Eddie Howe on the touchline during Newcastle United's defeat to Arsenal (Image: Adam Davy/PA)
Eddie Howe on the touchline during Newcastle United's defeat to Arsenal (Image: Adam Davy/PA)
EDDIE HOWE admits Sunday’s defeat at Arsenal highlighted why Newcastle United must improve the depth of their squad during this summer’s transfer window.
Newcastle suffered a 1-0 defeat at the Emirates, with the loss meaning they head into the final weekend of the season with their Champions League hopes still hanging in the balance, and having fallen behind to Declan Rice’s 55th-minute strike, Howe’s hopes of turning the game around were compromised by the lack of options available to him from the substitutes’ bench.
The Magpies boss made a triple change shortly after the hour mark, but was forced to bring on a utility defender in the shape of Emil Krafth, a teenage midfielder who has only made one Premier League start all season in Lewis Miley and a completely unproven forward in Will Osula. Arsenal’s bench, on the other hand, featured seasoned internationals such as Riccardo Calafiori, Jorginho, Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz.
Newcastle have lost some key players to injury in the last month, with Alexander Isak becoming the latest to suffer an issue at the end of last week, but Howe nevertheless admits that a lack of signings in the last few transfer windows has exposed a damaging lack of depth within the squad.
“I think it’s difficult because as soon as we get one or two injuries, we’re stretched,” said Howe. “I think we’ve said that ever since I’ve been here, really. I think everyone is well aware that we are light.
“We lost two first-team players in January (Miguel Almiron and Lloyd Kelly) and didn’t replace them, so that’s two players gone. Then you lose Kieran (Trippier), Lewis (Hall) and Joe (Joelinton) like we have, and you notice those players missing.
“You add Alex (Isak) to that list, and you do become stretched. You certainly lose your firepower from the bench, to a degree.
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“The players who came on for us (at Arsenal) are good players, but at least a couple of them are still developing and forging their careers in the Premier League. I think they will be good players, and I thought they did well when they came on, so it’s no slight on them. But we have lost a bit of firepower.”
Newcastle’s recruitment team will attempt to address the issue when the transfer window reopens, with the club in a much stronger position in relation to PSR than has been the case in recent windows.
As well as looking to make a number of key additions – goalkeeper, centre-half and right-sided attack are currently understood to be the priority positions – the Newcastle hierarchy are also determined to hold on to the club’s star performers.
Isak continues to be linked with Arsenal and Liverpool, but while Howe has consistently stopped short of issuing any cast-iron guarantees over the Swede’s future, his determination to keep him on Tyneside is clear.
“I never make guarantees about any player,” said Howe. “That’s not to do with Alex’s future, but I’d be foolish to sit here and do anything like that. All I would say is that we want to keep our strongest players – I’ve said that ever since I’ve been sat in this seat.
“We have to try to keep our best players and bring in more good players to make us even stronger because the ambition of the club, and everyone connected with the club, is long-term success, and that’s the only way to try to get that.”
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