Newcastle United were in very bad shape a couple of months ago. They were tied for bottom in the Premier League with just 10 points at Christmas, which is usually a sign that a club is doomed for relegation.
But fast forward to mid-February and the Magpies are suddenly soaring. With three wins in a row, they have now climbed out of the relegation zone, four points clear of 18th-placed Norwich with a game in hand.
So what’s changed at Newcastle? And will this sudden improvement in form carry on and ultimately lead to their Premier League survival this season? Read on below as SBOTOP provides answers to these pressing questions.
January spending spree paying off
Newcastle were the most fascinating team during the winter transfer window. After digging themselves into a massive hole – tied for bottom at Christmas with just one win and the most goals conceded – they were still armed with the incredible wealth of their new Saudi owners and could buy their way out of relegation trouble.
And splash the cash they did as they brought in the likes of Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Chris Wood, and Bruno Guimaraes in January. These might not have been the superstar names the Geordie supporters were dreaming of, but these new additions have certainly started to pay off.
Trippier, perhaps the highest-profile player of their newcomers, has made an immediate impact. Despite being a right-back, Trippier’s presence is being felt more on offence, where his high-quality passing has helped improve Newcastle’s attack. He’s also scored twice in the last two games, including a brilliant free kick in their 1-0 win over Aston Villa.
Meanwhile, Chris Wood has done what he’s been brought in to do as a centre-forward, which is to get shots, get physical and win aerial duels, and hold up the ball to get his teammates involved in the play.
Wood’s presence has made a positive impact on wingers Allan Saint-Maximin and Ryan Fraser, who are getting shots with the help of Wood’s hold-up play.
It’s still a bit too early to discuss Burn and Bruno Guimaraes, who have yet to play too much upon their arrival. But their mere presence gives the Magpies the added depth in defence and midfield that they will need later into the season.
Eddie Howe showing his know-how
There were some raised eyebrows when Newcastle hired Eddie Howe as their new head coach. While the former Bournemouth boss was once one of the brightest young managerial prospects in England, it remained to be seen whether he was the right man for the job, especially after seeing how poorly the end of his Bournemouth stint went.
But Howe is slowly but surely proving his critics wrong with Newcastle’s recent string of positive Premier League 2022 results. They are unbeaten in their last five games, with three straight wins.
After a trio of defeats in December – 4-0 at Leicester, 3-1 at Liverpool, and 0-4 against Manchester City – Newcastle have substantially improved their defence. They have conceded just three goals over their last five games and have kept two clean sheets after keeping just one over their first 18 games.
After the arrival of Trippier and Wood, Howe switched up his formation from a 4-4-2/4-5-1 to a 4-3-3, which has provided much better balance on both ends of the pitch.
Howe has deployed an unconventional midfield trio of Jonjo Shelvey, Joe Willock, and Joelinton, who is nominally a forward, during their recent three-game win streak. Joelinton’s sudden transformation into a capable midfielder is a testament to Howe’s ability as a coach to get the best out of his players. And when Bruno Guimaraes finally gets bedded in, that midfield could get even better.
With some better players now at his disposal, Howe is finally showing what he is capable of as a coach, and he is well on his way toward leading Newcastle to safety.
Relegation rivals may struggle to challenge Newcastle
Even if Newcastle do fall back down to earth after their recent hot run, which is quite likely, their Premier League 2022 odds of staying up should still remain fairly decent.
Not only do they have four-point lead on Norwich with a game in hand, but they are also looking much stronger than any of the bottom three – Norwich, Watford, and Burnley – who continue to struggle.
While Norwich won a couple of games recently, they are still seriously lacking in goalscoring. The same could be said of Burnley, who have scored just once in their last four games, and Watford, who’ve scored none in their last four.
If those three don’t turn things around – and there’s little evidence to suggest they will – Newcastle should be safe almost by default. But still, it should not take away from the wonderful job Eddie Howe has done to turn arguably one of the worst Premier League clubs around in the space of a few months.
Howe has Newcastle headed back in the right direction, and barring a disastrous end to the season, the Magpies should be back in the Premier League next year.
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