Eddie Howe's admission on Sven Botman - and explanation of Newcastle United's defeat
EDDIE HOWE has revealed that he took off Sven Botman and Jacob Murphy for “tactical reasons” during Newcastle United’s 4-1 home defeat to Bournemouth, but was left frustrated when his alterations failed to change the course of the game.
The Magpies’ hopes of setting a new club record for ten successive victories disappeared as they suffered their heaviest Premier League home defeat since December 2021.
Botman retained his place at centre-half despite the availability of Fabian Schar, who was returning after an absence caused by illness, but the Dutchman struggled throughout the first half and was replaced at half-time.
Jacob Murphy was taken off midway through the second half after failing to make an impression in attack, and Howe confirmed that neither player was suffering from an injury issue.
“It was tactical for Sven,” said the Newcastle boss. “I just thought we needed to make a change at that moment with the way the game was going. I thought we needed a natural right-footer in the side. With Jacob, it was a case of trying to change the momentum of the game.”
However, while Howe made four substitutions in total, bringing on Kieran Trippier, Joe Willock and Will Osula and Schar, none of his alterations made a difference to the course of the game.
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Bournemouth continued to be the better side throughout the second half, and scored two goals in stoppage time, with Justin Kluivert completing his hat-trick and Milos Kerkez hammering home the visitors’ fourth.
“You can use fatigue (as an excuse), but when we made the changes, I don’t think our performance improved,” said Howe. “That was a frustration.”
Howe felt that his side were showing signs of tiredness as they played their third game in the space of six days, although he conceded that was not an adequate excuse for the gulf that separated their own performance level from that of their opponents.
“My initial assessment is fatigue,” said Howe. “And that's not making excuses. Bournemouth were better than us and we have to accept that. But I think from our viewpoint, probably the three games in six days, we just looked lacking in that sharpness and that sprinting work that they had and we didn't.
“I may feel differently after watching the game back, but that's how I feel now. It was difficult to change the team – we'd just won nine in a row. I could beat myself up over that, I but think that's a difficult one for me personally to think about rotating the team in this moment.
“But even then, with our substitutions, I don't think they had a positive impact either so yes, Bournemouth were better than us.”
