Premier League get some fresh air
Newcastle has a new hero.
Eddie Howe has scripted a dream story for Newcastle this season. In what has been a brutal Premier League season for managers, with a record number of managers being sacked, there are a few who have enhanced their reputations. Eddie Howe at Newcastle heads that list, which includes Zerbi at Brighton and Arteta at Arsenal, among others.
A draw with relegation-threatened Leicester proved enough to guarantee them a spot in the elite Champions League, leaving Liverpool and Manchester United to battle for the last spot. Howe, who played for Bournemouth for most of his career, has been a revelation in his managerial stints. He guided the Bournemouth team from the fourth tier of English football to the Premier League and always looked capable of being good at managing.
The Newcastle transformation
Newcastle was in the depths when Howe took over. Relegation threatened, and without a win in almost the entire first half of the 2021 season, it looked bleak. Howe, after taking over, not only pulled them out of the drop zone but also managed to finish 11th on the table.
The 22–23 season has been a great one for the Magpies, as they held their own against the best of the league. A low block defence that was difficult to breakdown meant everyone who played them had to sweat it out. While they were able to hold teams to draws, the disjointed attacking line was unable to get enough wins.
The arrival of Alexander Isak meant that the attacking lines were bolstered and added much-needed goals to the scoresheet. The forward line started to function as Callum Wilson, Jacob Murphy, and the ever-reliant Almiron pitched in. The Brazilian duo of Guimaraes and Joelington while being imposing in the middle added much needed flair.
The Magpies proved their attacking prowess with a 6-1 dismantling of a woeful Tottenham. West Ham were thrashed by 5 goals and it was looking good. As Newcastle started to score more, wins came by, and a draw against Leicester in the 37th game meant that they will be among Europe’s elite in the next year.
A defensive master class from Newcastle's back four
A look at the statistics would show the effectiveness of the football that Newcastle played. The draws that they played out in the initial part of the season meant that they dropped fewer points and were always within striking distance of the top four spots. 13 draws for them meant a potential 26 points saved as they found their feet and rhythm on the field. Only Brentford played more draws this year, at 14.
The performance of the defensive line proved to be the cornerstone of this achievement.
The quartet of Trippier, Burn, Schar, and Botman put in hard shifts as they threw themselves around to ensure that box was safe. Nick Pope in the goal was solid and reassured . With due respect to the others, it was Trippier who put in a performance of a lifetime. Solid in the defensive positions, and adding to the attack with overlapping runs creating overload in the wings, the England international was just outstanding. He was named by many pundits in their Best XI of the season. It is not surprising that he finds himself as a nominee for the Player of the season.
The real catalyst was Eddie, and there are no two opinions about it. He put all this together and transformed a club languishing in mid-table into a fearsome one. With the team playing football the rough and tough way, and noisy reinvigorated home support, St James Park , has been a nightmare for opponents..
It has been more than two decades since Newcastle has played in Europe, and the faithful know and acknowledge the efforts of the silent, unassuming Englishman, who by all indications seems destined for a glittering career.
Europe is always a good place to change gears, and Howe would not back off from a good shot at it.
===========================================================
Sudhir Bhattathiripad