Five things we learned from another disappointing defeat against Bournemouth
New Newcastle United CEO David Hopkinson (centre of the pic) at St James' Park
New Newcastle United CEO David Hopkinson (centre of the pic) at St James' Park(Image: Chronicle Live/Iain Buist)
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Newcastle United's season continued to go from bad to worse after they were beaten 2-1 by Bournemouth.
Goals from Rayan and Adrien Truffert rendered Will Osula's second half equaliser pointless to leave Newcastle's season all but over and ramping the pressure further on Eddie Howe's position as head coach.
It is now eight defeats in their last 11 Premier League matches and a fifth defeat in their last six at home with the Magpies' season hurtling towards disaster.
Here are five things we learned from another listless Newcastle display at St James' Park.
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Unseen David Hopkinson reaction as he hears Newcastle boos
If Newcastle fans showed their support for Howe in the first minute, with St James' Park roundly chanting 'Eddie Howe's black and white army', they voted with their feet towards the end of stoppage time, with fans leaving the stadium en masse before the full-time whistle.
There were boos from those still inside the stadium at full-time which would not have escaped the attention of the onlooking CEO David Hopkinson and sporting director Ross Wilson, who both had pensive expressions in the directors' box.
Howe came out fighting in his pre-match press conference on Friday but if his fire is still burning to end the season well, it isn't translating to his players.
The Newcastle boss grimaced as the full-time whistle went and it is starting to feel like, certainly this season, he cannot turn the tide. If there were doubts over whether Howe is the right man to lead the summer rebuild before the game, they have only been accentuated after it.
Ross Wilson and David Hopkinson
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Newcastle moving away from their 'leaders' but it backfires
Howe made a point before the defeat to Crystal Palace last Sunday that his team selection was 'young and dynamic'. So the fact all five of his leadership group at Newcastle were named on the bench felt deliberate.
If fully fit, Bruno Guimaraes would have started but Nick Pope, Dan Burn, Jacob Murphy and Kieran Trippier, all of whom are north of 30, watched on from the bench as Bournemouth breezed to victory.
When Howe needed his players to stand up, there was no Newcastle player trying to take the game by the scruff of the neck. No leaders on the pitch to try and drag his team-mates through the mire.
With the season all but over, it perhaps makes sense to prioritise the players who will form the club's future. But without their leaders in the side, for the second match in a row, their soft underbelly was exposed yet again.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe(Image: Getty Images)
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Woltemade chants
With Newcastle needing a goal and lacking inspiration up front, Magpies fans chanted for Nick Woltemade to come on to affect the game up front.
Howe ignored those calls until the 87th minute, after Bournemouth took a 2-1 lead, and it did nothing to temper the criticism that the manager's substitutions can be reactive rather than proactive.
Woltemade was bright when he came on but it simply wasn't enough time to affect the game. It remains to be seen whether his game-time increases between now and the end of the season but there continues to be more questions about where the club's record signing fits in this Newcastle side while Howe remains manager.
Newcastle United's Nick Woltemade vs Bournemouth
Newcastle United's Nick Woltemade vs Bournemouth(Image: Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
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Bournemouth record continues
Heading into today, Newcastle were winless in their last seven matches against Bournemouth, conceding in all seven of their previous home matches against the Cherries.
Today's visitors had won three of those seven matches at St James' Park, only beating Wolves on more occasions on their travels in the Premier League. And that record only extended on Saturday as the Cherries barely got out of first gear to stroll to an easy three points.
Premier League picture
Newcastle remain in 14th place but their European aspirations are all but over. Leeds are now within three points of the Magpies and if they aren't careful they could fall further down the table.
The Magpies feel like they are in purgatory. European football is now almost certainly out of the question, while relegation is almost impossible, while their star players continue to be linked with moves away.
Where they find their motivation between now and the end of the season remains to be seen.