Time is passing, and Newcastle are playing worse and worse. The team lacks structure, clarity, and direction, and they look capable of losing any match. Inconsistency and poor management by Eddie Howe have become obvious following a disastrous summer transfer window.
Newcastle were involved in one of the worst-managed transfer windows in the modern history of the English Premier League. Even then, it was clear that we would not see Newcastle near the top of the table this season. The current situation at the club is not unexpected following the very poor way of club leadership.
Their results are not as bad as their performances are, which actually means the situation could be far worse. After the injury and eventual departure of Alexander Isak, the team has struggled to find a true attacking solution to contribute to the team.
Anthony Gordon has become the most reliable player and the first-choice penalty taker. Wissa is injured, while Woltemade appears to be faring better with the German national team than he does at Newcastle.
The results and form
The catastrophically managed transfer window by the owners is now directly costing Newcastle. The situation surrounding Isak did not benefit the club at St James’ Park.
Newcastle’s results look decent when you look at how the team plays. It indicates how hard the situation in the club truly is. The situation has escalated after a catastrophic defeat against Sunderland at the derby, but this team can do even worse, much worse. Defeat against Sunderland is a realistic outcome, and a match against Chelsea is just around the corner.
They will play against Chelsea, which is going to be desperate for points, and Howe is not going to be great in there. He will not show his self this match and will not be impressive. People connected to the club are going to be genuinely disappointed and concerned.
Previous results
They have beaten Everton and Burnley, drawn against Tottenham—a match Spurs were clearly the better side and deserved to win—and lost in the Champions League to Marseille and Brentford. They were heavily defeated by West Ham United, who used those three points to revive their survival hopes.
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale is not a long-term solution. While he can save some shots in open play, he does not have the quality required for a club at Newcastle’s level, and this will become increasingly obvious in upcoming matches.
There is one constant present in all of these situations, and that is Eddie Howe—and that is not a good sign. He is always there, and there are troubles with him in charge as a key factor that is making low progress, and bad selection. He was also there during the summer.
Newcastle are yet to face the real challenges of the season, and they have already found themselves in a very difficult position.
Is it a problem with a manager?
If Eddie Howe cannot offer more quality and deliver better performances from his team, it is clear that a change in the managerial position will be necessary.
This negative trend has followed Newcastle throughout the entire season, all with Eddie Howe present. Howe has managed the team poorly, failed to raise the tempo, and never came close to the desired level.
Newcastle are no longer anywhere near the level they should be now. Over the past two or three seasons, they were extremely difficult to beat in 90-minute games. A side that qualified for the Champions League last season is clearly not a close at that level this year.
The transfer market decisions and the Isak situation have backfired badly on Newcastle—but this is a problem of their own making. On the final day of the summer transfer window, they allowed Isak to move to Liverpool for the record fee they demanded.
Howe did not and did not develop good tactics for the team this season. It appears that the trust of both the fans and the players in the manager has been seriously damaged.
The Champions League, as the ultimate objective this season, cannot serve as an excuse for catastrophic football in the Premier League. They are playing weak football in the Premier League, weak on the pitch and do not have a good system. Rhythm and game plan are weak; a team selection. This is going to be more visible, and just more visible. The fans are going to be more and more frustrated, and Howe is going to be held responsible.
We are saying this after a defeat to Sunderland, a newly promoted side whose project is at a much earlier stage than Newcastle’s, which has beaten Newcastle in a 90-minute match. We can speak about this after they lose to Chelsea or Manchester United with an even worse game plan.
At this time last season, Newcastle were in the top half of the Premier League, while Sunderland were still in the Championship.
This team is vulnerable and easy to beat. West Ham exposed them with aggressive pressing on the goalkeeper and defence, completely dismantling them in an open game. The team cannot find a rhythm.
Howe appears increasingly unconvincing. We could write the same analysis after the many defeats that are likely to come in December and January.
The disaster against Sunderland resulted in an apology from Bruno Guimarães to the Newcastle fans for his catastrophic performance. Sacrificing the Premier League season in favour of the Champions League and progressing there while playing disastrous domestic football will not be acceptable to the supporters.
Newcastle currently sit 12th in their Champions League group, with away matches against PSV and PSG coming up.
They are likely to suffer a heavy defeat if PSG are motivated and need the result for their group position. It is almost certain that Howe’s team would be thoroughly beaten by PSG, who would deliver a true footballing lesson and win by scoring several goals. If PSG are fully focused, Newcastle cannot realistically expect to score a goal and to concede many.
Such a clash in quality, competitiveness, and structure against the European champions should be devastating for the team, not something that is accepted as normal.
At this stage, Newcastle should be operating at a much higher level individually and collectively, but instead, they are far behind where they should be. All of this stems from the summer transfer window, countless rejected signings, and the drawn-out Isak saga.
Newcastle’s momentum has long been broken. Howe looks uninspiring, and aside from Guimarães and Gordon, the team does not appear good enough. They concede goals far too easily.
Upcoming Premier League fixtures include Chelsea at home, Manchester United at Old Trafford, Burnley, Crystal Palace, and Leeds, as well as an FA Cup clash with Bournemouth.
What awaits Newcastle in the coming period will not be pleasant for their supporters. The defeat to Sunderland may only be the beginning of a catastrophic season for a Newcastle side that has struggled from the very start and has failed to progress anywhere near expectations.
It has long been clear that Eddie Howe lacks tempo, ideas, and tactical surprises capable of improving this club. He could be Newcastle’s main problem and a deep reason behind the bad football they are producing this season.
What I am saying is this: we may realistically see Newcastle fighting relegation this season. The situation is that bad for Newcastle. That could be their reality, while at the same time, potentially watching them compete in the Champions League knockout stages.
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