Premier League Season Imploding
- Mar 1
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 5
Yesterday's game was a 'last chance saloon' opportunity to have any hope of challenging for a top six finish and Eddie Howe and this team blew it in a defensive horror show.
No clean sheets in since October 5th
Let that sink in.
If you can't stop the oppo from scoring then you need to score at least two goals to win a game. Obvious? Of course, but that is the reality for Newcastle currently.
We even conceded two goals at home to Qarabag.
Eddie Howe has previously acknowledged that the defence is underperforming but whatever he has said or done, it has had zero effect.
Injuries can't be used an excuse for no clean sheets in five months.
Despite players missing we've still been able to field a back four that, on paper, should be capable of stopping that dire run of conceding goals.
Three PL home defeats on the bounce & Five defeats in the last six games
Fortress St James' Park is now anything but.
Our poor away form is now being matched by our recent home form.
Steve Bruce was the last manager to be in control of a side that registered three successive home defeats and Eddie Howe won't be pleased to be in that company.
With an in form Man U up next at SJP there is a danger it could become four home defeats on the bounce.
Lose to Man U and our already dire run of five defeats in six PL games would becone six in seven.
We could end the week in 14th place
If Crystal Palace and Brighton win we will drop to 14th place with just ten games to go.
That is even harder to take and understand than our current 11trh place position - one point behind Sunderland and 12pts behind the 4th place position, or better, that was our target for the season.
Never mind the certainty of not qualifying for the CL, we might miss out on Europe completely.
£250M spent has taken us back, not forwards
Let's not mince words here.
Other than Thiaw not one of the other signings, including loanee Ramsdale, has so far come near to genuinely improving the squad never mind justifying their fees.
Reasons such as no pre-season, settling in, giving time for Eddie to work his magic etc., just don't wash. Three of the signings had extensive PL experience and the other was a German international,
The fact is Woltemade, Wissa and Elanga collectively have gone nowhere near replacing the threat of Isak - a hard pill to swallow after the latter's summer antics, but true.
The fact that Gordon has been played as the main ST over Woltemade and Wissa is a damning indictment of Eddie Howe realising that his new ST's aren't up to scratch.
Tactics changed to accommodate Woltemade
When a player is signed for £69M - and a record signing at that - it doesn't look good to the hierarchy who have stumped up the cash to see him sitting on the bench.
So, having decided that Gordon is a better bet in the ST role Woltemade was signed for, Eddie dropped him back into midfield.
IMO he has not shined at all in that position.
Dispossessed too easily, wayward passes, and increasingly the facial expressions and body language of a player who is not enjoying his time on the pitch at all.
Yesterday was a classic of that.
Eddie set up to accommodate Woltemade as either 4-4-2, or 4-3-3 if Jo was supposed to be a left winger. Whichever format it was, both bombed.
Woltemade looked like the proverbial duck out of water and Jo continually lost the ball trying to work his way up the wing.
The set up was so bad that after just half an hour Eddie reverted to a standard 4-3-3 with Woltemade as the ST and Gordon at LW. That didn't work either.
The two players who had very poor games against Qarabag and managed to keep their places against Everton - Wolt and Elanga - were subbed after just ten minutes of the second half.
If Eddie selects those two against Man U his credibility might take a hit.
Is Eddie's position under threat?
Not yet it isn't, and by that I mean no way will he be replaced before the season ends.
But, the question that has to be asked is this; does he have the tactical nous and flexibility of a manager capable of taking us to that next level that PIF will demand.
Despite financial restrictions, there will be money to spend in the summer and there may be trading to be done - even on one or more of our top players - to add to a kitty that will allow the squad to be revitalised.
Will PIF decided that Eddie Howe is still the man to lead us into next season?
There is no certainty that they will.
Their decision may depend on how we perform in the FA Cup and Champions League.
That sums up where we are this season, and where Eddie Howe is.
Last Post: Everton Preview
Next Post: Who Plays Against Man U?
From the “Gazette”
“Newcastle United have failed to win all 12 Premier League games Bruno Guimaraes has missed since making his debut for the club in 2022.
A record of five points out of a possible 36 for The Magpies is a stark contrast to a side who have picked up the fourth most Premier League points of any side since Guimaraes’ arrival four years ago. Only Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool have accumulated more in that time.”
So those who doubt Eddie Howe take notice of the last facts!
Big Selection Decisions for Eddie Howe | NUFC Blog
Replying to
Toe Knee Green
Reposted from below.
I hope that our form turns around but the next home game is by no means easy - at home to Manchester United! Unfortunately for us they’ve picked up from their Amorim times. I sincerely hope that Eddie can get things turned around as we’ll be hard pressed to find a better manager than he is! Circumstances have made things more than difficult.
Also i'm still not in the 'Howe out' camp, I feel he deserves at least a pre season with the squad to try sort things out and to be backed in the summer window.
But one thing to point out, is that some feel it could be the case that some of the current players, have kind of reached their limit, or 'taken as far as they can' etc.
But if we're suggesting that about players, surely it's only fair and balanced to wonder the same about the manager? As in, has Howe maybe taken us as far as he can too? Which is an incredible achievement, but like some are suggesting with players, is this as far as he…
Another frustrating thing is that some transfer issues, issues such as goalkeeper and full back cover, were obvious from the summer and winter windows.
I repeatedly harped on about how awful Ramsdale on loan was, as it made no sense.
Repeatedly pointed out in January that not signing at least one full back would be a hell of a huge risk and also make no sense.
Well here we are with awful goalkeeping options and having to play Trippier who looks like he can't handle more than 1 game a week.
We were told there was money to spend in January but it'll be spent in the summer. If there is money there, why not solve the goalkeeper issue at…