Newcastle United have completed their Premier League Summer Series duties in the USA and now head back to good old Blighty with Eddie Howe ready to put his charges through their paces.
Last night Newcastle bagged their first win of the Premier League Summer Series with a late double from Elliot Anderson wiping out Brighton‘s one-goal lead and after the game Eddie Howe reflected on the tournament and the experience as a whole.
The busy schedule had meant that Howe wasn’t able to put his players through their paces in training as much as he’d have liked with all of the travelling and PR engagements, but he plans to put that right when the squad lands back in England.
Howe has compared the Summer Series to last year’s Austria trip
Speaking to the media after last night’s game (via The Athletic), Howe shared the differences between last year’s Austria trip and the Summer Series as well as hinting what’s in store for the squad in the coming days: “You’re used to your rhythm and habits when you’re at home so it will be good to get back to those routines we’re used to,” Howe said. “The travelling is tiring, plane journeys and coach journeys, but I have to credit the players for dealing with that with no fuss.
“There has been a lot of noise. It’s the polar opposite to Austria last summer, which was very quiet. We could control things that we did a lot more there and here we have been following a schedule where we don’t really have a choice of what we do. But there are pros and cons. The games this year have been a big test for us and I think that will then speed up our ability to perform early season.
“The camp been really good for us. The facilities were high-class, the opposition has been high-class. The support, the organisation — everything — has been brilliant. The players have really committed to everything we’ve asked them to do and we go back united and fitter and now we’ve got a key two-week period leading up to our first game to improve on all areas.
“There will be a lot of training now. We haven’t done much training for the last four or five days so it will be good to get back iron out a few things.”
Although Howe has not played anything resembling what would be an expected first-team eleven in pre-season yet so it’s hard to judge too much, there are clear signs of rust and a few things that need to be worked on in the next fortnight before Aston Villa come to St James’ Park on 12th August.
Newcastle have two more friendlies before the season kicks off
There are plenty of positives for Howe to take home with him, the likes of Lewis Miley‘s development being a shining example, also Elliot Anderson’s form in pre-season.
Last night Anderson showed how up for the fight he is, but away from him, Harvey Barnes looked very dangerous. Every time he received the ball he wanted to attack, once he gets to grips with Howe’s system he’s going to prove to be a shrewd signing.
Newcastle now have two more friendlies next week in the Sela Cup, but between now and then it seems like the squad need to be prepared to be worked into the ground.
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