Newcastle United getting back into that groove | OneFootball

A lot of debate around the Newcastle United team this season.

Who should (and shouldn’t) be starting.

Which players fit well together, which don’t.

A Newcastle United season that didn’t fully convince with performances early on.

Then moved on to not convince with results.

Then we had the Premier League matches against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, this starting eleven in both.

Newcastle United team 2024/25?:

Pope

Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall

Longstaff, Bruno, Willock

Gordon, Isak, Joelinton

The feel and shape of this Newcastle United team felt like a big reminder.

The two matches were coincidentally the first (two) times this season that both Sean Longstaff and Joe Willock were together in the Premier League starting eleven.

It seemingly helped make a difference.

It all felt a little like…

Newcastle United team 2022/23:

Pope

Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn

Longstaff, Bruno, Willock

Almiron, Isak, Joelinton

Back in that top four Premier League season…

Joe Willock was available for 35 Premier League matches and played in all 35 of them that season, starting 31 and coming off the bench in another four.

Sean Longstaff was available for 33 Premier League matches and played in all 33 of them that season, starting 28 and coming off the bench in another five.

You know what, moving back to the present day, it really feels to me like Newcastle United are getting back into the groove.

That same groove of two seasons ago, where Newcastle United so often ran other teams off their feet.

With both Sean Longstaff and Joe Willock now fully fit, it really feels like we are back in that moment again.

Other personnel may have changed (Compared to 2022/23) but with Willock and Longstaff back in the side, it does appear that the pair together, get United back in the right spot.

If you concentrate solely on the midfield and attacking half dozen, the only difference in these two teams (2022/23 and 2024/25) is Anthony Gordon instead of Miguel Almiron.

These last two Premier League matches, Eddie Howe moving Anthony Gordon across to the right, in order to accommodate the Willock/Joelinton combination on the left.

One of the massive positives recently, is that just like in 2022/23, this midfield/attack combination also gives a lot of flexibility and means the opposition don’t know exactly who will pop up where. Joelinton and Willock constantly interchange, Gordon ends up through the middle and/or on the left at times, as we know Isak has great movement as well and happy to drift to the lift and/or drop off to receive the ball.

I know it is early days but maybe no coincidence as well that both Willock and Longstaff started together in the Chelsea cup victory, so three in a row really where their combined influence has been a massive factor.

Nobody needs to get hung up about where do we play Tonali, what about Barnes etc etc.

There is a very busy schedule coming up and Eddie Howe will be rotating and all the major players will get their chances on the pitch. Plus of course the fact is, that in the modern game, the positive changes that a team can make from the bench are now a key aspect for the top clubs especially.

As we saw against Arsenal and Forest, Tonali and Barnes came off the bench and gave a huge boost to ensuring the two wins were banked. Whilst in the cup win over Chelsea, the likes of Bruno, Tino and Dan Burn came off the bench.

I know Dan Burn is missing tonight due to a one game suspension but I have every confidence in Lloyd Kelly slipping in, with little/no detriment to the team.

Moving forward this season, I think Eddie Howe will have a number of different ways of playing at times. However, I do feel that injury and fitness permitting, this kind of high energy formation which includes Willock and Longstaff, could be now uppermost in his thoughts.