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

20 Oct 2024

Eddie Howe and Newcastle United were unable to secure a win on Saturday.

In fact, they were unable to score any points.

Danny Welbeck scored the only goal of the match in the 35th minute, securing the win for his team.

Newcastle United supporters were filled with anger, frustration, and a desire for retribution, often found with their heads in their hands, feeling completely perplexed. You can choose any of these emotions.

It has been five weeks since the last win in the Premier League, which happened against Fulham.

Since that time in the league, Eddie Howe and Newcastle United have experienced a loss against Fulham, followed by a 1-1 draw at home with Manchester City and a goalless tie at Everton. This was then followed by a 1-0 home defeat to Brighton on Saturday.

I feel a bit awkward about discussing this in relation to Newcastle United and Eddie Howe, but...

I believe it's important for me to advocate for the defense.

It's not just about the Newcastle United defense and goalkeeper; it's really about Eddie Howe and all of his players as a whole.

The first half against Fulham was dismal; we found ourselves trailing 2-0, and things could have gone even more poorly.

Nonetheless, the second half at Craven Cottage showed marked improvement. While it wasn’t outstanding, I find it hard to imagine that Newcastle United would have lost if they’d played at that level throughout the match. After the game, Eddie Howe acknowledged that, in hindsight, he believed he had chosen the wrong players and strategy. The adjustments he made during the break significantly enhanced Newcastle United's performance.

We recently played three matches against Manchester City, Everton, and Brighton.

In the match against Brighton, Newcastle dominated with 45 touches in the opponent's penalty area, while Brighton only managed 12 touches in Newcastle's box. Newcastle also held 60% of the possession, which is impressive considering Brighton usually performs well in controlling the ball and dictating play. Additionally, Newcastle had a clear advantage in corners, winning 9 to 4, and they outshot Brighton 21 to 10.

In the match against Everton, Newcastle dominated with 42 touches inside the opponent's penalty area, while Everton only managed 13. Newcastle also controlled the game with 68% possession and had a significant advantage with 10 corner kicks to none for Everton. Additionally, Newcastle outshot Everton with a total of 14 shots compared to their 8.

Facing the current champions, I believe it was our strongest performance against them in a Premier League game. We matched them well throughout the match. Newcastle had a respectable 38% possession and managed 11 shots compared to their 16. In terms of shots on target, we had 4 against their 6, and we earned 5 corners while they had 6. Additionally, we had 25 touches in the Man City box, while they had 40 in ours. It's quite uncommon for any team to outshine Man City in key statistics and game control, so overall, I think we delivered an impressive performance, which was acknowledged by most people at the time.

In the past three games, we've witnessed three impressive performances from the team. This includes yesterday’s match against Brighton, where Eddie Howe skillfully arranged the squad, making the most of the players he had at his disposal.

Ultimately, it's the goals that determine the outcome of games. Right now, we're experiencing a tough phase where we’re not capitalizing on our opportunities. We're also struggling to make the most of our advantageous positions, whether it's the final pass or the selection between shooting and passing. It's just one of those phases.

The last three performances have been significantly improved compared to earlier matches this season. The standout moments came from the precise and impressive finishes we witnessed against teams like Spurs, Southampton, and Wolves.

I've seen some people claim that the midfield combination of Tonali, Bruno, and Joelinton isn't effective.

I have a different perspective! I notice a lot of encouraging signs of how they are working together, and I believe this should be nurtured and refined. It's important for players like Isak and Gordon to get back their scoring touch, and for that midfield trio, along with others, to step up and play a bigger role in creating and scoring goals.

Sandro Tonali still feels like a recent addition in several respects.

He was permitted to practice with United throughout his 10-month suspension, but even during pre-season, he wasn't allowed to participate in any public friendly games.

Eddie Howe has been cautious with Tonali, just as he is with all new signings, and has only recently started including him in the Premier League lineup consistently for the past three games. While every club faces the challenge of international breaks, I believe that this has been especially disruptive for Tonali over the last month. The most recent break in October disrupted the team's momentum and limited Howe's ability to train with our midfield trio until just one or two sessions before the Brighton game.

It's not that my friends and I think everything is flawless; rather, we've noticed that the team's recent performances have been quite good. Newcastle United just needs to make some adjustments and convert those solid performances into the goals they deserve.

The strategy devised by Eddie Howe is solid, and most of the implementation is going well. However, at crucial times, some players—and sometimes the whole team—are not performing as they should.

This can happen to any team now and then; there's no need to abandon Eddie Howe's strategy. It's simply a matter of the players needing to step up their game at times.

Newcastle 0, Brighton 1 – Saturday, October 19 at 3 PM

(Statistics sourced from BBC Sport)

Newcastle had the ball 60% of the time, while Brighton held on to it for 40%.

Newcastle had a total of 21 shots while Brighton managed 10.

Newcastle had 6 shots on goal, while Brighton managed 5.

Newcastle had 9 corners while Brighton had 4.

Newcastle made 45 touches in the penalty area, while Brighton had 12.

Newcastle United Squad Against Brighton:

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

Krafth, Kelly, Lewis Miley, and Vlachodimos are individuals known in their respective fields. They each bring unique talents and skills to the table, contributing to their areas of expertise. Whether it's through their professional endeavors or personal interests, they make a notable impact.

(Newcastle 0 Brighton 1 – Player ratings and remarks on every Newcastle United player – Check it OUT HERE)

(These games reveal which Newcastle United supporters really understand the team and which ones are out of touch – Check it out HERE)

(Newcastle 0 Brighton 1 – Quick thoughts from a Newcastle United supporter/writer – Check it out HERE)

Confirmed Newcastle United fixtures scheduled up to the end of January 2025:

Sunday, October 27 – Chelsea vs. Newcastle (2:00 PM) on Sky Sports.

Wednesday, October 30 – Newcastle versus Chelsea (7:45 PM) on Sky Sports+

Saturday, November 2 – Newcastle takes on Arsenal (12:30 PM) on TNT Sports.

Sunday, November 10 – Nottingham Forest vs. Newcastle (2 PM) on Sky Sports

Monday, November 25 – Newcastle vs. West Ham (8 PM) on Sky Sports

Saturday, November 30 – Crystal Palace vs. Newcastle

Wednesday, December 4 – Newcastle takes on Liverpool at 7:30 PM on Amazon.

Saturday, December 7 – Brentford taking on Newcastle at 3 PM.