Report: The one word Eddie Howe does not like being used at Newcastle right now

Add as preferred source on Google

Newcastle United are currently enjoying a remarkable season, but Eddie Howe‘s side look tired right now.

With limited squad depth, the Toon boss has not had many chances to rotate his side since the World Cup. The only game he properly shuffled his pack for was the FA Cup clash with Sheffield Wednesday, and that ended in defeat.

Other than that game, a pool of 13 players have started every Newcastle match since late December. Howe has had a settled starting XI, with Alexander Isak and Allan Saint-Maximin also getting the chance to come into the side.

The Magpies have played with a lot of intensity. Our pressing has been brilliant, and has been the foundation for our success. Hard work is the bare minimum, and Newcastle are becoming masters at outrunning their opponents.

However, away from our Carabao Cup heroics, Newcastle are beginning to stutter in the Premier League. We have won one of our last six games, and appear to be struggling for goals.

From the outset, it looks as if Howe’s players are suffering from fatigue, which is a big concern ahead of our trip to Wembley later this month. But that is not a word that the Newcastle manager likes.

Eddie Howe concerned by talk of fatigue at Newcastle

According to the Telegraph, Howe is concerned about talk of fatigue at the training ground and does not want it to be used as an excuse.

While it looks like that is an issue on the outside, Howe is wise to protect against it internally. The players have put in so much work so far this season, in what has been a physically demanding campaign. And it will also have been testing mentally, especially given the club’s journey to the Carabao Cup final.

But nothing has been achieved yet. We haven’t won the cup and we haven’t qualified for Europe. That is why Howe will be keen to distance his players from talk of tiredness. It is something they are just going to have to deal with.

Things should improve in the coming weeks. Bruno Guimaraes has just one game of his suspension left, while Matt Targett is nearing a return from injury. That will at least give Howe more options and a chance to rotate his side.

But with Liverpool next and then the cup final against Manchester United, Howe needs his key players to ignore all talk of fatigue and play through the pain barrier.

They have a chance to make history in less than two weeks, and have already made us so proud just by making it to Wembley.