Bewildering and Bewitching Newcastle Search for Remedy to End Chaos
Fans of Newcastle United are more and more regarding Eddie Howe's side as a fickle companion. On their day, they can be the very entertainers, delivering high-octane performances. However, in other matches, once-dependable players like Sandro Tonali and others completely do not show up.
Compounding the frustration is a second-half strategy laced with a pronounced tendency of panic. Ahead of their Boxing Day to Manchester United, the facts tell a sobering story: they have dropped thirteen vital Premier League points from winning positions this season and are yet to keep a clean sheet in ten consecutive matches across all competitions. Claiming victory at Old Trafford would be only their second-ever domestic triumph on the travel this year.
A Story of Two Sides: Optimism Among the Inconsistency
Conversely, a loss has only come on one occasion in their previous 6 league fixtures, and although sitting in a seemingly lowly 11th spot, they are a only 6 points away from the highly-prized top four. Add in an impending two-part League Cup semi-final against Manchester City and a decent chance of moving on to the European Cup knockout phase, and it becomes simpler to appreciate the manager's cautious optimism.
“Our issues aren't limited to issues,” said the team's boss. “There are assets as well. My glass is very much optimistic at present. I understand everybody else could have a divergent view, but my belief is we are getting better.”
The challenge persists: will this group recreate – or perhaps exceed – the heights of the previous campaign's Wembley triumph and fifth-place finish? Balancing a congested fixture list makes this difficult.
Fatigue and Tactical Growing Pains
This fatigue may explain the inability to uphold a brilliant first-half performance against Chelsea, ultimately squandering a 2-0 lead to draw the game. Similarly, it could be the culprit for a lackluster performance in a painful defeat to local rivals Sunderland, where the team looked sluggish just a short time after a grueling European excursion.
While coaching is clearly Howe's forte, the constant grind of twice-weekly matches has radically cut into crucial training hours. This hinders the team's stylistic adaptation to operating with new striker their number nine up front, rather than the departed their former star. Although extremely talented, the German forward lacks the same electric counter-attacking pace or relentless pressing.
Indeed, the team's previously effective pressing game has at times failed. Injuries to key cog the Brazilian midfielder have not helped, while high-profile arrivals the Swedish winger and Jacob Ramsey have found it tough adapting after their substantial moves.
Formation Debates and Injury Crises
While a move to a 3-5-2 might arguably help the cause, a worsening defensive injury list makes that difficult. Important full-backs will be unavailable for the next key matches, challenging the squad's resources.
When playing at their energetic best, they look almost unplayable. The problem is sustaining that intensity for the full match. The go-to alternative approach of sitting back into a deep-lying counter-attacking formation has sometimes proven counterproductive.
“That game descended into anarchic at two-all,” conceded the coach. “But the intention was trying to win. Our mentality is to always go out to secure the three points.”
The Path Ahead: Practicality
What seems necessary is a pragmatic solution – with superior possession retention, a midfield adept of controlling the tempo, and a pragmatic readiness to occasionally settle for a point. Yet, a determination to challenge on all competitions is pushing finite squad resources to their limit.
This might seem heretical to some, but a different approach in the domestic cups in the initial stages could have eased the present fixture congestion. With vital European & league games on the agenda, the imperative to strategically choose focus areas is becoming increasingly obvious.
Eddie Howe acknowledged the size of the challenge remaining. “Being involved a club of this size, the demands are enormous. Every moment's critical. There is progress to be made in the Premier League. We're in the League Cup last four, we aim to progress in the Champions League and perform in the FA Cup.
“We're moving in the correct path, but we have a great deal of improvement to do to transform into the consistently winning side we want to be. Our capacity to put winning runs has escaped us this season.
“The challenge is to reach those levels we know we're capable of. My feeling is that the assurance we can achieve it is coming back. But now we have to prove it. It's not all bad currently, but the coming period will determine a great deal.”
