Following a season long hiatus, Eddie Howe has to deal with the load of balancing continental and domestic fixtures. He might be missing men that pad out the roster in the attack, but the Newcastle United manager is sure there is "enough football" for all as he prepares to return to Bournemouth.
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‘We have to look after Nick’
The intensity of the fixture list and Howe's tactical blueprint left Newcastle struggling with injuries two campaigns ago. However, the boss believes that the true test on Sunday will be in the minds.
“The process is the same. I don't know if there's any massive learnings to take from that. I think the biggest thing is it's a psychological issue rather than a physical issue.
"I think it's the big high of tonight and that would be a big experience for the players. A big emotional game and then the come down, then you've got to go to Bournemouth: a tough away game even with a full week to prepare.”
Yoane Wissa would have been a valuable asset if he had not picked up a knee issue with Congo. Howe has not looked back at that situation with any feeling that he should have handled it differently.
“There's nothing personally I would have done different. I did everything we did everything we did as a football club to try and look after Yoane, but it's like with any footballer, you know, when they go away on the national duty and not in control of the minutes they play and unfortunately got injured.”
Howe had no regrets about not starting Nick Woltemade as the number nine. The German scored on his debut against Wolves, but his cramps conveyed the struggles of adapting to life in the Premier League without the benefit of a full preseason with the Toon and the demands of the manager.
“We're going to have to look after Nick as I said and it's hard enough for him to come into a new league and you can see the physical effects he felt at Wolves and then the quick turnaround in games here. There's no guarantee even by managing him that he's going to stay fit and play all the games.”
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‘He was an absolute threat’
However, he is happy with the potential of the player. There were again flashes of his creativity and link-up play against the Blaugrana as he helped to move the ball forward for Gordon's late goal.
“We're going to try and give him the best chance to stay fit uh and also acclimatize to the league that he's in. But he's made a very good starter. He did well when he came on today. I was really pleased with him. He was involved in the goal. So hopefully it'll be in a good place.”
The pace and power of Anthony Elanga also excited as he transitions from Nottingham Forest.
“He was an absolute threat in the game. He's put in one lovely cross I think for Anthony Gordon to have that chance early in the game. You can see his strengths, his pace, his direct running. I thought his defensively and off the ball he was fine. He's acclimatizing to that role that we ask him to do.”
The £55 million man is in direct competition for playing time with Jacob Murphy, who assisted Gordon after coming off the bench. Players want minutes, but the 47-year-old is a demanding coach, and he knows he cannot expect either winger to handle the stress of the schedule through the winter.
“They understand, especially in a week like this week and that is copy and repeat until Christmas for us. There's going to be enough football for both players. I think the big thing for me is whoever enters the pitch, whoever we decide to play, you want them at their best physical condition to execute.”.
