Newcastle United are out of Europe. That is not exactly a bad thing

As bad as the 7-3 scoreline was. As woeful as that second-half capitulation at Camp Nou was by Newcastle United, their exit from the UEFA Champions League is far from the hammer blow that fans and pundits are making it out to be.

For a vast majority of the season, The Magpies’ have displayed some of their better performances in the competitions not named the Premier League. They made an almighty fist of the Carabao Cup title defense, where they made the semifinals before being pipped by Manchester City. They suffered a similar fate in the 5th Round of the FA Cup by the same opposition, and up until that collective meltdown at Camp Nou that started in the added time of the first half, Newcastle United were matching Barcelona stride for stride in a game that was as fast as it was furious.

But now that they are out of all these competitions, Eddie Howe and Newcastle United have that one thing that was missing for a large chunk of this season: Clarity. Clarity about the fact that this final leg of Premier League fixtures, 8 of them to be precise, is an opportunity to get as many points as possible to climb as high as possible in the points table so that St James’ Park hosts European Football again next season, whether it is the Europa League or the Conference League.

For all their excellent performances in different competitions, the Premier League has seen Newcastle flutter from wildly inconsistent to terribly mediocre. While Eddie Howe deserves every bit of appreciation and needs to be given his flowers for giving the respect that these competitions deserve, the fact that it has come at the cost of their performances in the Premier League cannot be understated.

Playing 50 games, which is the most played by any European side so far this season obviously is something that did not do them any favours, they now have a clear and obvious aim for the rest of the season. No distractions, just once clear and obvious aim till the end of the season.

Playing one game a week means that players get more rest, and Howe gets more time to spend with them on the training ground, which is a good thing as they will be able to execute Howe’s all-action style of play with much more energy and vigour.

As hurtful as the scoreline and the manner of exit from the Champions League was, there are quite a few positives that Howe can take from them. Anthony Gordon may or may not be the answer as a Number 9 against teams who prefer to play in a low block, but it will not be because of a want of trying. The performances of Jacob Ramsey and Anthony Elanga should also serve as welcome boosts, especially of the latter, who might have finally announced himself in a Newcastle shirt following his brace at Catalonia.

Newcastle are currently 9th in the league table. For all intents and purposes, a third Champions League campaign in 4 seasons looks like a pipe dream given how far they are from the top 4, but with only 3 points separating them from Brentford and a further 3 from Chelsea, catching them both does not look as far-fetched as it once seemed.

Beating a high-flying Manchester United and a Champions League-chasing Chelsea in back-to-back fixtures mean that the Magpies have something resembling momentum in the league, which has been fleeting at best for them this season. Beat Sunderland on Sunday, which will be another difficult game, ( Newcastle United have failed to beat Sunderland in their last 8 Premier League encounters) that will be 3 straight wins in a row and will probably see them occupy a European spot before the league disperses for the International Break.

The rumblings around Newcastle are that this season is over and that there is nothing to play for now. The reality is far from it. Newcastle’s season is far from over. And while it is uncertain as to when the bright lights of the Champions League will light up St James’ Park again, what is certain is the clarity to finish in the European spots come matchweek 38. Bring on the Tyne-Wear Derb