Form is temporary – I hope… | OneFootball

Winning with ten men.

Winning whilst getting absolutely dominated in every stat that matters.

Winning from behind.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you… England Euro 2024!

Oh wait, sorry, this is Newcastle United we’re talking about.

Now, as Newcastle United fans, we tend to disagree on everything, from tactics to whether the away kit is ‘fresh’ or ‘an assault on the senses.’

However, one thing we can all agree on right now, is that this team is not exactly firing on all cylinders.

Yet somehow, with a bit of luck and a couple of miraculous moments, we’re still scraping through.

It’s like a magic trick, only instead of pulling rabbits out of hats, we’re pulling victories out of… well, somewhere else.

This isn’t a rant about Howe’s tactics. Eddie Howe knows his team better than anyone and I’m not going to apologise for the points we’ve earned either.

However, let’s be honest with ourselves, this isn’t the Newcastle we signed up for. This isn’t the high-flying, high-pressing and high-energy team we are used to for the past two seasons.

Two things stood out for me after Sunday’s game and for the last few matches: the midfield merry-go-round and the roulette wheel that is our current team form.

Most of us agreed, or at least dared to dream, that the magic combination of Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali would transform us into world-beaters.

However, when it comes to picking a midfield, you’ve got two options: you can either slap the biggest names on the team sheet like Southgate does for England, or you can be smart and pick players based on who we’re playing.

I’m a fan of the latter because let’s face it, if we’re playing Manchester City, trying to match them man-for-man is like bringing a spoon to a sword fight.

Sure, the Bruno, Joe, Tonali trio sounds like a dream on paper, but here’s the thing: it only works when everyone’s in top form. Even then, it might not always be the best option.

We often overlook the downsides. Sean Longstaff, for instance, gets criticism for being “average”, much like someone complaining that tap water is tasteless. Tap water is free, while you have to spend some money on the wine. So focus on the wine. However, then we have Joelinton, who when not on form, is like a ticking time bomb with a potential yellow or red card just waiting to go off. Then there’s Bruno, who lately seems to be dispossessed too easily.

Remember the last time Bruno bossed the midfield against Manchester City? Or even Liverpool? Yeah, me neither. Bruno’s great when he’s got room to work his magic, but throw one decent marker on him, and suddenly he’s either on the floor at the slightest nudge (sure, it gets us a free-kick, but still), misplacing passes, or just losing the ball for fun. In the last four games, Over the last four games, Bruno has arguably played below the level of even a prime Longstaff, when what we really need right now is a prime Bruno.

To be clear, this isn’t an attack on Bruno, but rather a critical look at his role in the team.

So here’s a wild idea: instead of insisting on the Bruno, Joe, Tonali trio every week, why not consider a more mobile midfield, maybe Joe, Tonali, and Willock against teams like Man City, where counter-attacking is key? We could bring Bruno on in the 60th minute to control the game when everyone else is knackered. Just putting it out there.

Now, on to the real issue: why does it feel like we’re playing with a team of yo-yos?

My theory is simple, not everyone is in form at the same time, that’s why we’re struggling.

Here’s how I see it:

Showing a semblance of form: Barnes, Schar

Finally waking up: Gordon, Tonali, Willock, Pope, Kelly (wait, who?)

Still hitting snooze on their form alarm: Bruno, Isak, Burn, Trippier

Yo-yo squad: Joelinton, Hall, Livramento, Longstaff, Murphy, Almiron

They say form is temporary but class is permanent.

Let’s hope that holds true, because if we can get these players back to their best, Newcastle United can return to playing the way we know they can.