Leadership issues at a Newcastle United

All squads need to go through cycles, and they need constant refreshing to maintain hunger. It feels like this Newcastle United side *really* needs it.

But I feel the big concern, which I voiced in the summer, is leadership. Especially now that Kieran Trippier doesn’t start; we don’t have top-level leaders and it’s starting to show.

You need guys who are going to set standards, have had experience in Champions League dressing rooms, and can be a player our younger lads rely on for direction.

We don’t have that, and we also have a weird mix of young talents (who have all the tool to become elite players), and ageing players who aren’t quite at the level, and have probably had their best moments in the 22/23 season.

It’s nothing we didn’t already know, but it’s so hard to create motivation when you don’t have leaders, or players who really have something to fight for.

Eddie Howe plays a part in that of course, but ultimately this is something which the club will look at in January. Paul Mitchell has a big role to play. The worse things get, the more tempted they’ll be to act promptly in January.

Howe’s future

I doubt Howe is under any risk right now, and I think anyone who gets the big picture would agree. But things need to shift on and off the pitch, and he plays a part in that as we head into the first of three crucial games (Leicester, Brentford, Ipswich) over the next week.

The way we respond to conceding, our patterns against low blocks, and of course all the psychological stuff that comes with being a coach – all his responsibility. And of course, it needs fixing.

He’s not absolved of blame. If things stay the way they are for another two months and we continue to be consistently inconsistent, then pressure will really start to mount.

This season could become a long goodbye if he doesn’t get backing in January, or if he doesn’t make use of that backing. I’m still fairly confident he’ll turn this around if he gets the right support.