Newcastle defender Fabian Schar headed off on international duty reflecting upon what might have been after a difficult start to the new Premier League campaign.
Schar met up with Switzerland having secured a point for his club with the equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Watford at St James’ Park on Saturday, a game which posed as many questions as it answered about the new-look Magpies.
The first-half performance in particular, as well as the final result, came as a disappointment to Schar and his team-mates after their sterling efforts in the victory at Tottenham last Sunday, on a day when a victory would have left them with six points from their opening four games.
He told NUFC TV: “We are OK after four games, but if we had won this game, it would have been much better, the feeling would have been great when you go into a break with two wins.
“Now we have four points, it’s still OK, but we could have had more points – also in the Arsenal game, I think we deserved a point.
“But overall, I think we are now in a good way. We have improved in the last two or three weeks after the Norwich game and when we work like this, I’m really positive.”
Newcastle’s day got off to the worst possible start when Will Hughes stabbed home the opener with less than two minutes played after Tom Cleverley’s shot had ricocheted off both Paul Dummett and Jamaal Lascelles and dropped invitingly to him.
Schar restored parity four minutes before the break when he beat keeper Ben Foster from a tight angle after Isaac Hayden had challenged Craig Dawson for Christian Atsu’s cross, with replays suggesting the ball had hit Hayden’s arm in the process, although there was no VAR intervention.
The home side enjoyed the better of the second half, but were unable to find a way past Foster for a second time, and it took a good save by opposite number Martin Dubravka to deny substitute Isaac Success a winner.
Schar said: “It was unlucky and at the start of the game in the second minute, it’s the worst start to a game you can get. But the reaction was quite good and I think over the 90 minutes, we were the better team with the bigger chances.
“But still we’re here with one point and especially at home, we wanted to get a win, but that’s the game.”
The Hornets also left Tyneside with mixed feelings, but having finally collected their first point of the season.
Hughes told the club’s official website: “We haven’t played to our standards this season and results are showing.
“We need to galvanise and get back together and hopefully the results will turn. We have got to stick together as a team. I know it’s easy to say that, but then we can turn in results.”
