‘I’ll be honest, it’s a poor excuse’ – Matt Le Tissier digs at Eddie Howe after Newcastle latest
Eddie Howe needs to take responsibility for Newcastle’s current issues away from home after they failed to win on the road once more against Brentford on Sunday.
That is according to Premier League legend Matt Le Tissier, who has exclusively told Football Insider that the Newcastle manager’s excuses after the game were not good enough and their issues could be down to his negative tactics.
Newcastle are yet to win a league game on the road this season, with three draws and three losses from their six away outings up to now.
Their last two trips to other stadiums have been particularly nightmarish, with struggling West Ham beating them 3-1 on 2 November for their first home win since February, then Brentford winning by the same scoreline last time out as Dan Burn was also sent off.
Howe has put his side’s poor away form down to a lack of confidence
Harvey Barnes had put the Magpies ahead in West London on Sunday (9 November), but three goals without reply from the hosts sent the travelling Geordies back home with nothing once more.
They have been much better in home games so far with three wins and two losses, against both Liverpool and Arsenal, from their five league outings on Tyneside up to now.
Eddie Howe tried to explain his side’s poor fortunes in away games following their latest loss, saying: “I think it was clear, if you watch Newcastle regularly, we were lacking in confidence today.
“I think it’s really important today that I support the players and we know we’re good players. We know we’ve got a really good team, but we just need to stay grouped together in this difficult period.”
Le Tissier unsure of Howe’s confidence comments with Newcastle’s quality clear
The Magpies sit 14th in the Premier League heading into the international break, but have been impressive in the Champions League and are sixth in that table out of 36 sides.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former England and Southampton striker Le Tissier insisted that Newcastle do have the quality to do well, and Howe must not make such excuses considering the success they have had in years gone by.
He said: “I think that’s a pretty poor excuse, to be honest with you. You know, the quality that they’ve got in that team. I think their last away win was back in April.
“When you’ve got a team that should be really challenging, and they have been over the past couple of years, up for the European places, I think to go that long without away win is a pretty sad indictment on the team and possibly on the manager’s tactics when they go away from home.
“A lack of confidence…I mean, you shouldn’t really have a lack of confidence, especially if you’re if you’re so strong at home and you’re winning games at home. Your confidence shouldn’t be that low when you go away from home.”