Eddie Howe has questions to answer as Newcastle exit Europe despite Saudi riches

14 December 2023 , 15:47

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The glamour and money of competing with Europe’s elite is over.

The grit and grind of getting back into the Champions League lies ahead. Eddie Howe and his squad have big questions to answer in the coming weeks.

Will they slip further adrift of a top four challenge? Can they beat Chelsea in the Carabao Cup last eight next week and reach the final? What about the high-pressure FA Cup trip to Sunderland then a tough run in the league?

Newcastle face bumpy season trying to maintain their near two-year rise and move from contenders to winners. Backed by Saudi cash they are no longer plucky underdogs. The owners want to build a winning machine and it is still early days, at some point the transition has to be made: the very biggest games won.

Throwing away a place in the Europa League, a decent shot at a trophy, has taken the gloss off this campaign. More flops will only add to the fear Newcastle have hit a wall, with rivals in better form and having better luck with injuries.

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Howe for all his brilliant rebuilding work has to avoid becoming a nearly man. He has credit in the bank with fans and Amanda Staveley, but who knows what the PIF over lords are thinking.

They want “to be number 1” but how soon? How soon do they want a trophy? There was no shame in crashing out of the Group of Death but there was naivety and unusual openness in defence as they chased a winner against Milan and were caught out.

Eddie Howe's Newcastle finished bottomg of their Champions League group (Getty Images)

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Pragmatists who argue they are better off not being in the Europa League meaning fewer games and to concentrate on the league are killjoys. They need a trophy and would have been contenders.

So two chances remain for a cup. So much depends on that trip to Chelsea. Players are on the way back from injury. But skipper Jamaal Lascelles has a warning - and that is to manage games better. Wise up and have more control.

Speaking after the defeat to Milan he admitted: “We threw everything forwards towards the end and it cost us. We need to learn from it. We wanted to win the game. We went out there to win. At 1-1 we threw everything forward but it cost us.

“We’re learning on the job. It’s a new territory for a lot of us. Think we’ve dealt with a lot of occasions well but we’re out so need to learn from it. We paid the price for going for it the way we did. Maybe we could have been smarter about things but we’re a positive, attacking team. It cost us.:

Newcastle lost 2-1 to AC Milan to drop out of European football (Richard Sellers/Getty Images)

United face Fulham at home on Saturday having lost their last three games and conceding nine goals. Lascelles added: “It’s tough one to take but we dust ourselves down. I agree we didn’t look out of place in Europe.

“Performance wise every game we’ve been in. But a lot of these teams are used to the Champions League and we’re not. Only a couple of our players had played in it before so when you’re playing against experience, maybe they undertake this competition better than we do. Ultimately it’s about winning, not good performances.

“It’s a huge learning curve for all of us. As much as we’re disappointed we hold our heads really high. Gutted we couldn’t kick on but now we’re just focusing on the league.”