Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
LET’S GO ALL OUT ATTACK!
Saint-maximin pleads with new boss Howe to stay on front foot
ALLAN SAINT-MAXIMIN has begged Eddie Howe to keep Newcastle on the attack as they face three games that will define the season.
The French winger wants to go for it against Arsenal on Saturday, ahead of home games against bottom three rivals Norwich and Burnley.
Saint-maximin has been freed up by Howe’s tactical plan for Newcastle, with Joelinton and
Callum Wilson also likely to benefit.
But the Geordies have to find a way of plugging gaps in their leaky defence which has conceded 27 goals in 12 winless games.
Newcastle start a week of training today without Howe (above), who is isolating in his Tyneside hotel room with Covid but remains in constant contact with his staff and players.
Saint-maximin said: “It was bad (to lose Howe). We need him. He is a great coach for me. I don’t need to see him for a year to know if he is a good coach.
“They have a nice philosophy and a nice idea, and you can see from the first game against Brentford we played more in attack and had more chances to score.
“We have to keep going with this and concede less goals and I am sure we will win more games.
“It is easier for the strikers when we have more of the ball and more positions and when we try to go forwards. Against Brighton I had no shots, and I defended for the team.
“Now we have more shots and chances to score and I scored. I hope to do the same, make assists and goals, because that is the only way to help my team.
“It is an improvement because we had a lot of shots, more than the last games. We improve but we still concede too many goals. We have to do everything to concede fewer goals and score when we have a chance.”
Howe’s deputy Jason Tindall says Newcastle are “waiting for the doctor” to determine whether the head coach can be in the dug-out at Arsenal.
He is more likely to return to the training ground on Monday, meaning his first game in the dug-out will be at home to Norwich.