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Opinion

Richard Keys questions Eddie Howe’s decision making

1 year ago
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Richard Keys has been talking about Newcastle United.

Eddie Howe in particular is the target for him this time.

Richard Keys questioning the NUFC Head Coach’s decision making…

Richard Keys writing on his personal blog – 30 January 2023:

“Eddie Howe missed a trick when he named a weaker team and got dumped out in round 3 (of the FA Cup).

“I know he’s a whisker from a League Cup final – but there are no guarantees.

“(Manchester) United’s hunger to win that is just as strong as Newcastle’s.

“I’m sorry Forest fans – the s/f is over. You know it is.

“But why didn’t Howe give it a go in the FA Cup?

“Strange.”

It isn’t really that difficult to understand, indeed, Richard Keys pretty much answers his own daft challenge to Eddie Howe.

These are the matches that Newcastle United have played since the Qatar World Cup break:

20 December 2022 – Newcastle 1 Bournemouth 0 (Carabao Cup 4th round)

26 December 2022 – Leicester 0 Newcastle 3

31 December 2022 – Newcastle 0 Leeds 0

3 January 2023 – Arsenal 0 Newcastle 0

7 January 2023 – Sheffield Wednesday 2 Newcastle 1 (FA Cup 3rd round)

10 January 2023 – Newcastle 2 Leicester 0 (Carabao Cup quarter-final)

15 January 2023 – Newcastle 1 Fulham 0

21 January 2023 – Crystal Palace 0 Newcastle 0

24 January 2023 – Southampton 0 Newcastle 1 (Carabao Cup semi-final first leg)

From the first of these nine matches to the last of them, it is 35 days.

Newcastle United basically playing twice a week.

In seven of the games the team was Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Bruno, Joelinton, Longstaff, Willock, Almiron, Wilson

Against Leeds it was that same eleven, apart from Wood starting instead of Wilson because the number 9 wasn’t feeling 100 per cent.

Against Sheffield Wednesday, Eddie Howe made eight changes, only Botman, Longstaff and Joelinton of the usual starting eleven, named in that FA Cup defeat.

The reality isn’t Eddie Howe disrespecting the cups or any nonsense such as that, instead it was prioritising a quarter-final in one domestic cup, over a third round match in another. Put simply, if Newcastle had already been out of the Carabao Cup, Eddie Howe WOULD have named a far stronger team for the game at Hillsborough.

Surely even Richard Keys, if he was honest, would admit that he knows exactly why Eddie Howe did what he did.

Newcastle United are competing in the top three / four of the Premier League AND the late stages of the Carabao Cup with what is a relatively tiny squad, when it comes to real quality.

That is why match after match, Eddie Howe has little alternative but to name the same eleven players, even when games run so close together. Sheff Wed the exception as four days earlier Newcastle had their toughest PL game of the season at league leaders Arsenal (NUFC are still the only PL club not to lose at Arsenal this season), before then three days later (after Sheff Wed) set to play arguably the biggest match of the season (up to that point), the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Leicester.

It is only now that the likes of Isak and ASM are getting back to full fitness and giving Eddie Howe some alternative options. With now Anthony Gordon signed and able to do the same, plus Harrison Ashby as well to a lesser extent. Hopefully Matt Targett as well can get back from injury soon. However, that is pretty much that in terms of Newcastle United outfield players, when it comes to picking a side that wouldn’t significantly drop in quality.

Richard Keys declares about Eddie Howe ‘I know he’s a whisker from a League Cup final…But why didn’t Howe give it a go in the FA Cup? Strange.’

I think the only strange thing we are looking at here is Richard Keys.

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