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8 months ago
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If only more Premier League managers were like Eddie Howe.
He tells it like it is, whether Newcastle United win, or lose 4-1…
Eddie Howe is honest, the same as Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson were as Newcastle United managers.
A big shame that the media in our country don’t recognise this.
Happy to play along (terrified of losing favour with them) with embarrassing characters such as Klopp and Arteta, no matter how ludicrously they go on. Failing to challenge their distorted, biased, childish takes on anything when it goes wrong and/or against them.
Eddie Howe reflects on Arsenal 4 Newcastle 1:
“In the first half we weren’t ourselves.
“The second half was much better until the third goal which knocked us.
“Arsenal were very good, we weren’t and we got punished.
“We were off in most aspects of our games, we didn’t do the basics right.
“Arsenal put us under pressure and we made technical mistakes.
“Sometimes you have those spells, you have to weather them, but unfortunately we didn’t do that.
“We started the second half really well and chances to get a goal which would have been crucial.
“I need to see it (the full game) again before I make rash statements but we were not where we needed to be, whether that was psychological or technical… we just weren’t there.
“With every game that goes by and we concede goals it’s a concern.
“We’re working on lots of things behind the scenes to try to improve that but that probably wasn’t evident in this performance.
“The defending from set plays wasn’t good enough.
“At half-time it was a mixture of blunt honesty and how we were going to play in the second half.
“It was much improved, we were the dominant team and had some chances and you thought if we could get the next goal the game could swing.
“The players that have been fit have been magnificent this season in really challenging circumstances.
“We have always managed to have that spirit to come back.
“This was difficult but I thought we showed our character in the second half, now we are going to have to show that again against Blackburn, which is a huge game in our season.
“In really, really challenging situations, the players have really stuck together.
“We have to do that now for Blackburn.
“We have to look at this as the biggest game of our season and yeah, there’s a lot resting on this next game.”
Eddie Howe on the return of Joe Willock:
“I think Joe’s cameo was excellent.
“I think he showed exactly what we have missed from him and his qualities of attacking the box late and getting goals.”
Eddie Howe on the return of Alexander Isak:
“Alex’s return was a huge positive.
“Hopefully he will have improved for that 60 minutes.
“Apart from that though, I’m struggling to find too many more (positives)
“We know that our run of form has not been as consistent as we want it to be but coming here, we were unbeaten in five, so I don’t think it was all bad.
“This is a defeat we’ll have to take on the chin and we’ll have to come back stronger for it.”
Stats via BBC Sport:
Arsenal 4 Newcastle 1 – Saturday 24 February 2024 8pm:
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Willock 84
Arsenal:
Botman OG 18, Havertz 24, Saka 65, Kiwior 69
Possession was Arsenal 55% Newcastle 45%
Total shots were Arsenal 18 Newcastle 3
Shots on target were Arsenal 8 Newcastle 2
Corners were Arsenal 9 Newcastle 0
Referee: Paul Tierney
Attendance: 60,298 (3,000 Newcastle)
Newcastle team v Bournemouth:
Karius, Trippier, Schar, Botman (Lascelles 73), Livramento (Burn 73), Longstaff, Guimaraes (Willock 73), Miley, Almiron (Murphy 64), Gordon, Isak (Barnes 64)
Unused subs:
Gillespie, Ritchie, Krafth, Hall
(I have to laugh at what all these football ‘experts’ are now saying about Newcastle United – Read HERE)
(Arsenal 4 Newcastle 1 – Match ratings and comments on all Newcastle United players – Read HERE)
(Arsenal 4 Newcastle 1 – Instant Newcastle United fan / writer reaction – Read HERE)
(Arsenal 4 Newcastle 1 – A bad night at the office must be followed by a better one in Blackburn – Read HERE)
Newcastle United confirmed matches to end of March 2024:
Tuesday 27 February 2024 – Blackburn v Newcastle (7.45pm) BBC1
Saturday 2 March 2024 – Newcastle v Wolves (3pm)
Monday 11 March 2024 – Chelsea v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports
Saturday 16 March 2024 – Crystal Palace v Newcastle (3pm) ***If Newcastle beat Blackburn, NUFC will be playing in FA Cup sixth round this weekend instead.
Saturday 30 March 2024 – Newcastle v West Ham (12.30pm) TNT Sports

 
