind their central midfielders, as seen in the same image. The forward often has plenty of space because the defense doesn't follow him. This is likely because of physical characteristics, as they fear leaving too much space behind and prefer conceding that kind of room. Giroud usually exploits these situations well and can often be found, allowing for a ball to be played to him and facilitating ball progression.
The slowness of the central defenders and left-back Burn can be an advantage for Milan. The difference in pace between Burn and Salah, for instance, could create problems, but Liverpool did not capitalize on it effectively. However, Milan did well in the two goals by playing Nuñez into space, exploiting the speed difference with the central defenders, as shown in the fifth picture.
One last aspect to focus on is corners in favor of Newcastle. One thing observed in the analyzed game is that Newcastle is adept at covering the near post but leaves the far post area relatively unprotected, with goalkeeper Pope not being perfect in handling balls in that region. It's essential to attempt to deliver corners into that area or flick the ball towards the near post to exploit their vulnerability, as depicted in the sixth picture.
In conclusion, we can expect a high-paced match with intense battles for every ball, making it physically demanding. It will be crucial to excel in second balls when Newcastle plays long and to capitalize on the greater speed of our wingers, possibly by constantly attacking the spaces between the central defender and the full-back on the sides.





