Still, at least Newcastle can concentrate on the league now. On a dank and dreary night in west London, they were handed a lesson in invention and ambition by a Brentford team who can now celebrate the first major cup semi-final in their 131-year history. They got there by believing in their plan, by having a plan, by wanting the ball: traits that have not defined Steve Bruce’s side for a good while now.
It feels harsh on Brentford, a team of sparkling industry and indefinable chemistry, to reduce one of their greatest triumphs to a case of big-club failure. But the truth is that Newcastle are no longer even much of a scalp any more. Josh Dasilva’s second-half winner was the least Brentford deserved for a performance in which they created more, shot more, tackled more, dreamed more.
