Once Newcastle’s starting goalkeeper in the Premier League, Tim Krul’s career on Tyneside now looks like it could be coming to an end, with the Dutch goalkeeper currently back in Holland with AZ Alkmaar on loan.
At least, he got the chance to play some European football this season, even if it did end with the Eredivisie side getting thumped 7-1 by Lyon in France on Thursday night, taking the aggregate to 11-2 after their 4-1 loss at home.
Playing behind former Aston Villa centre-back Ron Vlaar, the Newcastle loanee was unable to stop a rampant Lyon attack, who scored with seven of their nine shots on target.
The Newcastle goalkeeper was at fault for the Ligue 1 club’s fourth goal, making a weak effort to save Sergi Darder’s shot by not getting down quickly enough.
Admittedly, the defence in front of him were, and this isn’t too harsh, atrocious, even allowing 18-year-old Houssem Aouar all the space in the world for the youngster to get his first goal for Lyon, slotting the ball neatly through Tim Krul’s leg.
The Newcastle loanee was handed a 2/10 for his performance by L’Equipe, and was singled out as one of the ‘flops’ of the game, which is understandable considering he let in seven goals.
We highly doubt Rafa Benitez will have been impressed with his goalkeeper’s performance, and with his contract at St James’ Park running out next summer, an exit at the season’s end seems the likeliest of outcomes for the 28-year-old.
