Eddie Howe’s special sweet spot

As the dust settles on another incredible night at St James’ Park, I can just imagine the PSG bus pulling away from the team’s Quayside hotel, heavy laden with shellshocked global superstars licking their wounds, shivering at the mental flashbacks of Fabian Schar smashing in Newcastle fourth and keenly looking for the road signs leading to Newcastle Airport.

The Ligue 1 giants, considered by many as contenders for the Champions League title this season, were severely underprepared for the sheer physicality, organisation, and intensity of Eddie Howe’s team. 

This wasn’t a lucky last-minute win by a plucky underdog, snatching a fortuitous victory. This was men against boys – a dynamic Newcastle team that has at its core, a burning sense of identity and belief.  Dan Burn had been targeted in Luis Enrique’s gameplan as a weak link for them to exploit, trying to overload the play down Newcastle’s left-hand side. But seeing the 6’7” Blyth born colossus towering above Milan Skriniar, crashing in a bullet header against the scrambling Donnarumma for Newcastle’s second, in many ways summed up the problem for PSG. They grossly underestimated the threat of a team with true heart and grit. They perhaps didn’t recognise how this passion can be shaped and channelled by a coaching staff with meticulous planning and a thoroughly detailed long-term strategy. It is this combination of passion and planning that makes Newcastle a force and what makes Eddie Howe such a special manager. 

Newcastle aren’t a team of mercenaries, prioritising the highest wage packet or choosing the glitz of Paris or London when looking for a club. Newcastle beat PSG 4-1 with a team made up of committed professionals dedicated to the club and its footballing project. But this isn’t something Eddie Howe has accidentally stumbled upon. Just like everything he does, this is the outcome of rigorous planning and insisting upon an elite mentality.

Whether they are local Geordies in the form of Sean Longstaff, Dan Burn and Elliot Anderson; lifelong fans such as Jacob Murphy and the newly signed Lewis Hall or simply well-grounded individuals with a belief in collective unity. 

The connections the players feel towards the club clearly run deep and it’s been clear how much Howe has prioritised a player’s commitment to the project over everything else. 

Already within the club, before Howe arrived, there was a strong team spirit amongst the players. Notable leaders such as Jamaal Lascelles and Matt Ritchie weren’t discarded once the new recruitment drive began. Instead, their status was elevated in the squad as they were charged with keeping standards high and helping Howe nurture a supportive, focussed group to be ready when called upon. 

Seeing Lascelles step back into the team, play in the heart of defence and lead his club to three consecutive victories in a week against Man City, Burnley, and PSG, was something not many expected to see. The pace, accuracy, and composure he showed when putting in blocks and the recovery tackles against both Dembele and Mbappe was truly a delight to witness. Newcastle have only conceded one goal since Lascelles returned to the team and his presence only further reinforces Howe’s words when insisting all members of the group be ready for when their chance comes.

Each of the four players who scored against PSG were at the club before Eddie Howe arrived. His ability to improve underperforming players is surely unparalleled now. The staggering transformation of Joelinton into a midfield powerhouse, the fact that we are now seeing the full potential of players such as Schar, Almiron and Longstaff, is way beyond expectation. Improvement and progression is at the heart of Howe’s work and when he combines it with a tactical masterclass in the Champions League, things start to look even more special. 

Whenever I see Unai Emery, I’m always reminded of the Newcastle owners’ attempts to recruit him soon after buying the club. The timing wasn’t right for him, he rejected the offer, and now we see him leading Aston Villa expertly up the table. Fair play to him. If he had taken the job on Tyneside, I’m sure we would have experienced a similar upturn in results. But would we have experienced anything close to what Eddie Howe has created here in the last two years? In fact, would I swap Eddie Howe for any other manager in world football? Absolutely not. Eddie Howe exudes a controlled passion that he instils in his players. His relentlessness was reflected in the unremitting, highly coordinated Newcastle press that destroyed a bewildered PSG team. 

This was a special night for a very special club – led by a manager who really has found the sweet spot.

All of the clamour for Mbappe’s shirt seemed wrong. Mbappe should’ve been asking for Longstaff’s shirt. In fact, Enrique should’ve been asking for Eddie Howe’s slim-fit windbreaker jacket.