If Enzo Maresca is trying to talk himself out of the Chelsea job, his players seemed determined to help him after 45 minutes - come full-time, the spirited revival that salvaged a draw was almost as confusing as their manager’s recent habit of speaking in riddles, such was the improvement.
Their first-half performance needed no interpretation. There was nothing cryptic about this, it was simply dreadful. In mitigation, they ran into a Newcastle side who produced their best half of the season.
Or rather, Newcastle ran into Chelsea, as well as through them, around them and over them.