Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe reveals ‘bizarre’ thing about criticism of his team

Eddie Howe has labelled one criticism of his Newcastle United team as “bizarre”.

Howe’s third-placed side have been criticised for time-wasting this season by a number of managers.

However, Howe says game management and time-wasting are two different things ahead of tomorrow’s game against Leeds United at Elland Road.

"For people to talk about us in such detail about this phase of play I find interesting, because it's not something we focus on,” said Newcastle’s head coach.

“There’s a lot of talk about something we haven't encouraged. I find it bizarre, really.

“Sam (Allardyce, Leeds’ head coach) was asked about it in his press conference, and I was sent a couple of things he said, and he spoke really well, and said ‘everybody does it’.

“At the end of the game, if you’re winning, everybody manages the game, and you’d be foolish not to. That comes from the players, we've got some really experienced players who have played at the highest level, and they want to win.

“We want to win, and we encourage everything, within the rules, to get us over the line.

“In every other situation, we’re trying to play the game with an absolute fast pace, and we want to entertain, so where all this comes from is beyond me, really.”

Newcastle’s critics have quoted ball in play statistics, though Howe’s team, at home, encounter sides trying to slow them down.

Howe felt that Arsenal were trying to delay last weekend’s game at St James’ Park, which Mikel Arteta’s second-placed side won 2-0.

"Yeah, those kind of stats, and I have seen them, are very misleading, and not representative of the actual truth,” said Howe.

“You have to dig a lot deeper to find which team, in that game, has slowed things down.

“I know it’s a Newcastle stat, but we’re playing the opponent. Every team that comes to St James’ Park will slow the goal down, especially early on, and depending on the result, late on too.

“So, our games at home are frustrating for us.

“Away from home, I think if you look at our results, we have tried to entertain. We haven't tried to slow the game down at all. If you actually watch us play, you’ll get a true representation of us.

Newcastle, 19th when Howe took charge in November 2021, are now third in the Premier League with four games left to play.

Asked if the club’s progress had “rattled” other teams, Howe said: "We hope to be that. We hope to be a nuisance for all teams. We don't want to be nice to play against.

“But we do want to entertain. Newcastle fans will have enjoyed watching their team play this season. I don't think they’re sitting there saying ‘get things moving’. That's all that matters to me, what they think."