When Newcastle United have to play 3rd choice right-back and 3rd choice left-back | OneFootball

In the match on Sunday, Newcastle United had their third choice option at right-back, NUFC also had the club’s third choice at left-back.

At right-back, first choice is Tino Livramento and Kieran Trippier as back up, with Emil Krafth third choice.

At left-back, first choice is Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento (or Kieran Trippier?) as back up, with Dan Burn third choice.

With Kieran Trippier (illness), Tino Livramento (injured) and Lewis Hall (back on the bench as he recovers from injury and clearly not fully fit) all unavailable for the starting eleven, that meant Emil Kraft and Dan Burn were the full-backs.

Now I am not just blaming this pair for the defeat and poor team performance, they were in good company. Indeed, I thought Dan Burn was one of our least worst players at the London Stadium and certainly showed a bit more energy than most, which wasn’t difficult.

However, I think both Dan Burn and Emil Krafth ended up being part of the problem on Sunday, rather than part of the solution. They actually both played as well on Wednesday and the pair were decent against Spurs, this though against West Ham ended up with different demands and shortcomings.

Against West Ham, Newcastle had a midfield and forward line of Bruno, Joelinton, Tonali, Murphy, Gordon and Woltemade.

Of that six, fair to say that only Gordon and Tonali have real pace. As the Italy international is the holding midfielder, then that makes it your front five only have one quick player.

What that then dictates is that clearly you are not going to destroy the opposition through pace, instead you have to look after the ball really well. Keep possession, precise passing, retaining the ball under pressure, be prepared to take responsibility on the ball, work the ball around well, passing triangles, quick one-twos and so on.

I don’t think I need to tell you that Newcastle United didn’t do this very well at the London Stadium. Indeed, I struggle to remember the last time I have seen NUFC give the ball away, lose it, so often.

We then had the full-backs.

Emil Krafth and Dan Burn can never be accused of not giving their all AND especially in BDB’s case, he is a real quality player who has numerous other huge strengths. However, in neither case would you say keeping possession under pressure and clever passing/control  are a strength for either Burn or Krafth.

The demands on modern day full-backs are so much greater, certainly at the top level. They are still expected to do the defending bit of course BUT they are now seen as integral to the team going forward as well, key attacking players.

On Sunday, especially with space at a premium in the middle of the pitch, the ball invariably came out wide, most often to the full-backs. Both Kieran Trippier and Lewis Hall are brilliant footballers, as well as doing the defensive bit, they are excellent on the ball and make it look so easy. Tino Livramento doesn’t have the same technical level as that pair, he is decent in that department but with his electric pace, that makes up any shortfall. Fair to say as well that Burn and Krafth haven’t got electric pace.

So on Sunday against West Ham, Newcastle were passing the ball about, or trying to, then ending up losing it in most cases. When getting into the opposition half,, Hall and Trippier are dangerous players and a massive bonus to Newcastle’s attacking threat. Burn and Krafth not so much so.

Back in 2022/23 when Newcastle United had the best defence in the Premier League and finished fourth, Dan Burn played left-back. However, how Eddie Howe played it, was that invariably when Newcastle were in possession, Dan Burn would then stay back and make it a three man defence with Botman and Schar, with Kieran Trippier given total license to attack down the right. A massive positive that season when it came to creating and scoring goals, was the attacking combination down the right of Trippier and Almiron.

That has happened largely this season as well once Burn ended up at left-back and Trippier on the right, Kieran Trippier and Murphy or whoever, carrying the threat down that side. Especially with the threat of Gordon on the left seeing the opposition often have more resources devoted on that side to counter his running.

As I say, the kind of problems that rapidly developed on Sunday, aren’t always apparent if you have say Burn and Krafth on the pitch (especially together).  Spurs in midweek were trying to attack Newcastle and that allowed United to do more counter-attacking with the likes of Willock, Ramsey, Barnes, Elanga and Tonali carrying the ball. Whereas against West Ham, it became an (attempted!) more controlled passing game and we all saw the consequences of that.

If Lewis Hall and Kieran Trippier had both been playing, would that have ensured a far better team performance and result? I think this would almost certainly have been the case.

Even if say Trippier hadn’t been ill and had played, with Dan Burn still on the left, I think very likely that would have been enough to help get a far better performance and Trippier key to our passing and attacking threat down the right.

What did happen though was Eddie Howe left without any of his three top full-backs and this was a massive cause of possession lost so often and failing to put pressure on West Ham in the final third, when we got that far forward. The poor passing appeared to become contagious throughout the team and Eddie Howe found himself powerless to stop that, despite using all five subs.

Thankfully, Kieran Trippier was only ill on Sunday and not some new injury setback, whilst Lewis Hall was at last back in the matchday squad.

Hopefully Trippier back in the team against Bilbao and then potentially both him and Lewis Hall starting at Brentford, then a couple of weeks international break, after which they should both be primed for a glut of important games in all competitions.