“They Can’t Do It”: Alan Shearer Compares Current Premier League Club to Newcastle United
Newcastle United Faced Major Struggles Last Season.
Champions League Hangover: Shearer Sees Similarities Between Newcastle and Aston Villa Struggles
Last season, Newcastle United relished the return of Champions League football to St James’ Park, facing European giants like Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, and Borussia Dortmund.
Eddie Howe’s side competed admirably, proving they could hold their own against Europe’s elite.
However, the demands of Champions League football took a toll on their Premier League campaign, with injuries and a lack of squad depth derailing their domestic form.
Ultimately, Newcastle finished seventh, missing out on European football entirely.
Alan Shearer Draws Parallels Between Aston Villa and Newcastle
This season, Aston Villa finds itself in a similar predicament.
After a strong start, Unai Emery’s side has dropped to 12th in the Premier League following five winless games, including a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea on Sunday.
Alan Shearer, speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, drew comparisons between Aston Villa’s current struggles and Newcastle’s challenges last season.
“They don’t have the bodies to rotate like Chelsea,” Shearer explained. “The quality of their opposition makes it even harder.
It reminds me of Newcastle last year when they qualified for the Champions League.
The effort they put in midweek drained them for the weekend, impacting their league position. That’s what’s happening to Aston Villa now.”
Squad Depth and PSR Regulations Hampering Clubs
Shearer’s analysis highlights a critical issue: squad depth. Clubs like Newcastle and Aston Villa lack the resources to compete on multiple fronts like Chelsea or Manchester City.
Unlike Chelsea, who are competing in the less demanding Conference League, Villa and Newcastle face higher-caliber opponents in the Champions League or Europa League, with little room for rotation.
The Profit and Sustainability Regulations (PSR) exacerbate this problem.
Financial constraints limit their ability to strengthen their squads adequately.
Newcastle, for instance, had to loan out promising young players like Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh during the summer.
Aston Villa, on the other hand, sold key midfielder Douglas Luiz, weakening their core.
Without sufficient depth, balancing the physical and mental demands of European and domestic football becomes nearly impossible.
Newcastle struggled to manage both last season, and now Aston Villa is facing a similar fate.
The Way Forward
For clubs like Newcastle and Aston Villa to break this cycle, significant investment and strategic planning are essential.
However, as PSR regulations restrict spending, these teams must navigate the challenge of competing in Europe while maintaining domestic stability.
Otherwise, they risk falling short on both fronts, as Newcastle did last season and as Aston Villa seems to be experiencing now.
