THE FATEFUL LAST EIGHT!
Howe says Toon stars are playing for their futures in must-win bid for quarter-finals
EDDIE HOWE has warned his Newcastle stars they are playing for their futures.
Toon have gone soft on a run of 23 goals conceded in the last eight league games, and a dreadful 4-1 reverse to Arsenal on Saturday.
They have plunged to ninth in the league and their FA Cup fifth round tie at Blackburn tonight is a must-win game, with anything but progress to the last eight unthinkable.
Howe blasted that “every aspect of our game was off” in a brutal assessment of the Magpies’ surrender at the Emirates.
The head coach admitted the season has been “very challenging” and says he wants to harness the “emotion” of any negativity.
Asked if everyone was playing for their futures, Howe said: “I can’t disagree with that sentiment. There have been performances where we’ve not been at our best and you can understand – we were disjointed, had players out of position, no substitutes, relying on 11 players continually.
“Against Arsenal was different. We just did not perform and we have to take responsibility for that.”
Asked if he was “frustrated or angered” at the weekend, he replied: “All of those things mixed into one. I don’t tend to worry so much – I always need to find solutions to problems. Worry isn’t necessarily the emotion but lots of other negative emotions you feel because that wasn’t the best representation of us.
“The players were hurting. They are really good characters. They want to do well, they want to please. They will be wounded at the moment. That is why it is really good we have another game coming round really quickly.”
Last season Toon finished fourth and were praised for their “dark arts” and ability to upset opponents – as opposed to their weekend roll over.
Howe said: “We’ve lost a bit of our experience and the game-management has not been as good. We don’t want to be easy to play against. We want to be very difficult to play against. We didn’t execute what we wanted to do against Arsenal well enough. That’s clear. I take responsibility for that.”
Howe’s side have won just 11 points in their last 12 games, relegation form for a third of the season, while hampered by big injury problems.
Joe Willock (above) is vying for a first start after injury and Alexander Isak will play at Ewood Park. Howe says the FA Cup was the “be all and end all” of the season when he was a player, and is now a “huge opportunity” to get to Wembley.
He added: “We are still in the throes of deciding where this season ends up. Nothing is decided for or against us.
“I definitely want to squash that feeling we are feeling sorry for ourselves – we need the players to be excited and ambitious, thinking brightly about the future.
“This season can still be very special for us but we have to make it happen.”
Blackburn boss John Eustace has told Rovers to play without fear at Ewood Park.
“It’s a really exciting game, it’s big for the fans, big for the players,” he said. “The FA Cup is a special competition. We’re looking forward to playing one of the best sides in the Premier League.
“We have to concentrate on our own jobs, we have to enjoy the night, first and foremost. We can take the shackles off and play with freedom.
“The lads can’t wait for the game. It gives us the opportunity to showcase what we can do.”