In his latest piece for the BBC, Alan Shearer has shared his thoughts on Newcastle’s current predicament following our 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth and ongoing injury crisis.
He feels the team ‘need a lift’ after tough away days at Borussia Dortmund and Bournemouth over the past week, with that also compounded by injuries to Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron.
As Shearer highlights, Saturday’s loss was our first in the league since that 3-1 battering at Brighton over two months ago, but he feels it was proof that injuries, fatigue and the congested fixture list has caught up with us.
Shearer believes we look ‘really flat’ and ‘very tired’, feeling the international break has come at the ideal time to give some a much-needed rest and others time to recover from injuries, with Alexander Isak, Sven Botman, Harvey Barnes, Elliot Anderson and Callum Wilson all aiming to be back for part of our hectic run between now and Christmas.
Our former number nine ads that it was ‘always going to be a big ask’ for us to cope with Champions League football and challenge for another top-four finish, but insists we are still ‘giving it a good go’ and remain in the hunt for a trophy after reaching the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup. Here’s Shearer’s verdict in full:
‘Newcastle need a lift. Saturday’s defeat at Bournemouth was their first in the league since 2 September but it looked a game too far for them, and they were not anywhere near their best.
Eddie Howe’s side have got a lot of injuries and suspensions to contend with but they did not deserve anything against the Cherries, who were the better team from start to finish.
Newcastle looked really flat and very tired, and they probably need the international break more than anyone in terms of resting some players and getting others back to fitness.
It was always going to be a big ask for them to cope with Champions League football and challenge for the top four again. They are still giving it a good go, and have reached the Carabao Cup quarter-finals too, but at the moment it looks like fighting on three fronts has caught up with them.’
