Inside Howe’s plan to fix Newcastle’s problems with ‘honest conversations’
Eddie Howe’s post-match tradition of watching and rewatching Newcastle United games did not bring him any comfort this week.
Normally he finds comfort and clarity in assessing matches in the early hours of Sunday morning, away from the immediate, emotional reaction over a cup of tea and a biscuit. But there was no positives to glean from a desperate defeat to Fulham.
“It was one of those games where we analysed a lot and took a lot away from it to try to implement into our game,” he said.
“We reviewed it, and we didn’t like ourselves so there’s been some honest conversations this week, and hopefully there’ll be a response.”
On Friday, before news of CEO Darren Eales’ cancer diagnosis put football starkly in perspective, Howe set out how Newcastle’s season can be turned around.
A warning shot
Howe is fiercely protective of his players but performances – individually and collectively – have been consistently down on the standards set for Newcastle. That has demanded a reaction and he spoke of “difficult decisions” around who plays against the champions.
It could mean big names dropped in favour of balance. Sandro Tonali – whose exertions with Italy left him, in Howe’s words, “mentally and physically fatigued” during the international break – is set to start. But other changes have been considered this week.
“The issue for me is that, given a blank sheet of paper and you say ‘go on, write down what your best team is’, I don’t think that would be difficult for me,” he said.
“The problem is, you have to justify your selection, so those players have to be in their best moment and best form. What you can’t do is pick that team if it doesn’t deserve to play.
“I’m a big believer in rewarding people that are playing well. I’m a big believer in there’s no set team, everyone has to earn their place. If you’re not earning your place, you can’t play.
“So we’re in that moment, early season, where players haven’t been in their best form.
“It’s difficult to pick players if they’re not playing continually well. I’m at that stage now where I’m going to have to make some difficult decisions, I think.”
Training intensity is up
There has been a different feel on the training ground this week. Intensity has been ratcheted up a couple of notches and Howe spoke of a “different angle and a different theme” over the last seven days.
There’s a feeling inside the camp that physically the team is not where it was at the same point last year. Partly that is down to summer exertions of key men like Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes but Howe has sought to mix things up this week.
Given Newcastle’s better performances have tended to follow him getting hours on the training ground, that feels like a positive.
Bruno Guimaraes needs to improve
Hailed as the “heartbeat” of Newcastle, Guimaraes has not been able to control games this season – and that is surely a big reason why the Magpies are misfiring.
Part of that is physical – Howe bemoaned his “compacted summer” and a long trip during the international break which did him no favours – but some of it is about a lack of rhythm and fluency.
“Bruno is someone that’s really keen to do well, he knows he has to try and give more to the team,” Howe said.
“There’s a real desire from him to help the team get back to its very, very best level.
“I back his quality, there’s no denying the character of the player. He’s such a vital part of our team, he’s right in the heartbeat of our team, he conducts so much that we need him back to his best.”
Anthony Gordon
Questions have been asked by Newcastle supporters about Gordon’s mood after the sense that his body language was questionable in the Fulham defeat.
Harvey Barnes has arguably done more to deserve a start in the left-wing spot and lingering questions about a possible summer move to Liverpool – which left him unsettled in the close season – have been uncomfortable.
Howe said he had not noticed a dip in his focus. Physically he remains below his peak condition and he may be asked to deputise as a forward on Saturday with Alexander Isak having suffered a broken toe and not trained all week.
Progress, crucially, has been made on a new contract.
“We’d love him to stay long-term at Newcastle and continue his excellent start to his career here,” Howe said.
“When you look at the broader piece of what he’s done since he’s arrived at the football club, I think he’s been magnificent for us.
“We need to try and help him get back to his very best levels. And if that means signing a new contract, then I’m all for that, to help him be settled and concentrate on his football.”
If performances have been troubling, choppy waters off-the-field have calmed.
As i reported earlier this week, a meeting between Howe and director of football Paul Mitchell has smoothed relations. “Everything is good,” the Newcastle boss confirmed on Friday.