Two years after a top-four end and the return of Champions League soccer to St James’ Park, Eddie Howe gave the impression to be the person to convey the nice instances again to Newcastle United.
Quick free-flowing soccer was the order of the day and final season solely Manchester Metropolis scored greater than the 85 objectives from Howe’s facet.
Quick ahead to this season and Newcastle look a shadow of their former selves – and there are questions over whether or not the previous Bournemouth supervisor has reached the ceiling of what he can obtain on Tyneside.
Greater than £400 million has been spent on Newcastle’s squad for the reason that Saudi takeover in 2021 however at Selhurst Park towards a Crystal Palace facet with only one win to their identify all season, Newcastle didn’t register a shot on aim.
It took an personal aim from the unlucky Marc Guehi to present the guests the lead after the England defender turned a low cross from Anthony Gordon into his personal web simply after half-time.
With Alexander Isak limping off after 20 minutes with a again harm and Gordon pressured to play as a central striker, Newcastle seemed toothless in assault, counting on set-pieces to attempt to rating a second aim to kill off the sport.
Palace have been the higher facet all through in a low-quality affair and grabbed a deserved equaliser by Daniel Muñoz in stoppage time to seize some extent that dragged them out of the underside three.
This season Newcastle have scored simply 14 objectives – the fourth-lowest within the Premier League – and Howe admits to being at a loss to understanding why his facet have dried up in assault.
Howe stated: “It’s tough to reply as a result of we haven’t modified our attacking philosophy in any method. My groups have at all times performed on the entrance foot in assault however at present it was a wierd efficiency.
“There was nothing within the remaining third, however a number of set-play alternatives and we have been with no recognised striker. It’s one thing we’re conscious of and we’ll intention to enhance on. I do know we’ve gamers who can rating and create and I’ve no points with the gamers we’ve.
“Alexander had a contact harm and never a muscle, which is nice information for us, however I don’t know if he will probably be out for lengthy.”
Howe admitted the prospect of signing a striker in January is unlikely however maintained the objectives will come.
He stated: “There aren’t many absolutely match Premier League strikers that may rating objectives and people which are will price us an terrible lot of cash that we don’t have.
“We now have to again the gamers we do have. I’ve to watch out to not push Callum Willson too arduous with minimal coaching behind him, so I needed to play Anthony up there as I had no pure strikers. He did properly and it isn’t right down to him we didn’t rating. It’s a group factor.”
Palace supervisor Oliver Glasner was booked for storming down the touchline to have a good time together with his gamers after Muñoz rose excessive to fulfill Guéhi’s cross and register his first aim for the membership.
The Austrian stated: “It was my quantity two favorite yellow card. I acquired one in Germany after I was very upset with certainly one of my gamers at 1-1 and acquired booked. We went on to win 2-1, however this might be my favorite one within the Premier League. We have been the higher group and we deserved to win.”