'I want' - Eddie Howe reveals Yoane Wissa & Nick Woltemade plan at Newcastle United
Newcastle United strikers Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa started for the first together against AFC Bournemouth.
Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa started together for the first time in Newcastle United’s FA Cup third round penalty shootout win over AFC Bournemouth.
Eddie Howe changed tack from his usual 4-3-3 formation and trialled 4-2-3-1, which saw Woltemade deployed in the number 10 role and Wissa as the central striker. The Magpies paid a combined £124million to sign the two strikers last summer.
The pair linked up inside the opening exchanges. Woltemade found Wissa inside the box and DR Congo international forced an excellent save from Cherries goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic.
Woltemade set up the Magpies’ opener in the 50th minute when his well-measured pass was finished by Harvey Barnes. But after Bournemouth fought back to go 2-1 up, Howe brought off Wissa in the 69th minute.
The German ended up playing the full 120 minutes as the match was decided by a penalty shootout.
Anthony Gordon’s 95th-minute penalty forced extra time before setting up what Newcastle thought was the winner after Barnes headed home in the 118th minute. However, there was another late twist as Marcus Tavernier equalised.
Woltemade missed his spot-kick, as did captain Bruno Guimaraes, but ultimately it didn’t matter as goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale made three saves to ensure United advanced into the fourth round.
Eddie Howe explains Yoane Wissa x Nick Woltemade decision
But back to the decision to play Woltemade and Wissa. Howe said: “It was okay. I think there were some good bits and there were some bits that maybe weren't so good. I think it's only when I review the game that I can really, truly give my opinion.
“I wanted to do it in a game that I felt tactically would benefit us. I felt that was the game today to try that. I want the option to go to it in-running in a game at some stage.
“I don't necessarily see it being a regular for us, as in a regular starting system. But who knows? If it worked really well, then, of course, the chances of that would go up.
“But I thought both players tried to make it work to the best of their ability. I thought Nick was particularly impressive with what he gave the game physically, having played all of it.”
Eddie Howe on adapting his Newcastle United system
Howe added: “I've had a couple of questions where people think we play the same way every game and nothing could be further from the truth.
“We have a game plan for every single game. Those game plans are different, they have to be because the opponents are so different. We have loads of different ways of going.
“One of them has always been 4-4-2. Off the ball has always been something we've liked to play. When fit, Alex [Isak] and Callum [Wilson] did it a number of times for us. It's not a foreign system for us.
“Joe Willock has played that way with one of the available strikers this season. It's always an option and you need as many options as you can in a long season.”