The Chronicle (South Tyneside and Durham)
‘Target’ a boyhood fan of United
favour is that having been cruelly robbed by a spot kick shoot-out in the Carabao Cup at Chelsea when we were within minutes and a mistake of victory this time Lady Luck hitched a lift on the Geordie bandwagon. She needs to become a permanent resident.
An initial campaign of so much promise eventually boiled down to a lottery to keep it alive against Championship opposition who are fighting to avoid relegation to League One.
Only Martin Dubravka, United’s reserve keeper who has taken his share of flak as goals have flown past him recently, saved Geordies from ultimate humiliation.
Not only did his two penalty saves win the tie but it was his heroics during normal and extra time that got United to that stage.
Right now Howe needs to reinvent himself as Sherlock Holmes to find the answers to a baffling puzzle.
What must terrify him is his moments of reflection deep in the night is where United’s intensity has gone. He has always said that was our byword. That pressurising opposition is in our DNA. Not any longer it isn’t.
What has happened to the way he got United to play last season? The relentless high press, the undying enthusiasm, the togetherness, the unshakeable belief. The quick starts which set the pattern of play.
United were passive right from the kick off. The ball was moved slowly, play was pedestrian. Once you start on the back foot it is far from easy to become proactive. Maybe a host of big names are back on the team sheet - Alexander Isak, Joe Willock, Harvey Barnes and Elliot Anderson from the bench but at this moment they are little more than decoration camouflaging problems which still exist. After serious injuries they are as yet nowhere near the players we knew. You can throw the missing Sven Botman into that equation. Anthony Gordon is carrying this team at the moment. He and the keepers. That Loris Karius at Arsenal and Dubravka a t Blackburn were
Anthony Gordon has been outstanding star men tells so much.
United have failed to blow away Blackburn, Bournemouth, Luton, and Nottingham Forest of late. Hardly football aristocrats. They have shipped goals by the bucketload. Whatever happened to the clean sheets which were once their trademark?
Injuries have bitten, yes, but all teams have them and a lot of the players who excelled last season are under performing this... Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Longstaff, Almiron, Murphy.
There was a capacity of 7,450 Mags in the Darwen End at Blackburn and while they were not sitting as a jury after recent poor results because United’s away support is blindly loyal that commendable trait was put to the severest of tests after capitulation at Arsenal.
Luckily the rescued all.
Somehow - Sherlock Howe must come up with a host of answers as quick as he can. lottery of penalties
NEWCASTLE United might have a secret weapon in their reported chase for Leif Davis this summer.
Speculation on the Ipswich Town defender remains at fever pitch with the Magpies and West Ham thought to be monitoring him with a view to making their move.
Davis, 24, signed for Ipswich for £1.2million from Leeds United in 2021 and has totted-up 78 appearances for them. The leftback was born in Newcastle and grew up supporting the club.
However, a golden chance with his beloved hometown team never arose with Morecambe, Bournemouth, Leeds and Ipswich creating his pathway into the professional game. Davis, though, is claimed to have Newcastle looking at him before the market reopens this summer.
Reports from TALKSPORT flag up proposed interest from the Magpies and West Ham in his signature. So will Davis finally get the chance to live out his footballing dream?
Speaking in August about his love for the club, the 24-year-old Ipswich star said: “I’ve always been a huge fan and had a season ticket at St James’ Park for years. When I first went to watch them there was Ryan Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini, and then there was Yohan Cabaye and Gabriel Obertan.”
Davis continued: “My favourite games were the European nights, when I went up there with my dad and brother.”
Davis, who has played 31 matches for Ipswich so far this campaign, is dreaming of a return to the Premier League one way or another this summer with The Tractor Boys eyeing-up a second straight promotion. Davis has been a mainstay for them in the Championship, recording a stagging 14 assists from 31 games.
Davis has less than 18 months to run on his contract at Portman Road. However, the promotion hopefuls do have an option to extend that agreement by one year.