Just asking the question, why won’t anybody believe Eddie Howe?
Well I say ‘anybody’ but there are believers.
Those of you, who like me, know that Eddie Howe is telling the absolute truth.
I don’t expect anything better from outsiders, the ‘experts’, whether you are talking journalists, pundits, whoever.
However, I am disappointed with many Newcastle United fans, who can’t understand or accept the evidence of their own eyes.
Eddie Howe said after the wins over Chelsea and then Arsenal:
“You have to have a really strong mentality and know results will turn, if you continue to do the right things.”
That is the reality.
What Newcastle United did against Chelsea and Arsenal, they were doing very much the same things in the previous five weeks or so.
That is the reality, as Eddie Howe said after these last two matches, two wins.
Newcastle United had been playing well against the likes of Man City, Everton, Brighton and Chelsea but fine margins going against them and not taking some great chances.
Eddie Howe and his players kept on doing those right things and got their reward against Arsenal, as well as Chelsea in the cup.
These were the stats on Saturday for Newcastle 1 Arsenal 0:
Possession was Newcastle 36% Arsenal 64%
Total shots were Newcastle 9 Arsenal 10
Shots on target were Newcastle 4 Arsenal 1
Corners were Newcastle 4 Arsenal 6
Touches in the box Newcastle 17 Arsenal 32
Compare those above with the matches that came before:
Possession was Newcastle 34% Chelsea 66%
Total shots were Newcastle 8 Chelsea 17
Shots on target were Newcastle 2 Chelsea 4
Corners were Newcastle 1 Chelsea 9
Touches in the box Newcastle 18 Chelsea 30
The stats from Chelsea 2 Newcastle 1:
Possession was Newcastle 50% Chelsea 50%
Total shots were Newcastle 11 Chelsea 17
Shots on target were Newcastle 3 Chelsea 7
Corners were Newcastle 4 Chelsea 7
Touches in the box Newcastle 24 Chelsea 31
The stats from Newcastle 0 Brighton 1:
Possession was Newcastle 60% Brighton 40%
Total shots were Newcastle 21 Brighton 10
Shots on target were Newcastle 6 Brighton 5
Corners were Newcastle 9 Brighton 4
Touches in the box Newcastle 45 Brighton 12
The stats from Everton 0 Newcastle 0:
Possession was Newcastle 68% Everton 32%
Total shots were Newcastle 14 Everton 8
Shots on target were Newcastle 3 Everton 2
Corners were Newcastle 10 Everton 0
Touches in the box Newcastle 42 Everton 13
You look at those stats AND what we saw with our own eyes and for sure, Newcastle United deserved to have won against both Brighton and Everton, as well as deserving of a point at Chelsea.
The reason(s) NUFC only got one and not seven points from these three games, is simply the result of big moments at both ends of the pitch. Not taking chances and getting punished for the odd bad moment at the back, especially what proved to be the winning goals for Chelsea and Brighton.
I thought Newcastle played well against Chelsea in the cup and Arsenal in the Premier League BUT they had been playing well the past month before that.
Against Arsenal, Declan Rice misses with a free header at the back post, whilst Alexander Isak scores that fabulous header at the other end from an equally brilliant Gordon cross.
Against Brighton, Newcastle absolutely dominated the first hour of the game, Isak failed when through one on one, Gordon somehow missed with a header from six yards out after Isak put in a sublime cross, whilst the first time Brighton got out of their half they scored the only goal of the game on 35 minutes with a great goal from their perspective, poor defending by Newcastle though as everything went wrong in that moment.
Chelsea in the Premier League and Chelsea in the cup, look at the stats.
At Stamford Bridge, Newcastle had more of everything against Chelsea compared to at St James’ Park. In the cup match, Newcastle had less possession, shots, shots on target, corners, and touches in the opposition box, than they had in West London.
Yet won 2-0 at home and lost 2-1 away.
Chelsea punished United in that Premier League game when NUFC could have defended better in certain moments BUT Chelsea didn’t take their chances at SJP. Whilst at the other end, Isak scored (but didn’t take that chance at Chelsea when rounding the keeper, plus saw his header hit James with the keeper beaten) at St James’ Park, and then Chelsea gifted us the own goal.
In these last two matches, the fine margins and luck finally going our way.
Whilst for example at Everton, it was ridiculous how much Newcastle dominated as the away team but in key moments, Gordon missed the penalty, missed when through one on one, plus Bruno had his effort cleared off the line by a defender who knew little about it.
These things happen.
Newcastle’s performances weren’t convincing in the opening matches this season, some decent spells in matches but not able to sustain it throughout.
Since Man City onwards though, seven games and the win against AFC Wimbledon apart, I think Newcastle United have played well overall and if we keep those levels up, no reason why this can’t be a very good season.
Luck and fine margins permitting.
