Howe reveals awkward transfer request as Toon suffer two more suspensions
Just last week, Eddie Howe admitted that the club must sell in January if we wish to bring in a new signing, with PSR continuing to limit our spending plans.
That appears to be our transfer reality this winter, but the boss' comments after last night's brilliant 3-1 win over Brentford in the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup raise a couple of awkward questions.
Howe having mixed thoughts on January sales?
The only blemish on an otherwise ideal night for Newcastle United was bookings for Bruno Guimaraes and Fabian Schar that have left both suspended for the first leg of the cup semi-final, leaving gaps in our midfield and defence.
This has already been a theme this week, with suspension keeping Sean Longstaff out of the Brentford game and Joelinton due to miss Saturday's trip to Ipswich after accumulating five bookings in the league. Schar and Tonali are also at risk of a similar fate, as they'll both face a one-game ban in the league (both on four yellows) if they're booked in any of our next three against Ipswich, Aston Villa and Man Utd.
Asked if we can afford to lose more players next month with such issues in mind, Howe said: "I think it is a very good question. I am aware of the links and the rumours. For me, I would love to keep the squad together. I don't want to lose anybody.
"We don't have the biggest squad already. So losing any players would be difficult for me. But we do have players returning from injuries. Hopefully, Sven Botman will be back soon and Emil Krafth will be back in the not too distant future. Certainly losing players is not in my thoughts."
Losing players is not in Howe's thoughts, he claims, but it's also the only route to incomings, where a right-winger and/or centre-back has been the key area of focus for several months. Some tough decisions await next month, it seems!
Howe hails Brentford display
Howe was full of praise for our improved attacking display against Brentford, believing that "good feeling" within the group is back.
After a "freak game" at Palace saw us manage just ONE shot all game in a 1-1 draw, we've responded with 12 goals in our last four games and "looked a much better attacking unit" once again last night.
"It was a good performance from the players," Howe said. "Every game brings a new challenge and Brentford were what we thought we would be, a strong team.
"I thought we scored some really good goals. It was great to see Sandro [Tonali] score the two that he did. Just a really good feeling about the group at the moment. We are building in confidence all the time."
"I think when you look back at our performances we have looked a much better attacking unit in recent games. We have got our attacking rhythm back. The Crystal Palace game was a freak of a game. We were 1-0 up and we didn't attack much.
"But then we went into Liverpool, even Brentford (2-4) we attacked OK and the last two home games you have really seen us back to our best and that is such an important quality we are going to need that in coming weeks."
Hopefully we can build on this and take this improved form and renewed confidence in the final third into Ipswich on Saturday.
