Eddie Howe Defends Attacking Philosophy Amid Criticism of Newcastle United’s Recent Struggles

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has responded to intense criticism following recent performances, including the lack of a single shot on target in the draw against Crystal Palace and a struggle to break down West Ham in the prior match.

Despite this, Howe remains steadfast in his commitment to attacking football and his principles as a coach.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Howe addressed the calls to abandon Newcastle’s attacking approach. “No, for me, attacking is fundamental.

It’s the aim of the game, giving your players purpose,” he stated. “We will always attack, and I make no apologies for that. I’d rather not be in a job than not fulfill that promise to the supporters.

We want to entertain and play attacking football that the fans want to see.

While we’re not delivering that at the moment, we’re not going to drop it—we just have to get better.”

Howe defended his team’s recent displays, highlighting the chances created during the first hour against West Ham, even though they failed to convert.

“In those 60 minutes, we looked like a really good team but didn’t take our opportunities,” he explained.

Regarding the game against Palace, Howe acknowledged it was far from Newcastle’s best performance.

“After scoring and leading, we did our job to that point. It wasn’t a free-flowing game, but had we won 1-0, it would’ve been considered a great away win despite not playing well.”

Reflecting on the late equalizer conceded against Palace, Howe said, “We didn’t defend the cross well enough, and that shifted the focus to our performance with the ball.

Our attacking output was very low, and we won’t deny or hide from that.”

Looking ahead to the challenge of facing Liverpool at St. James’ Park, Howe remains optimistic. “We’re always confident at home, regardless of the opponent.

We have to be our best selves, learn lessons from past games, and find ways to evolve and improve,” he concluded.

Howe’s unwavering stance underlines his belief in his philosophy, even as the team works to translate it into consistent results on the pitch.