Newcastle was well-deserving of its spot in the top four of the Premier League last year under the direction of Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall. Although a squad with strong foundations was able to cross the finish line, people will now be expecting even more. It will be interesting to see what happens to them now that European football is back on Tyneside. Here are some questions we would like to answer!
Questions that are raised
Can The Premier League and Champions League Responsibilities be Balanced?
Being a fan of Newcastle United must be exhilarating right now. The UEFA Champions League awaits after clinching a top-four finish in the Premier League for the first time since 2002-03 previous season.
Twenty years ago, Partizan Belgrade eliminated Newcastle on penalties in the third qualifying round. This time, there won’t be any such heartbreak as they advance directly to the group stage, and St James’ Park will undoubtedly have a great atmosphere as it welcomes back Champions League football.
However, there are more games and shorter preparation times in European football. Newcastle had one distinct advantage as they went from fighting against relegation one season to finishing above teams like Liverpool, Tottenham, and Chelsea the next season under the brilliant leadership of Eddie Howe. While others had other distractions for most of the season, Newcastle could concentrate more on their league form because they weren’t playing in Europe.
Has the Club’s Financial Muscle Been Flexed Enough?
Some speculated that players like Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Lionel Messi might soon be sporting the fabled black and white shirt after Newcastle was acquired by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in 2021. Although a lot of money was invested, that hasn’t quite happened.
The money was wisely spent, as purchases like Kieran Trippier, Sven Botman, Nick Pope, Bruno Guimares, and Alexander Isak were crucial to the team’s swift rise through the leagues.
After securing Champions League football, many people thought the owners would use their enormous money to help the team prepare for its next development phase. Newcastle has only brought in two players as of this writing, though. Even if the reported transfer fees total a little under £100 million, most people undoubtedly expected more players to arrive than only Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes.
What Will Be the Best Midfield Combination?
Tonali’s signing is especially intriguing because it forces Howe to reorganize his midfield, something he didn’t do in 2022–2023.
Four players who primarily played central midfield in the Premier League last season amassed at least 28 starts and 30 total appearances. Elliot Anderson, who did so just three times, was the only player besides Joe Willock, Joelinton, Sean Longstaff, and Guimares to start for Howe in central midfield throughout the league season.
Can Their Defense be Maintained?
Last season, it was incredibly challenging to score against Newcastle. Only the division’s defending champions, Manchester City, could match their record of 33 goals allowed, while Arsenal and Manchester United both allowed 43.
Pope’s efforts between the pipes undoubtedly contributed, but the group’s defensive steadiness was also essential. Only Manchester City (33.1) in the Premier League had a lower xG against total than their 40.1.
The fact that their selection was more consistent in defense than in midfield made this substance more clear. At least 35 league games were started by Dan Burn, Fabian Schär, Botman, and Trippier, with the latter starting all 38.
Burn, Schär, Botman, and Trippier all started together for Newcastle in 31 Premier League games (W17 D11), and they only lost three of those games.
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