Ragged in attack, messy in defence - chaotic Newcastle were bettered by Bournemouth for most of their 2-2 draw... but Eden Hazard-like £51m Matias Fernandez-Pardo brings excitement, writes CRAIG HOPE

There remains a little more chaos than cohesion with Newcastle 2.0, but character has survived the reboot. 

Without that, they would have lost for the first time this season. On the balance of technical execution, they could have had few complaints.

For new boss Matthias Jaissle, this is a work in progress with a young team. Whilst that work is ongoing, it helps that a summer of change has brought with it renewed optimism on Tyneside.

That is why the mood inside St James’ Park did not sour, despite Bournemouth being the better team. And that is why, from 2-0 down, Newcastle were able to salvage a point.

That they scored with their only two shots on target tells the story of a disjointed attacking display - too many final balls were sloppy, as Jaissle admitted - and they were just as ragged in defence. They lost the midfield battle to the outstanding Alex Scott, too.

Across four matches, they have now faced 74 shots. There is a fragility in the middle of the park that needs to stiffen if those numbers are to improve. Scott out-fought and out-thought adversaries Nico Gonzalez and Lewis Miley.

Yet, for all of that, Jaissle and his team were applauded from the pitch post match, and rightly so. Newcastle would have - and did - lose this game in seasons past. They did not this time because of their spirt and Jaissle’s changes.

With two minutes remaining, substitute Jacob Ramsey smashed the equalising goal at the Gallowgate End. Newcastle might even have won it when, moments later, Yoane Wissa was inches away from collecting a Sean Steur pass and running clear. St James’ was bouncing by then.

Ramsey’s goal was the fourth from a substitute under Jaissle, who had recognised his team’s drift and addressed it. In every game, his changes have had the desired impact, and how they needed it here.

‘To come back was special and I think there is something we can build on,’ said Jaissle. ‘The desire to win the game was there until the end.

‘But the frustration is also there. In the first half, aspects were missing to be competitive. We could not match Bournemouth. In the Premier League, you need to be at your best over 90 minutes to get three points. But, if there were 10 minutes more at the end, I thought we could have gone for the winner.’

It was the arrival of £51million debutant Matias Fernandez-Pardo that helped rescue a point as much as Ramsey’s right boot. The Belgian injected an energy and purpose lacking to the point of his 63rd-minute introduction. The comparisons to Eden Hazard are obvious, and you get the feeling the Toon Army are going to enjoy the young forward.

For too much of this match, though, there wasn’t a lot to like about Newcastle. Bournemouth came with the same game-plan from last season, and the one before that. The winning formula is not overly complicated, either - keep the ball, quieten the crowd and pin Newcastle in their own half. With that, use pacey forwards like Marcus Tavernier, Rayan and Justin Kluivert to hurt a backline that had retreated to the point of vulnerability. The hosts knew what was coming but could do little about it. The free beer given to supporters beforehand suddenly felt as flat at the lunchtime atmosphere.

By the 35th minute, Bournemouth were two goals in front and it was entirely deserved, even if a deflection presented Tavernier with the chance for his opener and the second was an own goal via a looping ricochet off Malick Thiaw.

They were still showing replays of that bizarre concession on the monitors in the ground when Harvey Barnes raced up the other end from the restart and curled in a trademark reply from 18 yards.

‘A world class goal,’ said Jaissle. ‘I could not have wished for that goal more in that moment.’

If the reprieve was supposed to signal a home improvement, it did not. Bournemouth were the more organised and looked to have kept Newcastle at bay until the ball bounced around the penalty area and Ramsey took it off the toe of Fernandez-Pardo to score. The two subs queuing up to convert spoke of their eagerness to impress.

It was the third game on the spin that Marco Rose’s side had conceded late goals to forgo Premier League victories, but they still look like a very competent team.

As for Newcastle, it is hard to know what their season will look like. Good, bad or indifferent, it sure promises to be fun.