Mid Season reflection - Where do we go from here?

[Newcastle Fan]

After today's disaster we have almost reached the mid point of the season, and like the summer it's been full of ups and downs, i thought of having this space to both reflect on what happend and what we as a fanbase feel is needed going forward.

 

My General feeling despite today is that the season is still fully in our hands, we are still in every comptetion, a win on Wednsday puts us in a cup semi-final again, and with the nature of this year's league a run of wins can quickly move us up.

 

The squad - on paper - looks fine as we got two players in every position however we are suffering from inconsistency and our new signings haven't got going yet which is a real concern.

 

This leads to Eddie, who is one of our most loved managers and has already managed to break our trophy drought, he seemed to had the most say on transfers this summer but it has backfired so far, he also seems to suffer from lack of experince of coaching champions league level and a heavy number of games. However in the past he seemed to always manage to bounce back from set-backs, what will this season hold for him?

 

Our owners have put good time and invesment in the project and might have to face some tough decision in the next period, but how do we feel about things so far and going forward?

 

 

Edited December 14, 2025 by Newcastle Fan

[patrone]

🤦

[Guillaume]

It's hard to be optimistic after that today, and the other away performances. 

Trying to look on the bright side, none of the games been now and Villa on Jan 25th look particularly daunting, and we are currently 4 points off 5th.

Been saying it too long already today season though, we need to start winning.

Not really sure I'm seeing any big sign that we are going to turn it around though.

[Ben]

Could have been worse, could have been better, they deserve a chance to turn it around 

[Amir_9]

There was a poll before start of the season on how optimistic each club's fans were before first kick off and I think we were 18th or 19th

 

City, Chelsea and Arsenal are still in the League cup and can see one of these knocking us out in the semis or final if we go through.

 

CL for us will be done by playoff round or first elimination round after it in my opinion.

 

Need to seriously prioritise the league because the ramifications of not finishing in at least Europa league is going to set us 1-2 seasons back.

 

Depending on how January goes I see us finishing anywhere from 7th to 9th. Otherwise 6th if second half of the season sees us improve dramatically (extremely optimistic case).

 

 

Edited December 14, 2025 by Amir_9

[Sibierski]

Not optimistic in short term, still optimistic about long term unless something negatively changes that above. 
 

Whilst we’re in all the cups there should be optimism, but how bad we’ve been away, it’s more blind optimism. It will seem small time to many, but finishing above Sunderland really is the first bar I just want to clear this season. 
 

Feels a bit shit we’re in UCL for 2nd time and it’s all a bit meh. Villa for me are our benchmark rivals because of what we’re trying to overcome (sky 6) and where we’ve had to come from (Bruce dark days), and whilst I don’t agree with their transfer policy, they’re are regularly making a better fist of things by staying attacking. May burn out, but they stick to it. 

[HaydnNUFC]

Watching us is a total fucking chore which is indefensible given the money spent in the summer. Must’ve heard or read ‘that’ll be our Brentford away moment’ after about 3 or 4 matches now.

 

Things need to improve sharpish. Can’t see any discernible reason why they will, though.

[Pablo123]

We're below par, but we've got enough to get top 5 and win a cup again. We need that run good, which I know we're capable of. Gonna cane the rest of my meth now

[Vedder]

Looking at the fixtures, it’s getting to be now or never for us in the league. Decent looking run up until late Jan, things could be looking a lot different by then. But today needs to be a massive wake up call and Eddie needs to find a way to get a tune out of this team. 

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

Up. 

[Conjo]

Up

[Danh1]

Just doing the same thing every week and hoping for a different outcome. Cannot see it improving enough for us to achieve anything such as European football or a cup win.

 

We need a clear out in the summer mind. And a complete change of strategy in the market. How the likes of Joe Willock are coming on today is a piss take. Elanga and Ramsey looking like a complete waste of money. 
 

Sadly I don’t see it happening. 

[Dr.Spaceman]

Successive failures has got us here, we've just got to hope that Hopkinson is the man to put the brakes on the shit decision making.

[Kid Icarus]

Optimistic in the sense that we're playing poorly, keep having these suicidal last minutes of games, have poor away form, and yet are still very much in contention despite all that.

 

If Eddie turns it around and we finally click in the back end of this season there's barely any point deficit to overcome. We could easily turn it on and finish 4th or 5th. It would take a huge sea change, but it's technically possible and we have a history of doing it.

