Time moves fast for these critics with the expertise | OneFootball

When it comes to Newcastle United, your head is left spinning by the pace these experts move at, these critics.

You know the ones I mean.

Such an extreme Newcastle United view one minute, then 180 degrees shift in the blink of an eye.

The grifters amongst the NUFC YouTubers are some of the biggest culprits. Sorry, experts.

They are willing to do and say anything about Newcastle United, if it gets extra attention and cash.

At least you can understand their motivation, whereas their fellow critics/experts who play Football Manager in their bedrooms all day every day, I think they just do it for one of two reasons.

They love the attention, or they are clueless. Or most likely both of these.

Here are a few examples of just how fast these expert critics can move with their Newcastle United opinions…

Eddie Howe

The greatest Newcastle United manager in living memory, a stunning three and a half seasons in charge culminating in a stellar trophy winning season and a second Champions League qualification in his three full seasons (so far…) in charge.

Eleven Premier League matches later and apparently, according the expert critics, Eddie Howe hasn’t a clue (This time period covering these 11 PL games, also includes six other matches in the Champions League and League Cup where Eddie Howe’s side have won five of the six).

Sven Botman

When the October international squads were announced, it was an absolute disgrace that the NUFC central defender was overlooked by the Netherlands.

Now the November internationals are here, the expert critics think it is an absolute disgrace that Sven has been getting a game for Newcastle United, never mind the Dutch.

Dan Burn

Helping United to a clean sheet and scoring the greatest headed goal ever seen on Wednesday night (since the one on 16 March 2025)

Only four days and one match later, the levels of abuse for BDB are off the scale for some of these expert critics.

My (not so!) expert opinion

I am sure you can think of many more examples to add to the above but you get the idea.

Why on earth would you turn on somebody who before these last eleven league games, you were willingly going to sell your house (or your mam’s house…) for, so you could personally fund a statue to King Edward outside St James’ Park. If you thought Eddie Howe was a great manager 11 PL matches ago, why would you now be questioning why he shouldn’t be at the very least given this full season to turn it around, as he has done so many times before.

It is comical with Sven Botman, since he was getting the off the scale ratings and overwhelming demands for Dutch recognition up to and including October, there have only been four more Premier League matches (and two Champions League ones and a League Cup last 16 game against Spurs, all three of which were won…). Yet in the eyes of so many expert critics he is now a liability.

Speaking of liabilities…

It is fair to look at any player’s performance in any match. However, the way some of these expert critics have gone on about Dan Burn, goes way beyond fair criticism. The idea that he has always been a liability at left-back is beyond laughable, he played there all the way through the 2022/23 season when (along with Pope, Trippier, Schar and Botman), he was part of the best Premier League defence that season, United and Man City conceding the joint lowest number of goals.

He is a different kind of left-back for sure and has different strengths to most ‘traditional’ ones who play there. However, Dan Burn has done ok this season overall, including at left-back. BDB has been helping out the team and Eddie Howe, by playing away from his preferred middle of defence spot, to cover for the absence of Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento. I think one of the problems yesterday was that along with certain other players, the sheer number of games that Dan Burn has played, maybe caught up with him. Burn has started 16 of the 17 Newcastle United matches and only rested for the Bradford cup match. Eddie Howe made clear ahead of this Brentford game that he is having to look after Lewis Hall, playing him in short sub appearances ahead of the international break, managing his minutes to try and prevent him having another lengthy absence. You also had the fact of Brentford having the very best Premier League long throw specialist, so no doubt that also factored in, to Eddie Howe thinking having Dan Burn on the pitch was a positive.

It isn’t a case of believing that Eddie Howe gets everything right, all of the time. Nor a case of any player being immune from having his contribution questioned.

However, as well as consistency needed on the pitch, I think we need consistency on the terraces (and in the bedrooms when playing Football Manager and recording YouTube videos)