NEWCASTLE FANS DEMAND TACTICAL SHIFT AFTER "DULL" GOALLESS DRAW AT BOTTOM-CLUB WOLVES
Newcastle’s Champions League hopes dented! Discover why Eddie Howe’s "predictable" tactics failed to break down bottom-club Wolves.
Newcastle United just can’t seem to find their rhythm in the Premier League this season, especially when they leave home. Their away form? Pretty rough.
Right now, you can almost predict exactly how Newcastle will play. That’s part of the problem. The head coach has to shake things up, especially on the road.
Look at the numbers: just two wins from eleven away games in the league. They had a golden chance to grab a third on Sunday but ended up with a 0-0 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are stuck at the bottom of the table.
Wolves hadn’t lost in three league matches and had just picked up their first win of the season against West Ham. Even so, they were 15 points from safety and 25 behind Newcastle before the match started.
So, how does a team pushing for the Champions League a) not win, and b) take 84 minutes to even get a shot on target? If you’ve paid attention to Newcastle this season, you probably saw it coming.
Their home record is the only thing keeping their season afloat. Eight unbeaten at St. James’ Park. Sure, performances have swung all over the place—sometimes chaotic, sometimes just plain dull—but they get results at home.
Take away the St James’ Park atmosphere, though, and what’s left? Besides wins over Everton and Burnley, Newcastle have been flat and predictable on their travels. The Wolves game just hammered that home.
The football’s been sideways, backwards, or in endless triangles. They barely created anything, apart from a few hopeful balls into the box and a Trippier free kick that only found the side netting.
This team needs a spark, something different, or else nothing’s going to change. Maybe it’ll still be enough to scrape into Europe, since the league table’s so tight, but nobody’s getting excited about this.
Eddie Howe keeps talking about tweaks to his system, but to most fans, it’s 4-3-3 every week, and the results keep repeating themselves. It’s on him to find some answers.
It’s obvious Newcastle needs someone creative to break teams down, but it’s not like they haven’t spent big—over £218 million went into the attack last summer.
Nick Woltemade can’t buy a goal right now—seven games without one. Take him out, and Yoane Wissa, Anthony Elanga, and Jacob Ramsey have only managed one goal between them. That trio alone cost nearly £150 million.
Sure, the players have to step up, but it’s Howe’s job to get more out of them. If he finally manages it, maybe Newcastle will start looking like a team that can win away from home again.
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.
