Howe must finally drop 5/10 Newcastle star who had fewer touches than Pope

Newcastle United‘s three-match successful run in all competitions got here to an finish when West Ham United handed them a actuality test at St. James’ Park within the Premier League.

The two-0 scoreline was largely deserved by the revived Hammers, who did profit from the house facet’s profligacy. Julen Lopetegui has shouldered some weighty strain in current weeks and a Magpies victory may have been damning for the Spanish tactician.

Alas, Newcastle sit in tenth however stay simply 4 factors off Arsenal within the prime 4, with top-flight fixtures towards Crystal Palace and Liverpool now forthcoming.

Nonetheless, the missed likelihood to go inside two factors of second-placed Manchester Metropolis will rankle some. Optimism and anticipation unfold just like the fever on Tyneside, however show to be equally noxious when such perception fails to be matched on the sector.

Heading into the fixture, Dan Burn was sidelined after accumulating 5 yellow playing cards. His hulking presence was sorely missed.

Newcastle battle with out Dan Burn

Burn has been an utter stalwart for Howe’s Newcastle, signed as he was from Brighton & Hove Albion for a £13m fee again in January 2022.

One of many harbingers of the thrilling new period, and irritating in his absence on Monday night, for the soundness and metal that the 32-year-old brings has been indispensable for Howe’s facet this season, particularly as Sven Botman continues to work towards the top of his rehabilitation.

This season, the 6 foot 6 big had performed each Premier League minute earlier than his suspension, finishing 90% of his passes, successful 60% of his duels and averaging 4.4 clearances per sport, as per Sofascore.

In his stead, Lloyd Kelly struggled to carry out. Submit match, the Chronicle Live branded him with a 5/10 match rating and wrote:

‘Switched off for the opener and didn’t take what was an enormous alternative. Dan Burn will stroll straight again into the group after his ban.’

Kelly wasn’t terrible, however the distinction was noticeable. He failed to complete each of his five attempted long balls and did little for the fluency of the house group.

After scoring large Premier League victories over Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, and having knocked Chelsea out of the Carabao Cup earlier than that, Newcastle have been knocked down a peg and served a slice of actuality. There may be a lot to work on.

One factor that appears sure is that Sean Longstaff is probably not performing to the extent that may reinforce Howe’s resolution to repeatedly begin him in the course of the park. Failing to impress towards the Hammers, the homegrown expertise would possibly have to be dropped for the upcoming winter matches.

Why Howe should brutally ditch Sean Longstaff

West Ham won 60% of the duels at St. James’ Park on Monday night, one thing that contributed towards the brusing defeat. Towards Arsenal within the earlier Tyneside conflict, Newcastle won 57% of the duels – therein lies the issue.

Longstaff was emblematic of this battle, flimsy and ineffective in his central midfield deployment. He misplaced 4 of his six contested floor duels and failed to finish his solely tried dribble, suggesting that he lacked the requisite development to propel the hosts ahead too.

Furthermore, Longstaff failed to finish a single key cross regardless of leaving the sector with a 91% cross success price. What does that inform us? Effectively, contemplating that his 32 touches have been lower than that of Nick Pope (35), it could seem that the 27-year-old failed to say himself and take management of proceedings.

Make no mistake, he wasn’t the one Magpie to toil. Bruno Guimaraes had an uncharacteristically shoddy night, whereas Joe Willock was withdrawn on the break after choosing up a knock. His efficiency, in equity, appeared to have been hampered by this difficulty.

Longstaff suffered no such misfortune, although nonetheless did not impress and was rightly taken off earlier than the hour mark, handed a 5/10 rating and lambasted for dropping ‘possession a few occasions with ruthless Howe taking him off earlier than the hour mark for Sandro Tonali.’

Additionally bemoaned for ball watching as West Ham scythed by way of black and white defences and Aaron Wan-Bissaka scored his third Premier League purpose (two of which, consider it or not, have now been posted at St. James’ Park), Longstaff can’t retain his beginning berth subsequent weekend.

The journey to Selhurst Park is beginning to look slightly essential and three factors should be clinched, lest the majority of the congested European-place-challenging pack draw back.

Tonali did not make that a lot of an influence when introduced on however his silky passing and superior duel success – the Italian yields a 56% success price throughout the marketing campaign to this point – bespeak his suitability. It is time for Howe to ring the change.

Lewis Miley, 18, might be hoping to make an influence as soon as once more as he nears a return from damage, and whereas Joelinton’s dynamism has seen him function in frontal positions of late, his robustness makes for a meaty midfield partnership with compatriot Guimaraes.

Sadly, for all Longstaff’s industriousness, he was missing in high quality and conviction towards West Ham, and it is likely to be time to demote him to the bench towards Crystal Palace, with victory so essential – particularly since Liverpool journey to Tyneside within the subsequent match.

It is a setback, however Newcastle have displayed their powers of restoration earlier than and might be decided to bounce again and combat towards continental qualification. Longstaff, nevertheless, should be dropped to regular the ship.

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80% duels lost: Newcastle must boldly drop 4/10 ace who’s badly “regressed”

Howe’s Newcastle facet have been defeated at St. James’ Park by struggling West Ham.