Kieran Trippier applauds fans after NUFC's 3-1 defeat at Brentford
Eddie Howe addressed the concern surrounding Newcastle United and Nick Woltemade following a poor start to the Premier League season.
But after one goal in his last six outings and The Magpies’ form dipping, questions have been raised about his suitability to Eddie Howe’s side.
Woltemade has looked excellent at times for Newcastle with some fine goals and brilliant hold up play. But recent games the £65million German has found himself isolated and feeding off scraps.
One of his few touches in the box at Brentford on Sunday saw him create Newcastle’s only goal of the game scored by Harvey Barnes. There are positive signs that Newcastle can function with Woltemade leading the line, but we haven’t seen enough of it on a consistent basis and the side are struggling as a result.
11 games into the new Premier League season, almost a third of the season played and Newcastle sit 14th, two points above the relegation zone. Yoane Wissa is out injured and hasn’t kicked a ball at club level since May before joining Newcastle from Brentford for £55million on deadline day.
That has made the transition from selling Alexander Isak to Liverpool all the more difficult for Howe and his side with Woltemade a very different type of player. The Newcastle boss insists Woltemade is a striker and will play in that role for the side, but in reality there have been no suitable alternatives available.
William Osula has adopted the role of back-up striker this season and has shown signs of promise but had been playing through an ankle injury which has now sidelined him for a few weeks. But after spending upwards of £120million on new strikers in the summer, Newcastle still find themselves without a functioning forward line almost a third of the way through the season.
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Eddie Howe on Nick Woltemade struggles
Woltemade has scored with every shot on target he has had for Newcastle since joining the club, a remarkable stat that almost highlights the issue that the German is delivering an unsustainable goal return based on what the team is providing him with.
And that has only been emphasised in recent matches.
“I don't think it's just on Nick,” Howe said. “And I think that's, you know, my job is to protect him.
“He's had a great start to his career here. I think we haven't helped him be as effective as he can be, especially [v Brentford].
“I thought it was a difficult game for him. Difficult, again, in the respect that he's the only fit centre-forward we have. So again, more pressure and more weight on his shoulders, when possibly I'd like to have made a different decision for him.
“But yeah, the team has to do better. We have to do better in helping him and supporting him.
“He's giving everything currently, and he's given everything since he's been here, and he's had to take that weight on his shoulders on his own. It's not been easy.
“But of course, we need to look at also how we're performing away from home. And if there's changes to be made, then we need to make them.”
Woltemade now goes away with Germany on international duty while Newcastle have two weeks off before returning to Premier League action against Manchester City, a side they have never beaten in the Premier League under Howe.
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