Cause for optimism with Howe in charge
IF Manchester United was a glimpse into the future then thank you Eddie Howe, I’ll enjoy 2022.
For the first time in a long while I relished the whole 90 minutes of watching Newcastle United.
What a revelation they were. This is what we have been waiting to see and this is what can rescue them from relegation.
Now with the transfer window open go out and get a few reinforcements, increase hope in the dressing room and on the terraces, and let us get the job done.
We’ve had as bad a four months as I can remember yet we’re still in touch with the pack at the foot of the table because they, too, have been losing. Now we can turn the screw.
It’s three from five to go down in my opinion – Leeds, Watford, Burnley, Newcastle and Norwich.
And right now I would back United to escape. Why? Because the others aren’t going to get much better but the Magpies are.
Confidence can be heightened by knocking Cambridge out of the FA Cup up here – any victory is a morale-booster this season – and then we have Watford and Leeds before January is out.
What we saw at St James’ Park against the Red Devils was a balanced team with commitment, desire, and discipline.
United had two full-backs at fullback and that changed everything. The balance was right and it filtered through the rest of the team. Goodness me, Emil Krafth actually looked a proper player after often resembling a rank amateur and Javier Manquillo, playing on his wrong side, was equally excellent. It just showed why we must never resort to wingers Jacob Murphy and Matt Ritchie being given the fullback jobs in a flat back four. That’s akin to cruelty to animals. What we had against Man U was a defence in touch with its midfield and midfielders in touch with attackers. We had wingers crossing from high up the field without having to worry about what was going on behind them. Newcastle deserved all three points. Play like that again and they will win.
I’ve heard a lot of criticism of Manchester United but what people forget is that sometimes the opposition make a team look bad. Newcastle were all over them like a rash, rushing them and not giving them a moment’s rest.
Of course, with Geordies, there is always a downside and it was the injuries to Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin.
Yet they may not have changed United’s transfer policy that much. I have always expected them to freshen up all three lines – defence, midfield, and attack.
The onus is now on the new owners to deliver. They have to if they are to protect their investment.
A final plus is the crowd. I thought the atmosphere was electric against Man U. Everyone now is onside and the players are plugging into that.
This is the time for lift-off. It has to be now or it will be never. I am optimistic.