Tbf Howe did so well at the start that he's bound to have used that as leverage for a good salary. The question is whether he can get back up the table or if the slide will continue over the rest of the season and potentially next ? Personally I think this is the beginning of a very bad season.
Just read that Newcastle have been dispossessed (or given the ball away) 201 times, highest in the league by a margin of 27 (West Ham next). Individual stupidity comes into it - as does the gloomy fact so many of our players, including recent purchases, are more or less just plain crap. But if your team is regularly and consistently losing the ball, doesn't it stand to reason that maybe some tweaks would be needed to the line up or formation? Why any manager would try and instill a "play out from the back" whilst simultaneously relying on Nick Pope and Dan Burn defies logic! Anyway, interesting stat and - for me - further condemnation as pertains to Howe's insistence that he will not change.
I think both need replacing...great lads, served the club very well, but if we’re looking for top half regularly they'll need two very good cbs. Livramento I'm not convinced by either...he's an athlete that can carry the ball, but I'm not seeing any real quality. The more I think about it the more it looks like ashworth has wasted all the money.
Except for the Pep's of this world, that's normal. I would guess the singular biggest problem managers have is not upsetting the huge egos of a lot of overpaid prima Donna's.
What I'm struggling with is the inconsistency of the season - I'm not sure that can be laid at Howes door - and certainly not solely. First 5 games we'd won 4 drawn 1 - including progressing in the cup v Forest, beating Saints with 10 men, Wolves and Spurs - what a start to the season! Next 5 pick up decent point against City and another against Everton but lose to Fulham and Brighton while progressing again in the cup - only beat Wimbledon WTF Following 5 - lose to Chelsea, beat Chelsea, beat Arsenal, beat high flying Forest and then finish with a loss to West Ham who are in truly awful form - again WTF! Current 5 - played 3 - drawn 2, heroic point vs Liverpool, having somehow snatched a point vs Palace with 0 shots on target, Bournemouth was a good 45 mins and then truly awful again but beat Ipswich and Leicester... Add into this - we've played 15 games so far this season and only 6 players have scored - Isak (7), Barnes (5), Gordon (3), Joelinton and Schar (2), Willock (1). that's a massive issue. Brentford had 4 different scorers vs us on Saturday....
I felt despite results we started poorly. Should have lost to Bournemouth and probably Spurs on balance of play. Forest, Chelsea in the cup, Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool are the only really decent showings. Bizarre when you look at those names vs the teams we’ve been so bad against.
I meant "another point" - definitely not a good one - 2/3rd possesion and like 4 shots on target - one of which was a penalty we missed...
Shearer the latest to back Howe. Seriously, let’s get the manager a knighthood, maybe even a sainthood.
Personally feel he's levels above Hall, think he's a bit more raw having been out for 12 months year before last and is still not at the top of his game but not many goals come down the right flank - can't think of a goal that's come down the right hand side in the last 4 we're winless in but Hall get's beat on an almost weekly basis atm.
I wonder which one of Lewis Cook, Philip Billing or Alex Scott we'll sign to replace him. Our scouting team will have their work cut out watching Bournemouth for the next few weeks. If true, though - pay £55m, put up with his ban, bring him back to fitness but sell him back to Milan because he can't get ahead of Sean ****ing Longstaff in Eddie's team. And they say the manager isn't the problem, apparently.
Strange but I could have sworn Tonali started against Liverpool ahead of Longstaff. Anyway who is saying T wants out?
