New recruits are not integrating well
The press conference after the match against Brentford seemed to be an important moment for coach Eddie Howe. It was full of emotions and he chose words very carefully after that defeat.
This is the first time Newcastle has been booed both in the first half and when the match ended after a very long time. This marks the worst time since Saudi Arabia took over the club nearly 5 years ago. They are currently ranked 12th in the Premier League after 3 consecutive defeats, and were eliminated from the League Cup last week.
Howe has dedicated his whole life, heart and soul to Newcastle since his return in November 2021. No one can doubt that. But clearly he is wondering how to do his job better, whether it's tactics, squad selection or coaching.
Newcastle's current problem is efficiency. The current schedule is extremely harsh when they have to play 6 matches in 17 days.
Magpies" have not had a midweek break since the international holiday in November last year. Of course, it is similar to Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal. But it seems that the squads of these 3 teams are better equipped to cope with the dense schedule.
Last summer, Newcastle had the opportunity to strengthen the squad through player transfers. They have signed 5 players outside the goalkeeper position. But in fact, only one of those 5 people, Malick Thiaw, has been successful so far. The remaining 4 people - Yoane Wissa, Nick Woltemade, Jacob Ramsey and Anthony Elanga - still have to wait and see what the results are.
Howe's transfer work at Newcastle so far is truly amazing. Players like Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall, Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Dan Burn have all joined and become important figures at Tyneside. They are the heart of the team.
Meanwhile, the 4 summer 2025 rookies still have a chance to prove themselves, but their time is running out.
The future of Eddie Howe
Howe is an excellent new generation coach, who has brought many wonderful moments, a lot of joy and love to the club. This captain deserves to be ranked on par with Kevin Keegan for his contributions to the "Magpies".
The disrespect he received on social media is completely different from the attitude of fans who regularly come to the stadium to watch the match, who are very much hoping Howe will have more time and be able to turn the situation around.
And of course, Howe still believes that he can turn the situation around. The 48-year-old captain has experienced similar difficulties with Newcastle a few times and has successfully recovered.
In general, Howe still receives full support from Newcastle's leadership. But like any other coach, if he continues to lose and encounter difficulties, then sacking is only a matter of time.
And the worrying thing is that the upcoming schedule is even more cruel. Newcastle meets Tottenham Hotspur, then plays in the cup with Aston Villa, then travels a long distance to Baku in the UEFA Champions League. There is no breath to recover, let alone time to rebuild the spirit.
What Howe did at the pre-match press conference with Brentford was an effort to reduce pressure on the players and blame himself. As he said last week, what Newcastle needs to do now is protect the players' confidence at all costs.
Newcastle needs a glimmer of light, maybe Elanga, Woltemade, or someone who explodes to score. They need to find something soon.
