Newcastle is the richest team in the world but has been quite secretive in this year's summer market. Without playing around, they have only brought in 3 good quality players: Nick Pope (Burnley, 10 million pounds), Sven Botman (Lille, 32 million pounds) and Matt Target ( Aston Villa, on loan).
This summer's transfer window is in line with the style of Eddie Howe controlling Newcastle in the second half of last season. Pope replaced Martin Dubravka in the opening match of the season against Nottingham Forest. The remaining 10 players in front of Pope are all players from last season. Remember in the second half of last season, Newcastle was the team with the 3rd most points in the Premier League (41), only after Manchester City and Liverpool. Therefore, Howe believes that everything is fine and there is no need to fix much.
One of the factors that contributed to the success of The Magpies last season was the Brazilian duo Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes. Joelinton was returned to the midfield position by Howe for a very good performance. Since joining the St. Petersburg team. James Park in 2019, Joelinton had to play as a striker and was severely limited. In 38 Premier League games in 2019-2020, the Brazilian star played enough but only scored 2 goals.
When he retired to midfield, Joelinton only scored 4 goals last season, but his influence on the team's playing style was clearly seen. Since Howe took charge in November 2021, Joelinton has had more tackles than anyone at Newcastle (64 times). From a shy striker, he has become a powerful scanner in midfield.
Second on the list of tackles is Guimaraes (47 times). Newcastle caused a small shock when welcoming the Brazilian star from Lyon. Up to now, it can be considered that the 33.5 million pounds that the "Magpies" gave this midfielder is a bargain.
With Howe's 4-3-3 formation, the Guimaraes - Joelinton pair is a connection that is very difficult to break. If the opponent can get past one person, the other person will support to steal the ball back. The Brazilian pair played very well, contributing to Newcastle's 2-0 victory on the opening day of the Premier League. This result did not come in a flash, it was the crystallization of the entire process since Howe took over the team.
With the ball or defending, the Howe pair did not give the opponent a break. Joelinton - Guiamaraes' guaranteed technique and physical strength allow them to do everything on the pitch, as long as the head remains alert.
Newcastle fans are excited about the future. From struggling under former boss Mike Ashley to having a better second half of the season than Arsenal and Chelsea, it has been a journey. It is no different, the dream of the European Cup is very close.
