In your Newcastle United season preview, we have a look at why Tyneside is a spot to be feared – each domestically and in Europe…
FourFourTwo’s Newcastle United season preview
FFT’s view
The Plan
It felt surreal for followers to contemplate it, however the plan was to construct on a primary main trophy win in 56 years by launching a legit problem for the Premier League title and qualify for the knockout levels of the Champions League. Then an Alexander Isak-shaped spanner landed within the works.
LAST SEASON
PREMIER LEAGUE fifth
FA CUP Fifth Spherical
LEAGUE CUP Winners
TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Alexander Isak (27)
Newcastle commenced the summer season needing high quality additions on the precise wing and in central defence, a dependable back-up/alternative striker to Alexander Isak, a proficient younger goalkeeper who might succeed Nick Pope, and a proper winger and a centre-back. Briefly, the Magpies must signal a number of gamers able to going straight into the primary group, and that’s one thing they’ve didn’t do within the final three home windows.
The Coach
Eddie Howe can simply decide a plot for his statue on the incoming (unconfirmed, however inevitable) new stadium. Profitable a trophy took him above Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson in followers’ estimations, and reward actually doesn’t come larger. Again him, belief him and reap the rewards. However a scarcity of assist from above, and fixed failure to land key targets solely serve to push him nearer to the exit door when the precise alternative comes.
Key participant
Newcastle followers are excited to see Sandro Tonali do Sandro Tonali issues on the Champions League stage once more. As maybe crucial cog on this group, the Adam Driver lookalike takes stress off the defence and permits Bruno Guimaraes to thrive larger up the pitch.
Lesson from final yr
For all the success on the pitch, there’s been a giant lack of stability off it. 4 senior figures (Amanda Staveley, Mehrdad Ghodoussi, Dan Ashworth and Paul Mitchell) have already come and gone for the reason that 2021 takeover, and present CEO Darren Eales is anticipated to make it 5 because of well being causes.
FFT’S SEASON PREVIEW
This preview initially appeared in FourFourTwo’s Season Preview problem which went on sale in July, out there right here with free supply
Newcastle must appoint a high sporting director who can work in concord with the supervisor. Mitchell, who changed Ashworth final summer season, couldn’t try this and appeared to take the trace, resigning after only a yr. Simply as necessary is Eales’ alternative: Newcastle’s industrial revenue continues to be lagging behind golf equipment round them within the Deloitte Soccer Cash League.
The Temper
Rising disallusion. With the trophy monkey off their backs, Newcastle hoped to push for extra of them and turn out to be an actual nuisance to Manchester Metropolis, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea. However switch goal gazumpings by two of these golf equipment (three if Isak strikes to Merseyside) has been vastly miserable.
One to observe
In his first season, William Osula confirmed glimpses in cup video games and scored a tremendous looping header in April’s league recreation in opposition to Ipswich. Encouragingly, he spent this summer season racking up targets for Denmark within the Below-21 Euros.
Most certainly to…
Lose the coin toss.
Because the St James’ Park pitch slopes in the direction of the Gallowgate Finish, Newcastle choose to kick down it within the second half. However Bruno Guimaraes is flipping garbage at calling heads or tails, in order that they’re often ‘spun’ by visiting captains, to dwelling followers’ irritation.
Least more likely to…
Settle for the incoming badge replace quietly. The membership have introduced plans to ‘refine and revive’ their present crest for 2026/27. It’s most likely overdue with the present badge designed by hand in 1988 and by no means correctly digitised, making it exhausting to breed with readability. Manchester United and Sunderland are the one different Premier League golf equipment to not replace this facet of the millennium.
FFT verdict
4TH The Magpies are a couple of even handed signings away from ascending to the highest desk. They’re set to fly.
The Quantity Cruncher
Fan view
Newcastle wish to construct on a historic season – True Religion podcast host Alex Hurst provides the view from the stands of how life is searching for the Toon…
Final season was the very best in our trendy historical past.
The massive speaking level is PSR – once more. However lastly, Howe can signal gamers prepared for the primary group.
Our key participant can be Isak (if he stays) who scored 27 targets final season regardless of being poor for the primary third of it and possibly taking part in with an damage for the final third.
Look out for midfielder Alfie Harrison. He joined from Manchester Metropolis in 2024 and, at 19, may very well be able to play for the primary group with our further fixtures this season.
The pantomime villain can be Jordan Pickford.
The opposition participant who grinds my gears is Amad Diallo. He was as soon as on mortgage at Sunderland, and now he clowns round pretending he hates us for social media factors from the fanbase of a membership he represented for about 5 minutes and left as quickly as he might. Play for them in the event you like them that a lot.
The lively participant I’d like to have again is Chris Wooden, as a result of we merely didn’t exchange him.
The one change I’d make could be real communication with supporters. There’s none.
Followers assume our gaffer is assured to go down in historical past as an all-time nice. He’s calm and has held the entire ‘undertaking’ collectively at instances. Howe has a foul behavior of constructing pointless formation or system modifications on the finish of seasons, however aside from that he’s good.
If he left, he ought to be changed by his assistant, Jason Tindall.
We’ll end fifth.
These previews initially appeared in FourFourTwo’s Season Preview problem which went on sale in July, out there right here with free supply
