AARON RAMSDALE VS NICK POPE: THE GOALKEEPER WHO SOLVES NEWCASTLE'S PRESSING PROBLEM
Aaron Ramsdale showcased elite distribution, dissecting Everton's press with a crucial pass, leading to a goal chance. Eddie Howe praises the new dynamic Ramsdale brings over Nick Pope.
Newcastle United's victory was clear long before the 79th minute at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Newcastle fans in the corner were ecstatic. They were enjoying their hard-won Premier League away victory.
The Newcastle team was having fun on the field. Everton showed some fight, with Thierno Barry having a goal disallowed prior to Kieran Dewsbury-Hall scoring a consolation goal. Then, United took charge again and kept the ball for almost a minute, spreading play across the field before returning it to goalie Aaron Ramsdale.
The travelling fans were so pleased they could have started chanting 'ole' as Newcastle toyed with Everton. Many home fans had already left.
Ramsdale stood casually, his foot on the ball inside his penalty area. Everton pushed forward to press, with three midfielders pressuring Lewis Miley and Bruno Guimaraes. Barry moved towards Ramsdale, blocking the pass to Malick Thiaw.
The United goalie could have kicked the ball long towards Nick Woltemade, who is physically big, or passed left to Dan Burn, the safer option.
Instead, he rolled the ball forward and sent a perfect pass through Everton's midfield to Joe Willock, who was unmarked. That single, precise pass broke through the press and launched a United attack.
The attack almost resulted in a fifth goal. Willock exchanged passes with Woltemade and then moved towards the defence before passing to Jacob Ramsey on his left, whose shot was saved by Jordan Pickford. If the shot had scored, it would have been one of the best goals of the weekend.
Ramsdale showed what he brings to Newcastle in that moment. He may not be as good at stopping shots as Nick Pope, but his passing is better. Pope has many good traits, but beating the press with a through ball isn't one of them.
Nick and Aaron are goalies with different strengths, Eddie Howe said.
They are still good. Today, Aaron showed his good footwork and distributed the ball well.
Newcastle were often challenged by teams that press high, as they knew Pope didn't have the traits to help them build from the back like Ederson, Alisson, Pickford, or Raya. Ramsdale offers a different aspect to United's play.
Now, it seems like the No. 1 shirt is Ramsdale’s to keep. Howe did not say if Pope would have been dropped if he hadn't hurt his groin in training. Either way, Ramsdale took his chance.
He gets to play longer, playing against Spurs on Tuesday night. He also played against them earlier in the season in the Carabao Cup.
EDDIE HOWE CONFIRMS NEWCASTLE LINEUP SHIFTS ARE PART OF A MAJOR FUTURE STRATEGY
Eddie Howe confirms he is picking Newcastle lineups with next season in mind, trialling players like Ramsey and Woltemade early.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe isn’t pretending he’s already thinking about next season. People have been saying Kieran Trippier is close to triggering a payment if he plays more games, so that might influence whether he features again before the season ends. But Howe brushed that off and said he’s making his decisions purely for football reasons.
Talking to reporters at the City Ground about why Anthony Gordon was missing, Howe admitted he’s picking his lineup with the future in mind. Later, in his press conference, he went into more detail about focusing on what comes next at St James’ Park.
"We’re definitely looking ahead," Howe said. "You can see it in some of the choices I’m making with the team. I want to get a look at some players and see how they might grow into the squad."
One of those players is Jacob Ramsey, who came off the bench, set up Harvey Barnes with a great pass, and really changed the game. "I thought Jacob Ramsey was brilliant when he came on against Forest. He really made a difference, and so did Harvey. It’s good to see players taking their chances," Howe said.
He added, "We have to be thinking about the future now and what the team’s going to look like next year. That’s our responsibility at this point."
Before the match, Howe surprised a lot of fans by starting Lewis Hall at right-back, Nick Woltemade in midfield, and pushing Joelinton further forward than usual. Again, Howe explained he wants to see what players can do in different positions.
"It wasn’t some huge change from Brighton; we kept the same shape," Howe said. "But for Nick, this was only one of a few times he’s started in that role for us. He played alongside Will, and they haven’t had much time together either.
"There were positives for Nick, but he wasn’t involved as much as we wanted in the first half. We still need to see his best on the ball. In the second half, though, I thought we got better as a team. We attacked more and looked like a real threat as the match wore on."
MAGPIES EYE £1M BARGAIN TIAGO GABRIEL TO SOLVE GROWING DEFENSIVE INJURY CRISIS
Newcastle are leading the race against Juventus for Tiago Gabriel, the 21-year-old Serie A defensive sensation.
Newcastle United appear to be keeping an eye on Lecce’s young defender Tiago Gabriel as they consider potential options for the summer transfer window.
With Fabian Schar’s contract due to expire at the end of June, the Magpies are preparing for the possibility of his departure. Although an extension is still on the table, Schar has been sidelined since early January because of an ankle injury and doesn't seem close to making a comeback.
At 21, Gabriel has featured 36 times across all competitions this season for Lecce, who are currently four points clear of the Serie A relegation zone. Newcastle’s recruitment team is among those following his development, seemingly interested in exploring a move once the transfer window opens.
Back in December, reports surfaced that both West Ham and Juventus were also tracking Gabriel’s progress. The young defender, who came through Sporting CP’s academy, has had a strong season and will enter the final year of his contract this summer.
Gabriel transferred to Lecce last January for slightly over £1 million, moving from Portuguese club Estrela Amadora. Should he leave this summer, a significantly higher fee might be expected, reflecting his rise in form.
Before joining Estrela Amadora, Gabriel had been part of Setúbal's academy after leaving Sporting in 2020. His performances have earned him regular appearances for Portugal’s Under-21 side, and senior international opportunities may not be far off.
A switch to the Premier League could potentially boost his profile substantially, but he will likely weigh his options with some care.
According to O Jogo, Newcastle continue to monitor his situation keenly as interest around the defender grows.
Regarding Fabian Schar’s future, things remain uncertain even with just weeks left on his current deal. While Kieran Trippier has been publicly confirmed to be leaving upon contract expiration, no similar announcement has come for Schar.
Last week, Howe commented on the defender’s status, noting that no definitive decision has been made yet. He emphasised Schar’s value to the team, pointing out his unique role as a ball-playing defender and his versatility in various defensive setups.
Schar’s influence on the pitch and experience are clearly appreciated, and the club hopes he can regain full fitness before the season concludes. As for any new contract talks, Howe suggested it’s a matter of waiting to see how things unfold.
