We were the dominant team at half-time – Eddie Howe

The Mag

·26 novembre 2024

We were the dominant team at half-time – Eddie Howe

Eddie Howe watched on as his side opened brightly.

Alexander Isak firing over early from a tight angle, before then on five minutes, the striker set away behind the West Ham defence and cleverly lifting the ball over Fabianski.

Vidéos OneFootball

An offside flag then raised but after VAR looked at it, the decision confirmed to disallow the goal. I haven’t seen the replays but it looked very tight.

West Ham get a corner, the ball played in and Soucek a free header, out of nowhere Newcastle somehow one down on ten minutes.

The rest of the half Newcastle pressed and just couldn’t finish, with Isak, Gordon and Willock failing with great chances.

Newcastle started brightly in the second half but the fine margins and finishing just failing them, then the sucker-punch as Wan-Biassaka’s effort crept in off the post in the 53rd minute.

That second goal rocked NUFC and as the game went on, from that point Newcastle looking increasingly ragged, maybe trying too hard to force the chances.

Eddie Howe reflecting on Newcastle 0 West Ham 2:

“I don’t think anything takes me by surprise in the Premier League, we know every team has qualities.

“We were the dominant team at half-time and the game would have been very different if we had equalised before the first half ended.

“I’m pretty pleased with the first 60 minutes, albeit we’re losing the game 2-0.

“We opened them up and had chances to score.

“Up to that point I was pretty pleased but the last 30 minutes I didn’t enjoy.

“We tried a bit too hard to score. We’ll rue that when we watch the game back.

“For both goals we know we made individual mistakes.

“It was disappointing from our perspective. Very uncharacteristic from us because we’ve defended well in recent weeks.

“At the end we had players out of position, so I didn’t like the way we looked at the end.

“But up until that 60 minute mark I thought we were the dominant team.

“For Callum’s [non-] penalty I thought it was a tight call and I’d need to see it again.

“The offside goal looked tight, I thought it would be a longer review and hopefully drop in our favour.”

Eddie Howe on areas where his team can improve:

“We have picked up a couple of injuries and players were playing out of position.

“That’s why we had a disjointed look at the end of the game.

“We probably chased it too quickly with our passing decisions.

“But I think that is normal, as there is a desperation to get back in the game.”

Eddie Howe on the Joe Willock and Bruno Guimaraes’ injuries:

“We’ll wait and see.

“Hopefully nothing too serious.”

Newcastle 0 West Ham 2 – Monday 25 November 8pm

(Stats via BBC Sport)

Goals:

Newcastle United:

West Ham:

Soucek 10, Wan-Bissaka 53

Possession was Newcastle 52% West Ham 48%

Total shots were Newcastle 18 West Ham 15

Shots on target were Newcastle 2 West Ham 6

Corners were Newcastle 8 West Ham 3

Touches in the box Newcastle 35 West Ham 17

Newcastle United team v West Ham

Pope; Livramento, Schar, Kelly, Hall; Longstaff (Tonali 57), Bruno (Trippier 84), Willock (Barnes 46), Gordon (Wilson 68), Isak, Joelinton (Murphy 69)

Unused Subs:

Targett, Dubravka, Almiron, Osula

(Newcastle 0 West Ham 2 – Instant Newcastle United fan/writer reaction – Read HERE)

(Newcastle 0 West Ham 2 – An international break when we were building momentum didn’t help but… Read HERE)

Newcastle United upcoming matches confirmed to end of January 2025:

Saturday 30 November – Crystal Palace v Newcastle (3pm)

Wednesday 4 December – Newcastle v Liverpool (7.30pm) Amazon

Saturday 7 December – Brentford v Newcastle (3pm)

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