Eddie Howe has given his press conference ahead of tomorrow’s pivotal match against Watford. As we saw in the images released from yesterday’s training session, a few Magpies have returned to full training.
Jamaal Lascelles, Jamal Lewis, and Matty Longstaff were spotted in the images. Howe has revealed that Lewis is closing in on a return. Here is the team news per Newcastle’s Twitter account:
“We’ve still got a couple of Covid cases and we have testing today so fingers crossed nobody succumbs there.
“We have Jamal Lewis and Paul Dummett edging closer to a return. We have a few knocks and niggles but nothing too serious.”
Paul Dummett made the bench in our FA Cup defeat so he could be ready for his season debut. If Lewis is available tomorrow, he would provide a massive boost on the left. The back four could then be Trippier, Schar, Lascelles, and Lewis.
Howe was asked about his two new signings. Chris Wood joined on Thursday while Trippier has had his first full week at the club. Both immediately improve the team and should play a part against The Hornets tomorrow.
Here is some of what Howe said about Trippier’s impact this week:
“On the training ground, he’s been excellent. From the first day when he spoke to the group he was hugely impressive.
“He’s shown a level of maturity and composure we’re going to need going forward. I know he’s going to be a great signing for us.”
Howe must be salivating at the idea of Trippier putting crosses into the box for Wood to latch onto. The 30-year-old is an astute signing that addresses a major short-term problem with Callum Wilson out until March.
This is what Howe said about Wood’s arrival:
“We’re really pleased with the signing of Chris. I think he’ll fit in really well with the team. He’s experienced, he’s ready to play and he knows the Premier League. He gives us something a little bit different.”
“I’ve never been shy of saying I admire tall, physical strikers who can give you a platform to play and I’ve signed many down the years. When you look at last week when we put 30 crosses into the box, we were crying out for someone with his strengths and his qualities.”
“I think he’s going to be hugely motivated to play well for Newcastle and help lead us out of the position we’re in. He’s got experience of that as well. He’s a person I admire as well – I’ve been hugely impressed by his character and his attitude.”
The match tomorrow is absolutely crucial. A win and Newcastle are out of the relegation places. It’s just been announced that Burnley’s match against Leicester has been postponed with The Clarets suffering a Covid outbreak.
Hopefully, we can get plenty of crosses into the box that Wood can get on the end of. Watford have lost seven straight in all competitions and are reeling at the moment. Though they have made four signings in this window.
Newcastle’s aim is to redeem themselves after the disappointing exit from the FA Cup. Howe believes the lads are ready to put it right.
“We’re going in to win the game. Everybody connected with the club was disappointed with last week. We were really keen to build momentum – we didn’t do that.
“We’ve regrouped, we’ve discussed what went wrong and we’re going to try & put it right.”
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32 comments so far
barkel
Jan 14, 2022 at 11:47 AM
Comment #1that’s fighting talk … we’re not used to that from the manager around here!
phy
Jan 14, 2022 at 11:51 AM
Comment #2Nice to see our manager talking us up and giving optimism and positivity. Such a far cry from the previous regime.
Adamn_92
Jan 14, 2022 at 11:51 AM
Comment #3Tell Lille to do one.
Good luck getting 55m for Botman this window or in the summer. Won’t get an offer higher than ours and now there’s a risk of Botmans head being turned for the remainder of their season. If they want to play silly buggers and not take the cash whilst they can, good luck to them. We push hard for Carlos or look elsewhere.
Wor B
Jan 14, 2022 at 11:53 AM
Comment #4Nailed on debut hat-trick for wor Woodsa.
phy
Jan 14, 2022 at 11:55 AM
Comment #5Totally agree Adamn, tell them to jog on.
I like the way we have gone about our business this window. Set the stall out as serious buyers but willing to walk away when clubs take the Mick. We aren’t a walking cheque book and don’t want to set a dangerous precedent that people can have our pants down. Be strong, be firm, be willing to negotiate and be willing to walk when the deal isn’t right. The best way to negotiate
Harley
Jan 14, 2022 at 11:58 AM
Comment #6Raj
Do we know what it was for?
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Jan 14, 2022 at 11:59 AM
Comment #7Bloody Talksport what the hell are they at saying we would be up in arms rioting if if Bruce had signed Wood
Arghhhhhhh f**kin dicks – do they not understand we have not got a bloody goalscorer
Hop the lad gets a hat trick tomorrow and rams it down their throats!!
Harley
Jan 14, 2022 at 11:59 AM
Comment #8JP
I totally agree. We all knew we would get stung this window but needs must. Once the summer comes we can start to play hardball again. But just got to get them in at the minute. £5m more gets the players. What’s £15m extra for 3 players to these guys?!!
Wor B
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:00 PM
Comment #9They know, we know, everyone knows we can afford to pay.
If they’re taking the P walk away and gain some respect.
Toon Tang
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:02 PM
Comment #10Premier league to scupper Wood’s debut hatty with a false positive test today.
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:03 PM
Comment #11Bruce and Ashley would NOT have signed Wood so it’s a pointless discussion! £25m for a 30 year old striker who would be worth £10-15m in the summer and only a few million by the end of his contract? No way would Ashley have authorised that. But from a FOOTBALL perspective, it makes sense.
