There is something not quite right with Newcastle United so far this season. Four games in, they have lost three, as many as they had in 24 matches during the last campaign. Early days it may be, but with the Champions League campaign kicking off next next, Eddie Howe must remedy the situation rather quickly.<\/p>\n
Perhaps the starkest reason for the early issues is precisely why they had such a great season last year. Their midfield is crucial to their play, generating the control and intensity they need in games to reach their full potential. Howe\u2019s team play at a hundred miles an hour, particularly at St James\u2019 Park. It is their ability to outrun and power through teams that lead them to overachieve so much last season, finishing fourth to reach Europe\u2019s premier club competition for the first time in 20 years. But they needed organisation, structure and tempo to hold a relentless high press; that was where Bruno Guimar\u00e3es came in.<\/p>\n
Everything Newcastle did last season and still do at their best goes through the Brazilian. Predominantly a box-to-box midfielder, he was deployed in a deeper role, setting the tone for the press as the man who pushed up last to squeeze and suffocate opponents. So often, he would win the ball back high up the pitch, where Newcastle would have attacking overloads and be in positions to strike.<\/p>\n
Throughout last season, it was noted that Guimar\u00e3es wasn\u2019t the permanent solution in the \u2018number six\u2019 role, and Newcastle would search for an alternative in the summer transfer market. But only Manchester City\u2019s Rodri was better in possession under pressure in 2022\/23, statistically. Guimar\u00e3es averaged 23.5 passes under pressure per 90 minutes, defined by The Athletic as a pass made within two metres of an opponent, with an accuracy of 83%. There was no question over Guimar\u00e3es\u2019 suitability to the role, but rather his desire to push forward and the idea that he could impact games higher up, as he did after signing for the club in January 2022.<\/p>\n
But then came the signing of Sandro Tonali from AC Milan. Although not possessing as much flair as Guimar\u00e3es, the Italian offers similar attributes; energy, tenacity and press-resistance in a box to box capacity. Perhaps Howe\u2019s idea was instead of \u2018unlocking\u2019 Guimar\u00e3es, he would take some of the pressure off him by adding someone with the same level of quality. Against Aston Villa on the opening day, it was clear the pair were working well in tandem, but since then problems have arisen.<\/p>\n
Guimar\u00e3es has not been at his best for some time now. He suffered an ankle injury at the back end of last season which clearly impacted his performance levels, and teams like Aston Villa and Arsenal worked out ways to get in behind him on the counter attack. He hasn\u2019t quite gelled this season next to Tonali and Joelinton, who on paper should make up one of the best midfields in the\u00a0 league. Sean Longstaff, a severely underrated member of the team last term, has been missed. But as shown by his error in possession for Liverpool\u2019s stoppage time winner, he hasn\u2019t been as sharp as he was.<\/p>\n
On international duty for Brazil this week, Guimar\u00e3es has shown his quality in a double pivot, as opposed to being the sole deep midfielder in a three. He looked comfortable, back to his best, dominating on the ball and recording an assist. The caretaker Brazil coach, Fernando Diniz, has a long-standing relationship with Guimar\u00e3es from his days as Atletico Paranaence boss and is counting on the midfielder a lot more than his predecessor Tite did.<\/p>\n
At club level, Guimar\u00e3es has become Newcastle\u2019s prized asset. His current contract runs out in 2026, and it has long been a priority for the club to renew But silence fell over the summer, with the player himself saying there was no news while with the club in the USA in July. It appears close now, which is huge for Newcastle, but there are reports suggesting the delay was because Guimar\u00e3es didn\u2019t want to play in the number six role all the time.<\/p>\n
Cracks for beginning to show in the middle of the park for Newcastle, where they are most effective. Guimar\u00e3es remains crucial, but between his poor form and desire to push up the pitch, added to the overall imbalance, for the first time there are questions for club\u2019s coaching staff need to answer if their hugely impressive trajectory is to continue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There is something not quite right with Newcastle United so far this season. Four games in, they have lost three, as many as they had in 24 matches during the last campaign. Early days it may be, but with the Champions League campaign kicking off next next, Eddie Howe must remedy the situation rather quickly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":54847,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[643],"tags":[272],"class_list":["post-55527","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport","tag-featurehome"],"yoast_head":"\n