Eddie Howe has made a huge impact at Newcastle. When he took over last year, the Newcastle team looked like they could be in relegation trouble, but the Toon Army now have the top 10 or even the European positions in their sights.
A lot of people think there’s value in betting on Newcastle to finish high up the table, and though their odds at Bet365 have come down since they started so well, there could still be value, especially if you consider that Howe is the man to lead Newcastle back into European competition after all these years.
Playing style is something that has been debated somewhat since Howe came in. Whatever people thought of Steve Bruce when he was in charge, it is fair to say that his style left the Toon fans feeling uninspired a lot of the time.
Now, not only has Howe instilled a defined playing style, he seems to have multiple options and ways to mix it up.
How many times in recent years have we seen a Newcastle team that is happy to surrender territory and stand off?
For a number of fans, it has been refreshing to see this change in style, as Eddie Howe’s footballing philosophy means that they are happy to press teams, especially high up the pitch. There has been a lot of extra energy in the middle of the park, specifically.
Of course, some of the things that have happened in Howe’s tenure have been unpredictable, to say the least.
The fact that Joelinton has been turned into a box-to-box, pressing midfielder is something that not many of us could have seen coming. With his Brazilian teammate Bruno in the middle of the pitch – the pressing has been excellent at times.
Counter-attacking against the bigger teams
Eddie Howe has improved the fitness and intensity of the team, and this has also lent itself nicely to a counter-attacking style.
This isn’t needed against every team, but we’ve seen in recent games, including the impressive draw against Manchester City, that Newcastle can get the ball up the pitch quickly, especially with the outlet of Allan Saint-Maximin, who regularly carries the ball half the length of the pitch.
This means that there is a real chance to mix it up, and even when the games come where Newcastle might have to sit back a little and try to contain the opposition, there will always be an outlet on the break.
This will be further aided by new signings as Newcastle confirmed they will be looking to do more business in the next week or so.
Height and power on the pitch and off the bench
At times, it has been clear that Newcastle are happy to get the ball wide and put balls into the box, and they’ve got the players to put service into the box. In fact, at the time of writing this, Newcastle have the highest percentage of accurate crosses into the box out of any of the teams in the league.
It now looks inevitable that Alexander Isak will end up on the Tyne, something that nobody would have expected a week or two ago. Isak is a great finisher but he also has an incredible set of physical attributes. He will be a threat when balls are crossed into the box, both high and low.
If Newcastle can keep Chris Wood happy with limited game time then he will also be an important ace up their sleeve. He may not be the most gifted player when it comes to the ball at his feet, but Wood is an amazing aerial threat and still has plenty to offer.
Some people are questioning why he was signed, but teams need a squad and it is clear that he can offer plenty from the bench.
Howe’s focus on youth could see the playing style ingrained in the squad
This is something that we haven’t really seen at Newcastle for a while. With the exception of the Longstaff brothers, there hasn’t been a lot of talent brought through from a young age. Howe has a lot of belief in youth and is clearly looking to build for the future rather than just the present.
As well as the youth of the players he is targeting in the transfer window, Howe seems to have faith in youngster Elliot Anderson, who has impressed out on loan and looks to be another very direct player.
By embracing this approach of giving game time to young players, Howe can put his stamp on the team and the way he wants them to play.
There are multiple facets to his playing style and one thing we must say is that it always looks like he has a plan going into games. This further adds to the excitement currently being felt around St. James’ Park.