Eddie Howe sends blunt Newcastle warning and promises to make "difficult choices"
Newcastle face Manchester City this weekend, off the back of their worst performance of the season at Fulham - with Eddie Howe warning he is ready to make some difficult calls
by Simon Bird · The MirrorEddie Howe has cracked the whip at his big stars and ordered his best XI to deliver - or be dropped.
Striker Alexander Isak has been playing with a broken toe and is a major doubt to face Manchester City on Saturday. The United head coach admits his team “didn’t like ourselves” against Fulham last week, a performance which has led to “honest conversations” at the training ground this week.
Isak’s injury means he has not trained properly for two weeks, and Anthony Gordon could deputise up front, despite his struggles and obvious “frustration” on the pitch. Asked what his first XI was, Howe added: “What you can’t do is pick that team if it doesn’t deserve to play.
“Given a blank sheet of paper and say “write down what your best team is”, I don’t think that would be difficult for me. The problem is, you have to justify your selection, so those players have to be in their best moment and best form.
“I’m a big believer in rewarding people that are playing well. I’m a big believer in there’s no set team, everyone has to earn their place. If you’re not earning your place, you can’t play.
“So we’re in that moment, early season, where players haven’t been in their best form. It’s difficult to pick players if they’re not playing continually well. I’m at that stage now where I’m going to have to make some difficult decisions, I think.”
The first half last week against Fulham was one of the worst under Howe, with a drop off in intensity. That has been addressed with a demand to run and show energy, during training this week.
Howe admitted: “They are honest with themselves and know last week was not good enough. Internal reflection can be healthy, and healthy for the long term, if used in the right way.
“This week I sense an acknowledgement, me included, that last week was not good enough, on our style or way of playing. You learn from those games and keep them to a minimum. I know the ability and collective spirit is there and it is time to show it.”
Howe has big calls to make with Isak needing several video analysis sessions this week to tweak his game. Joelinton ’s form has dipped, new skipper Bruno Guimaraes is struggling and Howe “wants to help” Anthony Gordon “return to his best.”
There are issues at full back with Kieran Trippier and Tino Livramento vying failing to nail down the right back spt as their own, and the same at left back with Lewis Hall and Lloyd Kelly. He revealed Sandro Tonali, a sub recently, played two 90 minutes for Italy and came back “physically and mentally fatigued.”
Howe added: “We need some people to step up in the team, and that will have a galvanising influence on the team. We need good harmony between the players. Whoever players we want them to deliver a Newcastle performance.
“We have to carry a threat and be an attacking force in the game, forgetting their qualities. We have to be a force and not forget what we are good at.”
Isak is a worry and Howe gave an injury update saying: “He has a broken toe, which sounds worse than it is, that can be managed. There are no long term risks. We’ve done video analysis and had several conversations with him. We need to tweak things in his game, how we use him, but we’ve not had the chance on the pitch.”
On England winger Gordon’s form and new contact offer, he added: “He is still the same lad - focused on his career, wants to do well and perform. He was frustrated, like others, last week and sometimes that manifests itself in various ways. I was frustrated too, everyone else was. We have to be mindful of that.
“We love Anthony and want him to commit his future here and stay at Newcastle. Looking at what he has done here, he has been magnificent. We need to help him get to his best levels.”
Matt Targett is out, suffering with a bad bout of eczema.
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