---
title: "Newcastle United: Fans slam Matt Ritchie’s display v Watford"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/matt-ritchie-watford-premier-league/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Adam Clancy"
section: "Newcastle United"
published: "2021-09-26T11:15:58Z"
modified: "2021-09-26T11:15:58Z"
---

# Newcastle United: Fans slam Matt Ritchie’s display v Watford

**Many Newcastle United fans have slammed the performance of Matt Ritchie in their 1-1 draw at Watford in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.**

Despite dominating the game in terms of chances created, the Magpies had to settle for a point in the end after Ismaila Sarr cancelled out Sean Longstaff’s superb strike in the first half.

\[freshpress-poll id=”317812″\]

Primarily a winger, Ritchie struggled at times at left-back, picking up an early yellow card and then making a few dangerous challenges which could well have seen him sent off on another day.

Some Newcastle fans were particularly critical of his set pieces, as he failed to record a single shot on target, while only 30% of his crosses in the match found a teammate ([Sofascore](https://www.sofascore.com/newcastle-united-watford/QqFg)).

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The Scotland international also lost possession of the ball on 14 separate occasions, the fourth-most out of any of his teammates ([Sofascore](https://www.sofascore.com/newcastle-united-watford/QqFg)).

### Newcastle fans on Ritchie’s display

These Magpies fans slammed his performance on Twitter, with one Newcastle supporter going as far as to claim that the 32-year-old is ‘dreadful’ at free kicks:

**“Get Ritchie off set pieces and the pitch”**

[Credit: @darrenfarmer20](https://twitter.com/darrenfarmer20/status/1441787308072599569)

**“Time to get Ritchie off set pieces. Every one of them has been so poor today.”**

[Credit: @evan\_kiropoulos](https://twitter.com/evan_kiropoulos/status/1441786738758852608)

**“Still don’t understand how Miggy Almiron doesn’t get those set pieces in the edge of the box. Matt Ritchie’s technique from them is awful.”**

[Credit: @ASmithSJ](https://twitter.com/ASmithSJ/status/1441784644291149826)

**“Pig sick of Ritchie, like. The amount of times he lashes it into the wall/off someone with his left and with minimal thinking then just swipes at it with his right, man.”**

[Credit: @MattCobb88](https://twitter.com/MattCobb88/status/1441784280988864513)

**“Why does Ritchie always take free kicks? He is utterly dreadful at them.”**

[Credit: @ToonArmyBarmy74](https://twitter.com/ToonArmyBarmy74/status/1441784099002191873)

**“I love the bloke’s aggression and enthusiasm but Ritchie isn’t offering anything to this side today, wasted set pieces and wanders out of position far too much.”**

[Credit: @King\_Kevs\_Rant](https://twitter.com/King_Kevs_Rant/status/1441788716519866375)

***In other news,*** [***one former Newcastle ace thinks the proposed takeover will happen***](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-united-news/takeover-news-premier-league-olivier-bernard/)