[matta]

As long as we have players thinking they can put this right on wednesday, then nothing will change. Those apologies are just pathetic when done all the time.

They dont get it. Replaceables. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I don't think we're good enough to suddenly become class or anything, but we have the tools (manager and players) to do much better than we are now and we're still in a respectable position in every competition.

 

Even in the PL, a smallish run of wins is transformational for league position. Of course, I wouldn't expect that to turn into a long run of wins because I just don't think we have what it takes for that at the moment. All of Howe's options have flaws still, because our squad just isn't elite yet.

 

So I'm hopeful for the rest of the season although I admit there's also a chance it continues to go wrong.

 

There's no scenario where I wouldn't give Howe the summer though. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

1 minute ago, matta said:

As long as we have players thinking they can put this right on wednesday, then nothing will change. Those apologies are just pathetic when done all the time.

They dont get it. Replaceables. 

 

They can't really say much else though, can they?

[The Butcher]

4231 with Wissa ahead of Woltemade.

 

Sign a striker in Jan to compete with Wissa.

 

Would fix quite a bit imo.

 

Sell any winger a buy a left footed one.

[bobbydazzla]

[matta]

3 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

They can't really say much else though, can they?

Do they have to say anything? Show it on the pitch instead 🤷

[SAK]

Positive as I think Wissa with fitness will provide goals and the rest of the league isn’t that great except for City and Arsenal. We’re four points off fifth and six points off fourth despite how shit we’ve been.
 

Get a run going in the new year and we’re back in there.

 

 

Edited December 14, 2025 by SAK

[Yorkie]

Not especially but I'm not picturing months of misery.

 

I can definitely envisage a drab exit from the Champions League, with us all concluding that it's an essential competition to qualify for but an uninspiring one to actually compete in.

 

FA Cup, can't see it. If we even get past Bournemouth (which I wouldn't bet on) it's hard to imagine us having a good run given our inability to juggle tournaments. 

 

I do think the league is very difficult to predict; a lot will hinge on Wissa. If he finds his feet quickly it could re-shape our whole attack and that could be a catalyst for us finding some form. If he doesn't, we'll keep going in fits and starts and probably finish outside the European places.

 

Opportunity knocks once again in the League Cup, as it has every year under Howe. Get through Wednesday unscathed and I can see us going the distance again.

[wfmk2]

Recent performances, Everton aside, have had shades of Ashley era for me. The old habits of scrolling on my phone half watching the match are back, ffs I was even peeling spuds for the Sunday roast from about 50 mins today. 

[RUHRLYASLEEVESUP]

Were going nowhere 

[Optimistic Nut]

I think we're coming to the end of the first cycle. Could go two ways. Persist and we'll probably bumble along with ups and downs to 60 points or so, squeak into the top 8, might get Europe. 

 

The other option is a change in approach and way we play. Scrap the 4-3-3, try 4-2-3-1, or something different. We might not improve in terms of results might finish around 10th, but I'd take that if it means a bit of an overhaul this summer and starting a bit fresher. Preferably with Howe still here.

 

This would involve things like sticking with Ramsdale over Pope. I know some people don't like him on crosses, but I think if we're going to change how we play, playing out from the back is a necessity. It'll make changing the keeper much easier in the summer if we're already used to playing that way. I don't want another 6 months of Pope slicing stuff into the stands, tear-arsing out, etc. Ramsdale from Pope could be our Claudio Bravo from Hart at City. He was shaky, but it meant by the time Ederson came in, they were already playing the way he would just come in to make even better. 

 

Centre-halves, as much as Burn & Schar have been brilliant for 3-4 years for us, when Botman is fit, play him and Thiaw. If we've got any doubts about his fitness, sell in the summer and make centre-back (along with GK) our big area to upgrade.

 

Back to the 4-2-3-1, not sure if Woltemade off Wissa is the solution, if we had another striker capable, then maybe, but don't think we're in a position to play both the majority of the time for 60-70 minutes without risking being without forward depth. Bruno there with Tonali & Miley behind him possibly? Barnes if he's going to insist on playing Gordon? Ramsey?

 

Think this is as good a time as any to change. The season isn't a write-off, we can still have a good season playing the Howe way, but I feel it's back to square one in the summer. I'd take a mid-table season if I could see signs of a more progressive way of playing and a style that we can manage for 55 games a season and not just 45.