{"id":294725,"date":"2023-10-02T21:31:14","date_gmt":"2023-10-02T21:31:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=294725"},"modified":"2023-10-02T21:31:14","modified_gmt":"2023-10-02T21:31:14","slug":"craig-hope-newcastle-need-their-expensive-flops-to-flip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/soccer\/craig-hope-newcastle-need-their-expensive-flops-to-flip\/","title":{"rendered":"CRAIG HOPE: Newcastle need their expensive flops to flip"},"content":{"rendered":"
Newcastle committed to an eventual spend of \u00a3150million this summer strengthening their squad, if not their best XI.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With injuries, suspensions and fixtures mounting, the depth they sought to create is about to be tested.<\/p>\n
While other players they tracked have made an immediate impact at Premier League rivals \u2014 James Maddison at Tottenham, Liverpool\u2019s Dominik Szoboszlai and Moussa Diaby of Aston Villa \u2014 Eddie Howe\u2019s four signings are either injured, struggling to adapt or being kept largely in reserve.<\/p>\n
They have made six league starts between them and, during Saturday\u2019s 2-0 win over Burnley, it was the stars of last season who made an impact from the off, Miguel Almiron and Alexander Isak the scorers and Bruno Guimaraes the star man.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not since the opening day against Aston Villa has one of the new boys scored or assisted a goal.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe needs his four summer signings to step up with injuries, suspensions and fixtures mounting<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
It was the heroes of last season who settled Saturday’s 2-0 win against Burnley, with Miguel Almiron opening the scoring…<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Before Alexander Isak settled the contest with a goal from the penalty spot – the third time he had found the net in six days<\/p>\n
There is mitigation, of course. Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall are young defenders bought with one eye on the future, and the former was magnificent making his full debut in the Carabao Cup win over Manchester City last week.<\/p>\n
Harvey Barnes was being kept out of the team by the brilliant performances of Anthony Gordon and then suffered a foot injury sidelining him until 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall are both young defenders with time to improve, and Livramento caught the eye in the Carabao Cup win against Man City<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
But marquee signing Sandro Tonali has struggled to make an impact, and has spoken of feeling ‘lost’ on Tyneside<\/p>\n
Sandro Tonali, at a marquee \u00a352million from Milan, has spoken of feeling \u2018lost\u2019 during his early weeks on Tyneside and academy products Sean Longstaff and Elliot Anderson are ahead of the Italy midfielder on current form.<\/p>\n
But Howe is going to need Tonali, Livramento and Hall to step from the shadows in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
Ahead of the visit of Paris Saint-German on Wednesday, Howe is without star defender Sven Botman, key midfielders Joelinton and Joe Willock, winger Barnes and potentially striker Callum Wilson, who has missed the last two games with a hamstring complaint. Gordon also has a one-match domestic ban on the horizon.<\/p>\n
Those brought in have not yet lightened the load on the team who took the club to the Champions League. A team, it should be said, full of excellent signings \u2014 they have barely got one wrong since the Saudi-led takeover in 2021.<\/p>\n
Newcastle<\/span> (4-3-3): Pope 7; Trippier 8, Schar 7, Lascelles 7, Burn 6.5; Longstaff 8, Guimaraes 8.5, Anderson 7.5 (Joelinton 64 [Tonali 68, 6.5]); Almiron 7.5 (Murphy 90), Isak 7 (Livramento 90), Gordon 8<\/p>\n Subs: : Dubravka, Dummett, Ritchie, Targett, Hall<\/p>\n Manager: Eddie Howe 7<\/p>\n Burnley<\/span> (4-2-3-1): Trafford 6; Roberts 5.5 (Zaroury 88), Al Dakhil 5, Beyer 5.5, Taylor 5.5; Cullen 6, Ramsey 5 (Odobert 67, 5); Koleosho 6.5 (Bruun Larsen 68, 5), Berge 5 (Vitinho 88), Brownhill 5; Amdouni 5 (Rodriguez 58, 5)<\/p>\n Subs: Muric, Cork, Odobert, Tresor, O’Shea<\/p>\n Manager: Vincent Kompany 5<\/p>\n MOM: Guimaraes<\/p>\n Ref: T Bramall 6<\/p>\n