I find it embarrassing having to do this with Newcastle United and Eddie Howe but…

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·20 October 2024

I find it embarrassing having to do this with Newcastle United and Eddie Howe but…

Eddie Howe and Newcastle United failed to deliver three points on Saturday.

Indeed, they failed to deliver any points.

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A Danny Welbeck goal on 35 minutes proved the winning and only goal of the match.

Newcastle United fans left angry, frustrated, vengeful, head in hands, bewildered. Take your pick.

It is now five weeks since the last Premier League victory, at Fulham.

Since then in the league, Eddie Howe and Newcastle United have lost at Fulham, then 1-1 home to Man City and o-o at Everton, before then Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Brighton.

I find it embarrassing having to do this with Newcastle United and Eddie Howe but…

I feel like it is my duty to present a case for the defence.

Not the Newcastle United back four and keeper specifically, more Eddie Howe and his players overall.

The first half at Fulham was woeful, 2-0 down and it could have been worse.

However, even that second half at Craven Cottage was much better. Not brilliant but if we had played like that all game, I would find it very difficult to believe Newcastle United would have lost. Eddie Howe after that match admitted that on reflection he thought he’d picked the wrong team and tactics/formation. The changes he made at half-time helped make Newcastle United far better.

We have then had these next three matches against Man City, Everton and Brighton.

Against Brighton, Newcastle had 45 touches in the opposition box compared to only 12 for Brighton in our box, also 60% NUFC possession (Brighton normally excel at controlling possession/games) and 9 v 4 on corners in Newcastle’s favour. It was 21 v 10 in Newcastle’s favour when it came to shots.

Against Everton, Newcastle had 42 touches in the opposition box compared to 13 for the home side, 68% possession for Eddie Howe’s side, plus 10 v 0 on corners in NUFC’s favour. Whilst 14 v 8 in terms of shots in NUFC’s favour.

Playing the reigning champions, I think it was the best we have ever competed against them in a Premier League match, in terms of matching them throughout the match. Newcastle had a decent 38% possession, 11 v 16 on shots, 4 v 6 shots on target, 5 v 6 on corners 25 touches in the Man City box compared to them having 40 in ours. You are very very rarely going to have any opposition bettering Man City in terms of key stats and controlling a game, so I think it was a very good performance and most people at the time agreed.

These last three matches have seen a trio of very good core performances. Including yesterday against Brighton, Eddie Howe setting the team up pretty perfectly with the resources he had available.

However, goals decide games. We are going through a bad spell of not taking our chances, plus not making enough of getting into good positions, the final ball, the wrong choice when it comes to shooting or passing, and so on. It happens.

These last three performances have been far better than what went before this season. If only for the clinical and/or spectacular finishing we saw against the likes of Spurs, Southampton and Wolves.

I read people saying the midfield trio of Tonali, Bruno and Joelinton is showing it doesn’t work.

I think quite the opposite! I see massively positive signs of how they are combining at times, that just needs to be continued and built on, to be fine-tuned. For the likes of Isak and Gordon to rediscover their finishing stuff AND indeed that midfield trio (and others) to find a way to contribute more in the goalscoring and goal creating areas.

Sandro Tonali is in many ways still like a new signing.

He was able to train with United during his 10 months ban but even in pre-season, wasn’t allowed to play any warm-up friendly matches in public.

Eddie Howe has taken it slowly (as he does with all ‘new’ signings) with Tonali and only now these last three games, getting him into his PL team week in week out. I know all clubs have to put up with international breaks BUT I think this has been particularly unhelpful in the case of Tonali this past month or so. Especially this latest October int break, that broke momentum and prevented Eddie Howe on working in training with our midfield trio, until only the last one or two training sessions before the Brighton match.

It isn’t a case where myself and others believe everything is perfect, more a case of seeing that the core performances have been very decent these last games and Newcastle United just need to fine tune it and score the goals the performances are deserving.

The Eddie Howe plan is fine, much of the execution of that plan is fine, it is just in key moments individual players (and the team occasionally) aren’t getting it right.

This happens for all teams at times, no reason to tear up the Eddie Howe plan, just players needing to do better at times.

Newcastle 0 Brighton 1 – Saturday 19 October 3pm

Goals:

Brighton:

Welbeck 35

Possession was Newcastle 60% Brighton 40%

Total shots were Newcastle 21 Brighton 10

Shots on target were Newcastle 6 Brighton 5

Corners were Newcastle 9 Brighton 4

Touches in the box Newcastle 45 Brighton 12

Newcastle United team v Brighton:

Pope, Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall (Osula 90+2), Joelinton, Bruno (Almiron 85), Tonali (Willock 65), Gordon (Longstaff 85), Jacob Murphy (Barnes 65), Isak

Krafth, Kelly, Lewis Miley, Vlachodimos

(Newcastle 0 Brighton 1 – Match ratings and comments on all Newcastle United players – Read HERE)

(Matches like this prove which Newcastle United fans have a clue and who are clueless – Read HERE)

(Newcastle 0 Brighton 1 – Instant Newcastle United fan / writer reaction – Read HERE)

Newcastle United upcoming matches confirmed to end of January 2025:

Sunday 27 October – Chelsea v Newcastle (2pm) Sky Sports

Wednesday 30 October – Newcastle v Chelsea (7.45pm) Sky Sports+

Saturday 2 November – Newcastle v Arsenal (12.30pm) TNT Sports

Sunday 10 November – Forest v Newcastle (2pm) Sky Sports

Monday 25 November – Newcastle v West Ham (8pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 30 November – Crystal Palace v Newcastle

Wednesday 4 December – Newcastle v Liverpool (7.30pm) Amazon