TalkSport are full of crap. I don’t bother with them at all.
Not another deJong
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:03 PM
Comment #12Watford are a decent outfit (smell the bacon) and so far Howe has talked a good game, but failed to make any real progress. Let’s hope this match is the one we see a real goal threat and an encouraging win.
Adamn_92
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:04 PM
Comment #13Phy
Totally agree. If we pay that for Botman it just tells other clubs that they can keep raising their price and string us along for weeks knowing we’ll cave eventually and pay it. They won’t get that much for him now or in the summer, so tell them thanks but no thanks. Chance they’ll come crawling back to us at the end of the window asking if we want him for cheaper anyway.
We can get another defender in for cheaper than that and not caving to Lille’s overpricing will help us more in the long run.
Wor B
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:04 PM
Comment #14Toon Tang
Don’t do that, he’s my ticket to 100 FPL points with that hat-trick!
Not another deJong
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:06 PM
Comment #15If we sell Wood in the summer for £10m and we are not relegated, it is good business.
Raj of Hailsley
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:06 PM
Comment #16Harley,
It says 75% chance, groin injury but Howe said he’s good to go.
Adamn_92
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:06 PM
Comment #17If we were in this position in the league right now and still had Bruce and Ashley, I would actually be pleasantly surprised and pleased if they signed Wood. It would be nicely out of character and wouldn’t change the fact it’s good and smart business.
TalkSport say controversial stuff for views and clicks, they know it doesn’t make sense. Most of us would consider Wood as a surprising yet still very good buy if it was under Ashley and Bruce and we were in this position.
Toon Tang
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:08 PM
Comment #18Wor B. Apologies! I’m positivity personified from here on in.
Raj of Hailsley
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:08 PM
Comment #19Sell Wood??? I’d cash in on Wilson while we can.
Toon Tang
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:12 PM
Comment #20Jail, as much as I love the smiling assassin Wilson, Its looking like we’re only ever going to get a handful of games out of him per season unfortunately.
Mund
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:12 PM
Comment #21Charlie
Join the rest of us mate and block talksport.
A proper Micky Mouse outfit for a media company.
All they do is give complete and utter idiots a platform to speak as it causes drama with the utter drivel they spout and drama sells more.
DayvanCowboy
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:15 PM
Comment #22I don’t see how anyone is taking us for a ride for players, it’s mid-season arguably the most difficult transfer windows, Sevilla are second top, still in the Europa league, Lille are still in the Champions League and Monaco are pushing for the Champions League places, they want to hold onto their best players and if they do go it’ll always be at a premium due to possible knock-on effects, any club, including NUFC, in a similar position would be doing exactly the same, these ITKs literally know nothing, we may be lodging bids and upping them bit by bit and these clubs have set their selling price, it’s up to us to meet that or come close.
Raj of Hailsley
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:15 PM
Comment #23Think about it, you’d like to think we’re going to bring in a whole lot better than Wood and Wilson in the summer. So how do you accommodate both of them, Wilson will be the more saleable asset and his injury record doesn’t justify keeping him as a passenger.
Not another deJong
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:17 PM
Comment #24In terms of staircases up, we are definitely a big club.
Wor B
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:22 PM
Comment #2515 FPL transfers and counting for this wildcard, feels a bit like shopping with the Mrs.
Raj of Hailsley
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:24 PM
Comment #26Wor B,
There’s news Ronaldo is out, could be another underwhelming game week 😕
jimiley
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:26 PM
Comment #273 more players before the end of January and the marquee signing will be midfielder. Our central midfield is worse than defence. We have no playmaker and talk of trippiers bullets to wood are off the mark if we cannot get Tripps into dangerous positions.
A must win tomorrow. It is time for Howe to deliver on the field not just in press room. The owners will spend 150 million minimum inJanuary and we are two points off safety. No excuses will be allowed.
Wor B
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:29 PM
Comment #28Jail
I got stung with CR7 early doors then binned him for Mo. He looked a shadow of his former self when we saw him at SJP, I’m steering clear.
Mund
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:36 PM
Comment #29Could be interesting
Transfer News Live
@DeadlineDayLive
Memo DEAL DONE: Gary Neville has joined the Labour party, switching from the right in his playing career to the left in his political career.
(Source: Daily Mirror)
lesh
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:37 PM
Comment #30Mund
@21
Totally agreed and I’ve said for years that TalkSport aims to provoke controversy to make its money from advertising. Many of its listeners are gullible, less critical than you, and join its phoneins.
The options for NUFC fans are
Block it, listen and believe it’s tripe or phone in to calmly question it comments.
Whichever is preferred, TalkSport wins.
lesh
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:38 PM
Comment #31Mund
Reposted but loosely relevant to your post @21
For the sake of understanding, can you please indicate whether what you’re posting are your opinions or something you’ve copied from a web source.
Unattributed yet seemingly assured comments suggest that you’ve got information from a reliable source and thus leave you wide open to being perceived as an ITK – you surely wouldn’t want that, would you.
lesh
Jan 14, 2022 at 12:40 PM
Comment #32I wonder what Southampton’s reaction’ll be if or when its squad is affected by illness and injuries?