The Newcastle United fans who want to blame Eddie Howe for anything and everything, completely ignore the fact of how badly let down he was last summer.
By Alexander Isak for sure, but also by the Newcastle United hierarchy even more so, the Newcastle United owners left the club with no CEO or Sporting Director working last summer, then completely failed to deal with the Isak situation.
Eddie Howe said it was imperative that the signings needed to be made early, then the reality was that only one of the eventual six summer 2025 signings arrived in time to have a pre-season with their new NUFC teammates.
The Newcastle United owners had to do one of two things with the Alexander Isak issue.
Either agree to sell him early last summer and then use the money to bring in the two forwards to replace Isak and Wilson. Or else stick to their guns and keep him at the club until the transfer window ended, when he would surely then have had to accept he had to train and play for Newcastle United, with some kind of agreement with the NUFC owners that he would then be allowed to move on in summer 2026 to another club if he still wished to do so.
Instead, they waited until the very final day of the summer 2025 window to sell Alexander Isak and sign Yoane Wissa, having brought in Nick Woltemade only a couple of days earlier.
Eddie Howe with zero chance to integrate his two new strikers and their new squad-mates in a pre-season, instead having to try and do this during a season that was the busiest ever for Newcastle United, playing every midweek as well as weekend.
The cherry on the very top of the icing on the very top of the cake, was Yoane Wissa picking up a really bad injury before he had even kicked a ball for Newcastle United and reality is, that he has clearly never caught up with the fitness and physical side needed, during such a hectic season. Wissa desperately needs a pre-season this summer to get on track with Eddie Howe and this Newcastle United team.
Nick Woltemade has NOT been a disaster. He has scored double figures in terms of goals, as well as five assists, that is 15 direct goal involvements having started 33 NUFC matches so far.
Eddie Howe reached a point during this tough season where he felt the very best chance of success relied on pace through the middle and Anthony Gordon the one to provide that. The idea that this change of attacking emphasis has been a huge mistake, isn’t something that I subscribe to. Using pace through the middle (usually Gordon, occasionally Osula in his absence) has been key to away victories in recent months against the likes of Villa, Spurs, Chelsea and that remarkable five goal first half in Azerbaijan, as well as the win with 10 men against Man U. The first 40 minutes away at Anfield saw United dominate Liverpool and away at Man City in the Premier League, a very unlucky 2-1 loss when Newcastle deserved at least a draw. Three halves of the four against Barcelona in the last 16 Champions League tie saw Newcastle more than a match for a high quality opposition.
It isn’t in dispute that Newcastle United have in the end fallen short, but that has been down to a mixture of too many matches, a squad that hasn’t enough strength in depth, numerous injuries then impacting on such a small squad, plus too many mistakes and a defence and goalkeeping which hasn’t matched previous seasons. Injuries though also playing a big part there, as having the same defensive unit over a long period of time is a massive help.
It is simple fact that in the three knockout competitions we have seen Newcastle United exit against Manchester City and Barcelona, two clubs that generate more than twice the revenue of NUFC and have so many other advantages built over so many years. To be playing every midweek leaves you more vulnerable when then facing solid Premier League teams where any better quality Newcastle United may have as team is hugely diluted, when facing opposition that have had a free week to rest and prepare. It doesn’t make it inevitable you will lose matches but so many matches and so little quality on the bench, leaves you especially at risk as the second half of such a game progresses.