Just on the reason why he's not playing - Howe is an absolute stickler for not making changes for the sake of them. If a side is doing well, e.g. conceding like no goals ever, or getting points on the board when we're bottom of the league, then he won't change it. I remember when we started our upturn in form in January last year, and we were chomping at the bit for Bruno to start. It was said that it was to allow him time to 'bed in', but I think it's a lot more to do with showing loyalty and respect to the current XI at the time that were doing well and grinding out the results. It's also partly think why I think Longstaff plays every single game and every minute of every game - he's part of a team that just doesn't lose and there isn't an obvious replacement of genuine ability who will do what he does.
It's also the same argument he can use against the club captain every match, look, you're not getting a game cause we're not losing and I don't want to disrupt the team. The squad would lose respect for Howe if he brought others in 'just because' when he didn't bring in Lascelles. It's a win-win, he gets buy-in from the team that's getting results, they know the manager backs them, and it means whoever comes in is absolutely focused on trying to make that shirt his on merit, not reputation. If we lose or don't get the result we want, he has the irrefutable proof in the points themselves and backing to make those changes.
It would send the wrong message to change a winning/undefeated team just because of perceived differences in ability. There needs to be undeniable benefits to all parties in making the switch for us to keep this team spirit that's become absolutely core of our form.
All this aside, I'd be dropping Willock and Wilson next game for ASM and Isak but I don't know what kind of expectations of keeping the shirt Wilson and Willock have been given. Who knows, maybe Howe's said to the squad 'as long as this defensive run continues, I'm not changing the starting XI unless there's an injury', and it's a perfectly reasonable stance. Not one I'd make mind, but I'm not one of already the most succesful English managers in Premier League history. I'll defer to Sir Eddie.
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