On Friday, while Eddie Howe was his usual composed and measured self at his pre-match press conference, he conceded for the first time that Newcastle “could not be oblivious” to Isak’s conduct when assessing his future. It was a subtle shift in his position, but it felt notable. It was certainly as far as he has gone publicly towards admitting that it might be better for all involved if the on-strike striker leaves.
On Saturday, at Elland Road, Newcastle’s most committed travelling supporters delivered their verdict on Isak. Suffice to say, it was X-rated and didn’t exactly portray him in a positive light. Unlike at Aston Villa on the opening weekend, when the anti-Isak chanting was fairly measured and only appeared after the final whistle, here the chanting was both vitriolic and sustained, starting midway through the first half and reappearing in the second. For all the talk of potential reintegration, Newcastle’s fans are in no mood to forgive Isak for what he has done.
Then, after the game, Howe was asked to reflect on the opening three matches of the season. Was he frustrated that while his side had done a lot of things right, the absence of a proven centre-forward felt like the key determining factor in them only claiming two points?
“Yeah, there’s a huge frustration,” said the Newcastle boss. “We know that we’re judged against everything that we deliver, and that’s why I think the players have handled it really well.
“It would have been very easy for them to have felt differently about the situation, but they’ve taken ownership of their own performances. They’ve viewed it absolutely brilliantly. I don’t think every squad would have been able to have done what we’ve done – blank it out, carry on, and try to make the team grow from the experience.
“That’s always the challenge – we have to be better for what’s happened, not succumb to it, and that’s the big challenge ahead now.”
Again, measured and controlled. But, again, as far as Howe can probably go in terms of confirming that Isak’s conduct has undermined everything he and the rest of the squad have been attempting to do in the first month of the season. While everyone else has been trying to put out fires, Newcastle’s supposed superstar has been lighting the matches.
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Would Newcastle have more points if Isak had been motivated and available? Almost certainly. They were the better side against both Villa and Leeds, but were unable to turn that superiority into anything tangible in the final third. Had Isak been playing, they might also have beaten Liverpool, such was their level of dominance in that game too, even with ten men.
Ifs and buts, admittedly. The situation will have to be resolved one way or the other by 7pm tomorrow, and once the dust settles, and Isak is either a Liverpool player or still sulking with Newcastle, Howe’s focus will shift to the massive run of games that follows the international break.
A home game with Wolves is first up, with the Magpies desperately needing a first win to kickstart their Premier League campaign, then there is the small matter of Barcelona in the Champions League. Howe’s hope is that the challenges of the last month will have galvanised his players and strengthened the sense of solidarity that has been such a key asset throughout his Tyneside tenure.
“That’s very much my belief in any difficult situation,” said Howe. “You try to use it to galvanise yourself and come out of it better. Knowing the players as I do, and the characters they possess, I think there’s every chance we can do that.
“But of course, you can’t create something out of nothing. We’ve needed a striker. That’s not a criticism of anyone who’s played the role, it’s just that Alex is a difference maker, and has been. If you look at the top teams, they’ve all got those players. We’re competing against them, so we need a player of similar quality.”
Newcastle’s hope is that that player is Nick Woltemade, who watched Saturday’s goalless draw from the main stand at Elland Road. The German saw a side that constructed some neat passing moves at various points in the game, but who lacked a player to make the most of them in the position that he will be asked to fill.
Will Osula tried his hardest, but the 22-year-old’s limitations remain obvious. He is raw, erratic and, in an ideal world, would almost certainly benefit from a season out on loan. Whether that proves to be possible remains to be seen.
Newcastle impressed defensively as they kept their second clean sheet in three games, so as Howe has also been keen to highlight, the first month of the season has not been a write-off. It has been a missed opportunity, though. And that is down to just one man.