Individual responsibility needed – Usual characters come out of woodwork to challenge Eddie Howe | OneFootball

It ended Brentford 4 Newcastle 2 and predictably fingers pointed at Eddie Howe, by some of the usual characters on social media and so on.

So was it the Head Coach who was to ‘blame’ for this defeat?

Obviously, Eddie Howe does have to be one of those seen as in some way responsible for any defeat, the same as he is in at least some way, responsible for any win.

However, to see Eddie Howe as having been the main factor/problem in this defeat, doesn’t bear close inspection.

Indeed, just as it doesn’t bear close inspection as to why United ‘failed’ to beat Liverpool in midweek.

Indeed, I think a perfect starting point for looking at why it ended up Brentford 4 Newcastle 2, should be Newcastle 3 Liverpool 3.

Newcastle United could and should have defeated Liverpool on Wednesday night.

It could easily have been 3-0.

On the overall match, Newcastle deserved to beat Liverpool, but didn’t because of individual moments. Individual mistakes.

At 1-0, Newcastle were in a decent position halfway up the pitch and Lewis Hall tried a pass that was too ambitious when leading. Gifting possession the quality of Liverpool saw Hall and United swiftly punished.

It was the same at 2-1, this time Joelinton the individual doing exactly the same as Hall had done, Salah/Liverpool swiftly punishing.

If you were harsh, you could say individual blame/responsibility for the third as well. However, this time it was a slip from Dan Burn that allowed Mo Salah to turn and finish, not a conscious mistake he made to help the goalscorer.

At the other end of the pitch, if only Anthony Gordon had shown the same composure and killer instinct when Isak set him through one on one when United were leading 1-0, as he did when scoring when it had become 1-1.

This is the thing, Eddie Howe can do whatever, but once the players cross the white line then he is largely helpless. Certainly in terms of individuals when making inexplicable decisions/mistakes.

Take for instance Harvey Barnes today.

Newcastle had bounced quickly back to make it 1-1 and United going on to be the better and more dangerous team in that first half. Yet with Newcastle on top and dictating play/possession, Barnes on the left wing in his own half, suddenly thinks it’s a great idea to play an aimless square ball across the pitch that gifts possession in the middle of the pitch, an opportunity that Wissa fully took advantage of, giving Pope no chance from the edge of the box.

Getting back into it quickly at 2-2, United headed into the break back on top, just needing to keep that going second half.

Instead, a standard long kick from keeper Flekken somehow finds the ball going all the way through the middle of the defence, Schar making a terrible decision not to attack the ball. End result is a clear chance close in, one on one, the home player finishing past Pope.

The fourth goal equally terrible, the centre of Newcastle’s defence bizarrely opening up and gifting a 90th minute fourth, Schar mostly to blame but Burn also culpable.

At the other end of the pitch, just like when Gordon should have made it 2-0 against Liverpool and United for me, would have went on to win. This time I look at when Isak was away with just the keeper to beat today at 1-1, he took it around the keeper brilliantly  but just needed to take one more touch to ensure he took it away from the keeper but hesitated just long enough, to allow Flekken to get a hand on the ball. Like Wednesday, I think for sure Newcastle go on to win if Isak puts us 2-1 up in that first half.

Eddie Howe can of course find things he could and should have done better BUT in these last two matches, at least five of the seven goals conceded, were down t0 individuals, who usually would have done something very different in these moments.

Everybody needs to get more focused, everyone needs to do things that little bit better.

Eddie Howe is the leader but he absolutely needs his players to be on point as well.

Brentford 4 Newcastle 2 – Saturday 7 December 3pm

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Isak 11, Barnes 32

Mbeumo 8, Wissa 28, Collins 56. Schade 90

(Half-time stats in brackets)

Possession was Newcastle 56% (53%) Brentford 44% (47%)

Total shots were Newcastle 16 (9) Brentford 11 (4)

Shots on target were Newcastle 3 (2) Brentford 8 (3)

Corners were Newcastle 4 (2) Brentford 3 (1)

Touches in the box Newcastle 40 (19) Brentford 26 (12)

Newcastle team v Brentford:

Pope, Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall (Trippier 83), Joelinton (Tonali 60), Bruno, Longstaff (Wilson 73), Barnes (Almiron 74), Isak, Jacob Murphy (Gordon 60)

Unused Subs:

Dubravka, Targett, Osula, Kelly

(3 Positives and 3 Negatives to take from Brentford 4 Newcastle 2 – Read HERE)

(Brentford 4 Newcastle 2 – Instant Newcastle United fan/writer reaction – Read HERE)

(The wrong kind of six goal thriller this time – Brentford 4 Newcastle 2 – Read HERE)

Newcastle United upcoming matches confirmed to end of January 2025:

Saturday 14 December – Newcastle v Leicester (3pm)

Wednesday 18 December – Newcastle v Brentford (7.45pm) Sky Sports+ (Carabao Cup)

Saturday 21 December – Ipswich v Newcastle (3pm)

Thursday 26 December – Newcastle v Villa (3pm) Amazon

Monday 30 December – Man U v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 4 January – Tottenham v Newcastle (12.30pm) TNT Sports

Sunday 12 January – Newcastle v Bromley (3pm) BBC iPlayer (FA Cup)

Wednesday 15 January – Newcastle v Wolves (7.30pm) TNT Sports

Saturday 18 January – Newcastle v Bournemouth (12.30pm) TNT Sports