Newcastle United's £160m problem as 'fit for purpose' question raised after Fulham defeat
Newcastle United suffered their first defeat of the season at Craven Cottage against Fulham in the Premier League.
This just isn’t Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United.
The days of 2022/23 seems like lightyears away, even last season is being left behind in the dust. Things aren’t clicking for Newcastle, and this defeat - 3-1 to Fulham - brings home to roost what many had already believed, either privately or publicly, that things just aren’t functioning and the ‘unbeaten’ start was built on sand.
Here’s FIVE things we learned from the encounter.
Midfield ‘not fit for purpose’
Howe has five midfielders to choose from - it’s rare he’s ever had anything close to that in recent times. But he just can’t work out what’s best for the team in that department.
Joe Willock gives you legs but it’s the man for a battle for dominance away from home, Joelinton only seems to perform to his true self on Tyneside and Bruno Guimaraes, well, I’ll come on to that one in a bit.
Then there’s Sean Longstaff, the one everyone blames, and Sandro Tonali, the one everyone wants. Howe doesn’t yet seem to know how best to get them to gel.
It’s been bandied about A LOT lately, but the term ‘fit for purpose’ wouldn’t be out of place. It can have a purpose, however, it has before and can again.
This Newcastle player’s worst in black and white
It was a bad day for many, but Bruno G has never had a worse one in black and white. He was to blame for the third, but sloppy and less than influential for the rest of it.
Again, this is no time for overreaction, as he’s top, top class, but Newcastle expects better from its captain - and he knows that more than anyone. His apology to fans at the end was from the heart, no doubt.
Full-back conundrum
What does Howe want from his full-backs? I have no clue.
He has four he’s using, all of whom offer something totally different. As with the midfield situation, I do not think Howe knows his best duo.
It might be that it’s a horses for courses approach that works best, but again, getting the right formula is eluding him.
I think this feeds into the system, too. The one, at present, seems to have been found out, no matter who adds the width and runs (I say that tongue-in-cheek) the engine-room.
Isak sympathy
This team isn’t creating chances for a forward.
I see the criticism of an under par Alexander Isak, and some of it is right, but a striker is only ever as good as his service - and the stuff the Swede is being delivered is questionable at best.
He will get better. But so, too, does the service into him.
The ONLY bright spark
Three goals, two starts for Harvey Barnes this season, he’s arguably been Newcastle’s only consistent bright spark.
He is such a good finisher and deserves to start out on the left, whether Anthony Gordon is around or not.