Journalist Ciaran Kelly has been speaking on the Everything is Black and White podcast about the selection headache now facing Eddie Howe at Newcastle United.
Howe opted to make two enforced changes for Sunday’s victory, which saw Jamaal Lascelles (illness) and Matt Targett (ineligible) drop out for Javier Manquillo and Dan Burn respectively, although the Spaniard did hobble off injured in the first half.
Should Burn keep his starting place?
Yes!
No!
This, coupled with the injury to Kieran Trippier, has left Howe with an interesting selection headache ahead of their next match on Saturday, as he must decide who starts at right-back. Does he stick with a back four and drop one of Burn, Lascelles or Fabian Schar? Also, who starts at left-back between Paul Dummett and Matt Targett?
Kelly discussed this headache facing Howe ahead of the weekend.
“I think the biggest call for him, really, once they know whether Manquillo is out, is whether they go to a back five. Obviously, they ended the [Aston Villa] game with a back five, they closed it out, they looked relatively solid.
“Whether he does that, but that might come at a cost and then one of your midfielders has to drop out and disrupt the shape of your team.”
TIF Thoughts on Eddie Howe’s selection dilemma at Newcastle United…
Howe certainly has some huge decisions to make this weekend, with the centre-back pairing the most intriguing one. Schar has been an ever-present during this recent run of good form, while new signing Burn was Man of the Match on his debut, so would surely feel hard done by if he was to be dropped – but then would Howe be bold enough to keep his captain on the bench?
This weekend away to high-flying West Ham, Howe could well opt for a slight tweak in formation by bringing in a third centre-back to accommodate more defensive solidity, but that means dropping one of his in-form midfield trio of Joelinton, Joe Willock and Jonjo Shelvey, which feels equally as harsh as dropping Burn, so it really does remain to be seen what Howe does this weekend.
In other news: ‘Come alive again’ – Surprise name tipped for possible big role under Howe at Newcastle