🔗 Share this article Baffling & Enchanting The Magpies Seek Remedy to End Disorder Fans of the Magpies are increasingly viewing the team's squad as an unreliable friend. On their day, they transform into the very thrill-seekers, delivering breathtaking displays. But, at other times, once-dependable players like their midfield linchpin and his teammates utterly do not show up. Compounding these problems is a second-half game management suffused by a distinct tendency of chaos. Before their trip to Manchester United, the numbers tell a troubling tale: the team has let slip 13 crucial Premier League leverage from leading situations this term and are yet to keep a clean sheet in ten straight outings in every tournament. Claiming a win at Old Trafford would be only their second-ever domestic triumph on the travel this season. A Narrative of Extremes: Optimism Amidst the Inconsistency In contrast, defeat has only come once in their most recent 6 Premier League encounters, and despite sitting in a modest 11th place, they remain a only 6 points off the highly-prized top four. Add in an looming two-legged Carabao Cup last-four clash against the reigning champions and a strong opportunity of moving on to the Champions League knockout phase, and it is easier to understand the gaffer's measured optimism. “It's not only about problems,” stated the club's boss. “There are positives also. I am very much half full right now. I realize others might have a opposing opinion, but my belief is we are getting better.” The challenge is: will this group match – or even eclipse – the heights of last season's Wembley triumph and fifth-place standing? Juggling a packed schedule hinders. Weariness and Tactical Growing Pains This tiredness might explain the inability to sustain a superb opening 45-minute performance versus Chelsea, eventually squandering a 2-0 lead to draw the game. Similarly, it is possibly the reason for a poor display in a painful loss to arch-rivals Sunderland, where the side appeared sluggish just a short time after a grueling European excursion. Although coaching is clearly Howe's specialty, the relentless schedule of twice-weekly matches has drastically cut into essential practice hours. This slows the squad's stylistic evolution to playing with summer signing Nick Woltemade up front, instead of the departed their former star. While immensely talented, Woltemade does not possess the equivalent electric breakaway pace or ferocious defensive work rate. In fact, the team's signature pressing game has occasionally failed. Injuries to crucial cog Joelinton have exacerbated matters, while big-money signings Anthony Elanga and Jacob Ramsey have struggled adapting since their combined £90m+ moves. Formation Questions and Injury Woes If a switch to a back three might arguably assist the team, a severe backline injury crisis makes that difficult. First-choice defenders will be missing for the upcoming key fixtures, challenging the squad's resources. When playing at their ferocious peak, they look almost unplayable. The issue is maintaining that intensity for the entire match. The typical plan B of sitting back into a passive counter-attacking shape has sometimes been self-destructive. “The Chelsea game became disorganized at two-all,” said the coach. “But we were trying to win. We always try to win.” The Way Ahead: Practicality What appears called for is a middle ground – one featuring superior ball control, a engine room capable of dictating the pace, and a pragmatic willingness to occasionally accept a point. However, a ambition to challenge on all fronts is pushing thin squad options to their breaking point. It may sound sacrilegious to some, but a more selective approach in the cup competitions earlier could have eased the current schedule pile-up. With critical Champions League and league games on the horizon, the need to carefully choose focus areas is becoming ever more clear. The manager acknowledged the scale of the challenge remaining. “Being involved a club of this size, the expectations are immense. Each game is critical. We have work to do in the league. We are in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, we aim to go through in the Champions League and do well in the FA Cup. “We're moving in the right direction, but we have a great deal of improvement to do to become the regularly winning team we want to be. Our capacity to put sequences of victories has deserted us so far. “The task is to attain that standard we know we're able to reach. My feeling is that the self-belief we can achieve it is coming back. Yet nowadays we have to show it. It ain't all doom and gloom currently, but the upcoming fixtures will determine much.”
Fans of the Magpies are increasingly viewing the team's squad as an unreliable friend. On their day, they transform into the very thrill-seekers, delivering breathtaking displays. But, at other times, once-dependable players like their midfield linchpin and his teammates utterly do not show up. Compounding these problems is a second-half game management suffused by a distinct tendency of chaos. Before their trip to Manchester United, the numbers tell a troubling tale: the team has let slip 13 crucial Premier League leverage from leading situations this term and are yet to keep a clean sheet in ten straight outings in every tournament. Claiming a win at Old Trafford would be only their second-ever domestic triumph on the travel this season. A Narrative of Extremes: Optimism Amidst the Inconsistency In contrast, defeat has only come once in their most recent 6 Premier League encounters, and despite sitting in a modest 11th place, they remain a only 6 points off the highly-prized top four. Add in an looming two-legged Carabao Cup last-four clash against the reigning champions and a strong opportunity of moving on to the Champions League knockout phase, and it is easier to understand the gaffer's measured optimism. “It's not only about problems,” stated the club's boss. “There are positives also. I am very much half full right now. I realize others might have a opposing opinion, but my belief is we are getting better.” The challenge is: will this group match – or even eclipse – the heights of last season's Wembley triumph and fifth-place standing? Juggling a packed schedule hinders. Weariness and Tactical Growing Pains This tiredness might explain the inability to sustain a superb opening 45-minute performance versus Chelsea, eventually squandering a 2-0 lead to draw the game. Similarly, it is possibly the reason for a poor display in a painful loss to arch-rivals Sunderland, where the side appeared sluggish just a short time after a grueling European excursion. Although coaching is clearly Howe's specialty, the relentless schedule of twice-weekly matches has drastically cut into essential practice hours. This slows the squad's stylistic evolution to playing with summer signing Nick Woltemade up front, instead of the departed their former star. While immensely talented, Woltemade does not possess the equivalent electric breakaway pace or ferocious defensive work rate. In fact, the team's signature pressing game has occasionally failed. Injuries to crucial cog Joelinton have exacerbated matters, while big-money signings Anthony Elanga and Jacob Ramsey have struggled adapting since their combined £90m+ moves. Formation Questions and Injury Woes If a switch to a back three might arguably assist the team, a severe backline injury crisis makes that difficult. First-choice defenders will be missing for the upcoming key fixtures, challenging the squad's resources. When playing at their ferocious peak, they look almost unplayable. The issue is maintaining that intensity for the entire match. The typical plan B of sitting back into a passive counter-attacking shape has sometimes been self-destructive. “The Chelsea game became disorganized at two-all,” said the coach. “But we were trying to win. We always try to win.” The Way Ahead: Practicality What appears called for is a middle ground – one featuring superior ball control, a engine room capable of dictating the pace, and a pragmatic willingness to occasionally accept a point. However, a ambition to challenge on all fronts is pushing thin squad options to their breaking point. It may sound sacrilegious to some, but a more selective approach in the cup competitions earlier could have eased the current schedule pile-up. With critical Champions League and league games on the horizon, the need to carefully choose focus areas is becoming ever more clear. The manager acknowledged the scale of the challenge remaining. “Being involved a club of this size, the expectations are immense. Each game is critical. We have work to do in the league. We are in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, we aim to go through in the Champions League and do well in the FA Cup. “We're moving in the right direction, but we have a great deal of improvement to do to become the regularly winning team we want to be. Our capacity to put sequences of victories has deserted us so far. “The task is to attain that standard we know we're able to reach. My feeling is that the self-belief we can achieve it is coming back. Yet nowadays we have to show it. It ain't all doom and gloom currently, but the upcoming fixtures will determine much.”