No doubt there are going to be articles on The Mag saying how as a Newcastle United fan I should back Eddie Howe and it’s just a blip etc blah blah blah.
Well I don’t see it like that at all.
When Eddie Howe took over, there was a huge sense of euphoria and we rode on the crest of that as we stormed out of the bottom three into mid-table.
The players we added were quality and we had momentum.
It seemed like the Newcastle United players and fans had the shackles off from the negativity of Mike Ashley and Steve Bruce.
Nothing could stop us the next (2022/23) season as new players arrived and we sailed in the freedom of uncharted waters towards the top four, helped by a few clubs having a very substandard season.
The next season stretched us. We still played the high press but it started to catch us out.
The intensity eased off as the injuries mounted. Intensity was no longer our identity and TBH I’m not sure what was.
It was the difficult second album and Eddie Howe seemed lost at times, again unable to beat the lower-ranked teams. The season had its highs though and Eddie got a pass based on the injuries, although some might say his training methods contributed to them.
So this season we had a clear run, no Europe and the chance to have a right go at the Premier League.
What has unfolded is an inconsistent series of games where we never know if we will be awful and win, or good and lose, or just a mixture of both.
I don’t know and it appears Eddie doesn’t either.
We are once again incapable of beating lower-ranked teams, despite so many odds in our favour.
The football is mostly average and some of the players look lost.
We are now mid-table, no better than under Steve Bruce, playing similar football at times.
Unfortunately… and I say unfortunately, because of how he kept us up, but in my mind Eddie Howe can’t take us any further forward now.
I wouldn’t give him money in January to buy more left-wingers.
We need a tactical manager in who can get the best out of the players.
Eddie Howe used to do that but not anymore.
What got us here won’t get us there.
Crystal Palace 1 Newcastle 1 – Saturday 30 November 3pm
(Stats via BBC Sport)
Goals:
Newcastle United :
Guehi OG 53
Palace:
(Half-time stats in brackets)
Possession was Newcastle 51% (57%) Palace 49% (43%)
Total shots were Newcastle 1 (1) Palace 16 (5)
Shots on target were Newcastle 0 (0) Palace 4 (0)
Corners were Newcastle 9 (3) Palace 8 (3)
Touches in the box Newcastle 10 (5) Palace 27 (7)
Newcastle United team v Crystal Palace:
Pope, Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Bruno, Willock (Longstaff 75), Gordon (Wilson 75), Isak (Barnes), Joelinton
Unused Subs:
Dubravka, Trippier, Osula, Jacob Murphy, Almiron, Kelly
(Crystal Palace 1 Newcastle 1 – Instant Newcastle United fan/writer reaction – Read HERE)
(Marc Guehi scores for United but late disaster throws two points away – Crystal Palace 1 Newcastle 1 – Read HERE)
Newcastle United upcoming matches confirmed to end of January 2025:
Wednesday 4 December – Newcastle v Liverpool (7.30pm) Amazon
Saturday 7 December – Brentford v Newcastle (3pm)
Saturday 14 December – Newcastle v Leicester (3pm)
Wednesday 18 December – Newcastle v Brentford (7.45pm) Sky Sports+ (Carabao Cup)
Saturday 21 December – Ipswich v Newcastle (3pm)
Thursday 26 December – Newcastle v Villa (3pm) Amazon
Monday 30 December – Man U v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports
Saturday 4 January – Tottenham v Newcastle (12.30pm) TNT Sports
Wednesday 15 January – Newcastle v Wolves (7.30pm) TNT Sports
Saturday 18 January – Newcastle v Bournemouth (12.30pm) TNT Sports
Saturday 25 January – Southampton v Newcastle (3pm)