Newcastle United have won just two of their last 11 Premier League matches after losing 4-2 to Brentford.
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00:00So it's now just two wins in 11 Premier League matches for Newcastle United after Saturday's 4-2 defeat at Brentford.
00:08Now, the first half, I thought Newcastle competed well, scored two good goals, albeit that they come from behind.
00:16Twice, both goals conceded were individual errors, so it felt like at half-time if Newcastle had cut out those individual errors,
00:24then they would be in the game and probably go on to win it. That's how I felt at half-time anyway.
00:30But as the second half transpired, Newcastle's attacking performance dried up and the individual errors continued.
00:41Newcastle went on to lose the game 4-2 and deservedly so because, as I say, in that second half they didn't get anywhere close to Brentford.
00:50That's a real disappointment because the tale of the season has been that Newcastle have competed well against the likes of your Arsenal,
01:01your Manchester City, your Liverpool, who they subsequently played in midweek and played out a 3-3 draw.
01:10They go to Brentford on Saturday and, lo and behold, they go and lose.
01:17So, inconsistency is a big problem at Newcastle this season. Why is there inconsistencies?
01:27A lot of people have different views on that. People bear blame players, underperforming.
01:34People blame Eddie Howe. Some people go back to the summer and what was a very, very disappointing summer.
01:40But it's probably all three of those issues really as to why Newcastle are, let's be honest, struggling this season,
01:48performing below where they're expected to be at the start of the season.
01:55No European football. You'd sort of hope that Newcastle would be that team they were two years ago when they qualified for the Champions League.
02:06They didn't have those midweek games and they were able to play in that high-press, high-intensity style and they've been able to do that at points this season
02:16but only against, as I mentioned, those so-called big clubs.
02:19And when they go into places like Brentford, like Crystal Palace, West Ham at home, Brighton at home,
02:25teams that don't necessarily come out and attack Newcastle when the onus is on Newcastle to break those teams down,
02:31they can't seem to do it and the answers aren't there at this moment in time.
02:37I think Eddie Howe will be left scratching his head because I think he showed us some of his blame.
02:45But the players on Saturday, for me, were more to blame than Eddie Howe.
02:51Individually, that was four really poor goals to concede and you could break everyone down.
02:58You could pick players out for why they conceded those goals, but they were four really poor goals to concede.
03:05I think as much as Eddie Howe has done criticism this season for the way he's set his team up in certain matches,
03:11he can't legislate for those mistakes.
03:13So I think after the game, Eddie Howe, without saying it, was let down, or felt let down by his players.
03:20And in his post-match press comments, I seem to be struggling to find the answers
03:26because a week ago after Crystal Palace, we were talking about Newcastle not being able to score goals.
03:31Now, a week on, Newcastle have scored five goals against Liverpool.
03:38Obviously, three against Liverpool, two against Brentford.
03:41They only conceded seven as well.
03:44Three goals against Liverpool, four against Brentford.
03:47So now it's went from Newcastle can't score goals to Newcastle can't defend.
03:51So Eddie Howe's went from finding one issue, sort of fixing that.
03:55And then a week later, defensively, the doors are blown off.
04:01So I think, yeah, it's a big week for Eddie Howe.
04:05I think he did sort of reference that in his post-match press comments,
04:08where there'll be a detailed review of that game and maybe the games that have gone before that as well this week,
04:17ahead of what is a massive period for Newcastle.
04:20They've got to go out and get results in the next seven to ten days, beyond that as well.
04:28You've got Leicester starting off at St James' Park on Saturday.
04:32They then got that Carabao Cup quarter-final tie against Brentford at St James' Park.
04:37And then you go to Ipswich on December 21st.
04:40A team that hasn't won a Premier League game at home this season.
04:45So that, to me, feels like a very, very big period.