Why European football is now so vital for Newcastle United ASAP | OneFootball

Exciting times at Newcastle United.

The takeover happening 14 months ago, with the Saudi Arabia PIF leading the consortium, taking an 80% controlling interest.

Newcastle United fans having every right to suddenly feel optimistic, after almost a decade and a half of their club simply existing (or worse…) under Mike Ashley.

We all thought things could / would improve BUT if you are honest, did any of you honestly believe it would happen this quick?

Yes, as our enemies will constantly remind us, we haven’t won anything yet.

Well, yes, I think we’d spotted that, thanks very much.

What they don’t understand if how it feels now to be supporting such a massive club that once again has hope and…yes, expectation. Those hopes and expectations having been deliberately suppressed by Mike Ashley.

From early on after his arrival, we could see clear an obvious improvement under Eddie Howe. It was simply a case of the results eventually following that improvement in performances.

Some sensational signings obviously helped, the £16m spent in January on Dan Burn (£13m purchase) and Matt Targett (£3m loan) absolutely transformed the defence. Eddie Howe working wonders on both Fabian Schar (who we already knew was very good, unlike Steve Bruce…) and Emil Krafth (who we didn’t realise could be very decent as well).

Kieran Trippier of course was predictably excellent but injury restricted him to only five PL starts last season.

Eddie Howe of course gave Bruno G time to settle and from March onwards he has rewarded the head coach handsomely.

Anyway, these signings and the significant improvement in pretty much every other existing player, saw not only improvement last season, but also an astonishing run of form that was third best in the Premier League over the entire course of the second half of the 2021/22 PL season.

It gets better, that form continuing, Newcastle United currently the third best PL team this season as well, as we approach Christmas.

Anyway, after the success of both last January’s transfer window AND the one this summer (Pope, Botman, Isak and Targett made permanent), it is little surprise that when you combine that with the staggering improvement on the pitch, you now get so many Newcastle fans wondering which excellent further first team signings will be made in January 2023?

Well, this gets me to my key point…Why European football is now so vital for Newcastle United ASAP.

A bit like when my wife is talking about getting something new for the house that she simply must have, my answer is exactly the same, where will you put it / him?

Our house is only this big, it only has this many rooms.

The same, we only have eleven spaces in this Newcastle United first team.

Bottom line is that to keep more than eleven or so higher level players happy, you need European football, which in reality means Champions League football, doesn’t it?

Yes, domestic cup competitions are important to us as fans, but for players, especially those you hope to attract from overseas, it is all about playing in the Premier League and Champions League.

I think as well, we are sitting here with a current team / squad that has just picked up seven wins and a draw in their last eight league matches and sits third in the table. What would be the sense in dropping any of them currently doing the business?

In the summer, when we got to the later stages and with Pope, Botman and Targett already signed, the clear consensus amongst the NUFC fanbase was that any additional signings would / should be targeted at the right side of the attack and the midfielder to play with our Brazilian pair.

Well, Miguel Almiron is now our top scorer, scoring eight goals from that right side position! Anybody up for dropping him? I thought not.

As for the new midfielder, well we appear to have signed two already, Willock and Longstaff! Seriously though, this pair are playing really well and giving real legs to the midfield when getting their chance. Would a new midfielder coming in, instantly do the same? I think not.

We already have ASM trying to work his way back into this team and Isak hoping to do the same once shaking off his injury issues. Never mind signing any other first team players.

If you have European football, especially Champions League, then you do have plenty of matches to share around more than eleven or thirteen players or so.

No wonder we are hearing repeated rumours that this January 2023 window won’t be anything like the last two, with any signings more likely to be for the squad / for the future, rather than immediate for the first team.

However, if we did get a top four (Champions League) place by the end of this season…well, summer 2023 would be VERY interesting for sure.