SHEIKHEN... & STIRRED!
Boss-elect Howe watches Toon fightback by seaside
EDDIE HOWE missed a trick as he stayed out of the dugout last night – and only watched Newcastle grab a battling point.
The delay in his appointment meant the soon-to-be new Toon boss played no official part in this fifth draw of the season for the Premier League strugglers.
Howe did make it to the stands at the Amex Stadium to witness caretaker Graeme Jones mastermind an impressive fightback as Isaac Hayden’s second-half strike cancelled out Leandro Trossard’s early Brighton penalty.
This fightback would have been a decent launchpad for the next chapter of Howe’s career – but the ex-bournemouth manager will not be complaining.
For he can now spend the international break assessing what is required to lead the Geordies to security – before splashing the Saudi owners’ cash in January.
Even better, he has a tiny platform to build a survival bid upon – followed by full-on revolution… all being well.
That’s still a way off with Newcastle 19th on five points – and the only club without a victory.
How Brighton did not secure their first win in eight in all competitions, though, was remarkable given the chances they created. They should have done so at a canter.
The idea that Howe is not a survival specialist is ridiculous given he kept Bournemouth in the top flight for four straight years.
Of course, Brighton boss Graham Potter (above) knows about scrapping at the wrong end of the table – or did until this season, with his Seagulls flying higher than ever now. Yes, they had potential last term but, even so, they have gone from relegation candidates to top-eight challengers in rapid time.
A flicker of hope for Howe, who had former Cherries assistant Jason Tindall and St James’ Park powerbroker Amanda
Staveley by him here.
The Geordies’ biggest problem this term has been stopping goals rather scoring them.
That was apparent on
19 minutes when they buckled as soon as
Brighton enjoyed their first spell of sustained pressure.
Trossard skipped into the box and was upended by Ciaran
Clark. Initially David
Coote waved play on before a lengthy VAR review, rightly, forced him to overturn the decision.
Having stayed composed amid the delay, the in-form Belgium ace positively smacked the spot-kick in for his third goal this term.
Suddenly, Newcastle’s belief drained before your eyes and Seagulls livewire Tariq Lamptey was no more than a toe from doubling the advantage midway through the half, then Trossard forced a sharp save before whistling a curler wide. In between, Marc Cucurella missed a glorious free header at the far post from seven yards.
Newcastle finally mustered their first attempt on target after 54 minutes, with Matt Ritchie’s deflected drive. That was a sign that Albion might yet regret wasting so many chances.
Nine minutes later such fears were realised as Ritchie crossed, Clark headed into the danger area and Hayden drove smartly home.
It would have been even worse had Sanchez not tripped Newcastle striker Callum Wilson when he was through on goal in the closing stages.
The keeper was sent off by VAR for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity – but the opening had disappeared.
Brighton boss Potter said: “It is nigh on impossible to control a Premier League game for 90 minutes. A point is good.”
Newcastle caretaker Jones added: “I wanted a win. Another VAR decision against us, it happens.“
Asked about Howe’s presence in the stands Jones said: ”There is a process, we are still in it and I think if I were Eddie I would go away quite happy.”
team needs THAT quality and it has been all too easy for Newcastle’s players to hide behind the fact that their fanbase despised former owner Mike Ashley and didn’t have much time either for previous manager
Steve Bruce.
Finally – and however overdue it might have been – the players showed they do, indeed, care.
What started as a routine passage to three points for the Seagulls ended with the tables turned as Graeme Jones (right) saw his men finish with a flourish.
It is that character Howe will need to harness – quickly – if this survival fight is to be won. It’s never been plain-sailing for the 43-year-old Howe. He might have cherubic features but there is a layer of steel in his make-up.
He spent the majority of his career in the top-flight trying to find a way to make Bournemouth competitive.
For large chunks of the opening period, Newcastle were anything but that. When they actually won the ball, there was little idea of what to do with it.
It took just over half-an-hour for the 3,100 travelling supporters to break out into a chant of ‘Attack, attack, attack!’.
It wasn’t so much that the will wasn’t there... but there’s a gap between talking a good game and actually playing one. The know-how and confidence to make the correct decision was painfully lacking.
It was evident from the opening goal.
Referee David Coote eventually decided that Leandro Trossard had been fouled by Ciaran Clark as the Magpies’ defender desperately tried to close the distance between himself and the Seagulls’ forward.
But had the Belgian international not found himself with the ball at his feet from a left-wing corner after a non-existent challenge had allowed him to use his twinkle-toes, working an opportunity to shoot, then the penalty that opened up the game would never have been awarded.
It is basic stuff. And if you cannot do the basics properly at this level of football you are going to get punished.
Slowly, Newcastle’s willingness to chase and harry knocked their opponents out of their stride.
And Isaac Hayden found a finish to match the effort.
Had it not been for a desperate lunge by Brighton keeper Robert Sanchez, tripping Callum Wilson in the dying seconds, the Toon forward would have walked the ball into an empty net for the win.
So, by the final whistle, Howe had an answer to his question.
The quality might not yet be there but the industry and desire certainly are. It is, at least, something to work with.