Pressure on Mitchell and Eales as Toon enter huge week – and the in-house options for Howe

What a huge week it is coming up for Newcastle United. Two signings in key positions, unwanted deadwood leaving and progress in one of the only two chances for silverware surely isn’t too much to ask?

Whilst four points from the opening two games is a solid enough start, and the resilience and will to win shown to beat Southampton with 10 men was impressive, there are valid concerns amongst fans.

On and off the pitch, the whole club feels like it needs an injection of positivity after a summer of upheaval and uncertainty.

CEO Darren Eales is a man in need of a big win in the next few days, to prove he is capable of filling Staveley and Ghodoussi’s shoes, whilst an elite signing or two would not only improve the side, but also give a much needed illusion of solidarity and collaboration between Howe and Paul Mitchell.

On the pitch, what has been a concern in our first two outings is how poor we have looked on the ball at times. In both games, Southampton and Bournemouth looked not only technically superior to us, but more worryingly, it begs the question, do other teams have us sussed out tactically? It certainly seems so.

The blueprint for the opposition is clearly to press us high, and neutralize Bruno. If they do that, the players currently available seem to lack the technical quality to look after the ball and play through the press. Krafth and Burn are solid enough Premier League players, but clearly lacking on the ball, which ends with our midfield receiving the ball with their backs to play, and then all manner of mistakes and tomfoolery occur. It also doesn’t help when Joelinton seemingly decided he’d play as badly in midfield as he did up front like he did on the south coast, while clotheslining opposite goalkeepers wasn’t on the tactics board either, surely.

The good news is the remedy to this is already in the squad regardless of what business we do this week. The imminent returns of Schar, Tonali and then Botman further down the line…

Source link : https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2024/08/26/pressure-on-mitchell-and-eales-as-toon-enter-huge-week-and-the-in-house-options-for-howe/

Author : Jamie Elliott

Publish date : 2024-08-26 17:23:43

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