Who knows how Newcastle United would look right now if Eddie Howe was still in the dugout. But the former Magpies manager decided to call time on his tenure at the end of July, and with all that has gone on at the club, it was probably the right call.
It’s been a tough start to the season, but this was always going to be the case for Newcastle, nursing wounds after a summer raid which has taken all of the club’s most valuable possessions.
|
Aston Villa’s Premier League Journey with Eddie Howe |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Points |
Position |
|
26/27 |
8 |
11th |
|
25/26 |
49 |
12th |
|
24/25 |
66 |
5th |
|
23/24 |
60 |
7th |
|
22/23 |
71 |
4th |
|
21/22 |
49 |
11th |
No one wanted to see Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali or Bruno Guimaraes sold, but there is hope on Tyneside that the replacements could bear dividends down the line.
However, some of the older guard still need to be moved on, with Jacob Murphy chief among them.
Why Jacob Murphy is finished at Newcastle
How PIF must regret turning down Nottingham Forest’s late £15m offer for Murphy at the end of the summer transfer window. A stalwart he may be, but Murphy has been abject on the right wing over the first few months of the season.
Against Coventry, he was no better, showing that he is losing his grip even on influencing against the lowliest outfits in the division. No disrespect to the newly-promoted side, but Newcastle are a class above on paper, and they had no business being steamrolled in the way they did on Monday.
But that is the reality that Newcastle need to accept, and Murphy offered nothing of any positivity in sparking some joy in attack. Yoane Wissa and Matias Fernandez-Pardo have taken a lot of flak as a disjointed attacking duo, but the 31-year-old cannot keep starting over £43m summer signing Bazoumana Toure, who offers far more intensity and impetus.
Murphy did create three chances, but he offered nothing by way of defensive contribution, blowing a glorious chance in front of goal and lacking the kind of sharp decision-making that the Toon needed. He’s just no longer the same athlete he once was. Still industrious, the winger is becoming something of a liability.
It should go without saying that he will not be extending his contract, which is up for expiry in 2027. Murphy is finished, but he might not be the only member of the Newcastle persuasion at risk if this troubling form persists.
New Magpies arrival could soon be finished
The Newcastle players struggled to contain Coventry, but it’s the man in the dugout who must be held accountable for another heavy defeat on the road which exposed glaring issues in the club’s make-up.
Indeed, Matthias Jaissle flattered to deceive on Monday evening, his structure, system and gameplan all failing to come together and provide the formula for a win which would have bumped Newcastle up into the top four.
Jaissle, 38, was always going to be up against it this season, taking the reins only weeks before the start of the 2026/27 Premier League season. A young and innovative tactician, it’s true that Jaissle deserves time, but if he fails to remedy glaring and frustrating problems then supporters may start to get itchy before long.
As of yet, Newcastle have been one of the most fortunate goalscoring sides in front of goal, but it doesn’t look like an Alexander Isak-esque bagsman is around to keep that trend running for the duration of the campaign.
|
Biggest Premier League Overperformers (goals) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Club |
Goals |
xG |
|
Brighton |
16 |
12.89 (-3.11) |
|
Newcastle |
10 |
7.76 (-2.24) |
|
Man City |
13 |
11.04 (-1.96) |
|
Chelsea |
10 |
8.94 (-1.06) |
|
Hull |
6 |
5.73 (-0.27) |
Expected Goals (xG) is a metric designed to measure the probability of a shot resulting in a goal.
Newcastle’s new manager made sure to apologise during his post-match interview after Coventry. “Of course, we can only apologise to fans who made the long journey. They deserved a better result. We tried our best. We need to improve, especially in both boxes,” he said.
And yet, he was quick to assert that he is not concerned by his porous, disjointed team. Indeed, he believes that an embededed aggressiveness within his system could pay dividends in the long run.
Why, then, does he continue to persist with Murphy on the right wing?
The data pool is shallow, but right now, Newcastle are averaging 1.33 points per game in the Premier League. Last term, under Howe’s management, their 49-point finish worked out at 1.29 points per game.
Jaissle needs time, but if he fails to recognise obvious issues, and proves unable to offer signs of growth and potential as a well-oiled defensive unit and a slick attacking team, then things might get tough for the new manager, with the early underlying data suggesting that the Toon have a lot to work on over the coming months.
This weekend’s clash against Aston Villa at St. James’ Park will make a strong comment on what happens next.
