Whatever the reasons may be, it appears at least for the present time that whatever the Magpies are doing, nothing seems to be working at all.
It’s not as if the Magpies have not encountered hardships before. After all, they managed to seriously dodge relegation from the Premier League following the October 2021 takeover by Saudi Arabia’s PIF. So what else can they not overcome?
Let’s also not conveniently forget that theu also finished the second season after that pivotal event in the fourth position and earned a place in the Champions League, as well as making it all the way to the Carabao Cup final despite finally losing it.
The Magpies also secured most creditable results against the likes of Paris Saint-Germain in the return to the most coveted European competition earth.
Amd yet, after having significantly achieved all of that, Newcastle have already lost eight matches in the Premier League this season. They have also been bundled out of the Champions League and couldn’t even finish third to at least end up in the Europe League. They have also been booted out of the Carabao Cup.
Now, coming up next, they have an ominous-looking clash against Sunderland in the FA Cup a few days from now. It’s scary to even try and think any further beyond that at this juncture.
The silver lining in the dark clouds entering the 2024 calendar year would most definitely be a top-10 finish in the Premier League – should they be so lucky – and no cups lifted at all for yet another year, barring, of course, an armageddon-type shocking development.
Chris Waugh came through with some pertinent intel about Newcastle’s plan for the upcoming transfer window and the second half of the season in his latest report for The Athletic. In line with the constant reports that had been echoing through the first half of the season, it looks like Howe is has some reserves in his bank and is still enjoying the backing of the PIF and NUFC’s board as they are apparently not planning to sack the manager mid-season. However whether the status quo will change or not if the results don’t improve are still left to be seen. As for now, it is clearly a wait and see situation.
The Magpies have been only a pale shadow of what they were in the previous season, now having won only two of their last nine matchups.
Waugh quotes Howe saying recently that “no amount of credit in the bank is big enough,” obviously a hint at a potentially perilous position for himself and some of his players when the cards tumble down.
Waugh’s report outlines that the Magpies will look to bolster certain key positions and roles in January, which is left to be seen if that happens and to which extent those signings positively impact the team.
Six months ago the sun in the Newcastle skies was beaming benevolently with a broad grin as the Magpies were serenading themselves with the the possibility of Newcastle assaulting the top-3 in the Premier League and making it to the knockout stages of the Champions League while winning at least one of the domestic cups.
Now, with a hard slap to the face, a more realistic outcome would be the knowledge of who will keep building and managing the team come July with Howe maybe on the outside looking in by the time the Magpies reach the final games the season before the summer.
It’s always so painful to face harsh reality when one’s dreams are somehow crushed and the future darkened.