Eddie Howe is having a difficult period of his Newcastle United tenure. There are some in the fan base that are starting to question him.
Most people still support him, and for good cause. He has a big bank credit limit. He managed a rise in the standings in his first season that few thought was possible. He then finished in fourth place the next time around, earning the team their first Champions League football in decades.
That being said, he is not impervious to criticism, as evidenced by his extremely subpar performances over the past few weeks. There are several extenuating variables that are affecting our season, and bad streaks of form do happen. The primary one is injuries, which will hinder us till the end of the season since Nick Pope, Joelinton, and Callum Wilson are still out.
Many players are not match fit, while others have been forced to play more minutes than is optimal. When combined, that gives the impression that the team is flagging as a whole. That will get better when players return, but the effects won’t go away.
One of the main problems is that, despite our identity being lost, Howe isn’t doing much to alter the play’s style. We appear weak every time we turn the ball over and there are wide openings to take advantage of when we are not in possession. Against us, Blackburn Rovers, Luton Town, Bournemouth, and Nottingham Forest have all seen great success in transition. You may overlook the occasional poor performance, but giving up multiple opportunities per game has become the new standard.
In his news appearances, Howe has been adamant that changes to the system should only be made if the problems are systemic—a claim he isn’t sure he makes. Should the instances be scarce, it would indicate personal mistakes. It would seem that there is a problem with the system if the team is having difficulties each week and the same problems are happening, as they now are.
I concur with Howe that it wouldn’t be worthwhile to abolish the system. It will work once more as it has in the past. However, it’s not working at the moment due to a combination of weariness, a lack of confidence, and absent players. That much is obvious.
Not only is it not in possession. The team didn’t seem to know what to do with the ball yesterday. Our defenders have been passing the ball among themselves throughout a lot of our possession in recent weeks before turning it over. With the ball, they are at a loss for what to do. Our traditional patterns of play are no longer present, and opponent teams can now win the ball higher up the pitch much more easily. There are many goals that haven’t directly resulted in goals, the Bukayo Saka goal being only one example.
Perhaps the form will sort itself out with players returning and a more forgiving fixture calendar. With the same method, the team may defeat Wolves this coming weekend, and confidence could grow. It shouldn’t take long for the form to get better, in my opinion. We were playing badly and looked terrible before Christmas.
The games are frantic right now. With the exception of the Arsenal game, we are creating as many opportunities as we are giving up despite our lack of control. In hectic matches, Howe needs to figure out how to take charge and not rely solely on luck.
Eddie Howe should not be written off just yet. His current rope is getting shorter, but he has shown his mettle and deserves some time to solve these issues. Before the season ends, supporters must witness an improvement in both performance and outcomes.
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