Football: Howe sees the positives despite Newcastle’s scoring struggles
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Newcastle United's Sean Longstaff and manager Eddie Howe look dejected after the match.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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BOURNEMOUTH – Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe said it is really positive that his side are not losing games, despite drawing five of their last six English Premier League matches, and scoring just three times in the process.
Miguel Almiron scored and Kieran Trippier contributed a late goal-line clearance as the Magpies were held to a 1-1 stalemate at struggling Bournemouth on Saturday.
The result leaves Newcastle in fourth spot on 41 points.
Said Howe: “Certainly, yeah (we’re struggling to win), but I think there is a lot to consider.
“We’re on a long unbeaten run, teams are preparing well against us but you’d expect that. It is the Premier League.
“It is up to us to find solutions but the real positive is we are not losing games. Despite not winning, we’re keeping our points tally moving in the right direction and if you look around, the league is so tight...
“We’re going through a phase where we’re creating chances but not scoring and I think that will end, I don’t think that can continue.”
Newcastle legend and the Premier League’s all-time top scorer Alan Shearer was similarly upbeat.
He said on the BBC: “I think you would have snapped your hand off for a point away from home...
“It just shows how far they’ve come that they were disappointed in the point because of the such high standards that they’ve set.
“There were so many players off form today... They’ll have better days but they’re undefeated again.
“That’s the positive – Bournemouth deserved it. Where they are now – Newcastle – compared to where they were is a big improvement.”
Bournemouth remain second-bottom on 18 points, a point off the safety zone.
Without a win in the Premier League since beating Everton 2-0 on Nov 12, Bournemouth looked lively and forced the first save of the game from Nick Pope in the 13th minute as striker Dominic Solanke sent a glancing header goalwards.
The hosts then took the lead in the 30th minute as Marcos Senesi made the most of a rare Bournemouth corner, ghosting in at the far post to tap the ball in from close range.
Striker Alexander Isak returned for Newcastle after being sidelined with a head injury that kept him out of the 1-1 draw with West Ham on Feb 4.
Though showing some skill, he struggled to impose himself on the game.
The introduction of Anthony Gordon for the injured Joe Willock in the 36th gave Newcastle a shot in the arm.
Almiron equalised in first-half stoppage time when he slotted home the rebound after Sean Longstaff’s shot was saved.
Gordon missed a golden opportunity to give his side the lead in the 70th minute, firing another rebound just wide from close range, as Newcastle dominated possession but created very few decent chances.
With the clock ticking towards 90 minutes, Bournemouth mounted one of their more incisive attacks and Trippier had to keep his cool to control a late Solanke backheel on the goal-line.
REUTERS
