Eddie Howe has been asked the question, whether he thinks this Newcastle United squad is strong enough?
Ahead of the Brentford match, Eddie Howe replying: “With a full bill of health, the squad is more than strong enough. With one or two injuries, I still think it is strong enough. Then I think if you get four or five injuries in one position, then possibly not.”
Obviously, when Eddie Howe talks about injuries in ‘one position’, he is talking about one area of the team.
So for example, against Manchester City in midweek, the United defence was missing Schar, Livramento, Krafth and Miley (who has done so well when filling at right-back). Whilst Eddie Howe was missing Bruno, Joelinton and Miley as midfield options. Anthony Gordon then adding to the injury worries when forced off before half-time.
Eddie Howe going on to say: “I think it is a really difficult thing to manage, because if you have too big a squad then you have problems the other way, if you have too thin a squad you have problems the other way, it is getting that balance right. Start of the season we really liked the look of the team, the squad, I think it had a really good feel to it. Of course, through the season we have had different blows.”
For that semi-final second leg, Eddie Howe had all of his available first team squad defenders and midfielders in the starting eleven. That included Sven Botman who was just returning to availability.
It is hoped Bruno will be back in the matchday squad today but Anthony Gordon almost certainly missing.
So many matches and so many injuries to key players, on an ongoing basis.
As a BBC Sport report recently detailed, Newcastle United hit by injuries this season more than any other Premier League club.
No doubt some people will be saying; “Well, all clubs get injuries”, but even the harshest critic of Eddie Howe and/or his Newcastle United team, must accept that having so many injuries has to make things so much more difficult, than say it is for the clubs who have been relatively injury free this season.
For Newcastle United in recent games, missing players such as Bruno, Joelinton and Livramento are huge losses, three of United’s very best players. The story of the season, when it comes to bad luck with injuries, maybe best summed up by the fact that the striker brought in to directly replace Alexander Isak, then ended up missing the opening four months of the season AND then having to do a pre-season in the middle of a season to get fully fit.
Whatever impact injuries have and haven’t had, the fact is that Newcastle United now need to bounce back from consecutive defeats, Eddie Howe explaining: “I think losing is such a difficult feeling. You have to deal with the defeat, you have to put it where you need to put it, you need to learn from it and you have to evolve from every disappointment and setback. So we are trying to do that in a really quick turn around, while acknowledging the strengths of the performances and the areas where we need to improve.”
Brentford at St James’ Park this afternoon and despite a lengthy injury list persisting, Eddie Howe and his Newcastle United team need to find that winning feeling once again.