Alan Shearer explains why Nick Woltemade is a 'problem' for Newcastle & delivers Eddie Howe sack verdict

Newcastle had a dream 2024-25 season, ending their seven-decade-long wait for silverware by clinching the Carabao Cup while finishing fifth in the Premier League to secure Champions League qualification.

However, the Magpies' domestic form has fallen off a cliff this term, with their latest setback coming in the form of a dismal 3-1 defeat at Brentford.

Howe has even questioned the players' mentality on the pitch, saying after another away loss to West Ham at the start of the month: "The dynamism wasn't there. The physicality and the energy were missing. We scored early and could have grabbed hold of the game but we didn’t and let it slip away. It didn't look like a Newcastle team that we've seen in recent seasons. The body language, the collective spirit on the pitch, loads of little things weren’t there. It was a by-product of us just not being where we needed to be mentally."

Speaking to Betfair, Magpies legend Shearer defended Howe amid mounting pressure on his position, and suggested that the summer addition of Woltemade has unbalanced the team. "I guess a manager's always under pressure to get results, but I think the job that Eddie Howe has done at Newcastle and what he delivered in the Carabao Cup, the trophy, I guess he's got a lot of points in the bank," he said. "What I would look at is Eddie's Newcastle team have always been full of energy, being tough to play against, not giving the opposition any space. That in the away performances is missing, and even home form really. The thing that is missing for me is the high press and the energy. 

"I've said before that as good as Nick Woltemade is with the ball at his feet, he is a problem for Newcastle because he's not the quickest, and he can't press, and he doesn't run in behind. Eddie's teams have always done that. Look at what Alexander Isak did or look at what Callum Wilson did, they all pressed and ran behind. But this guy can't do that, and that's a problem for Newcastle."

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Former Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul has also defended the head coach, tellingSky Sports: "I'm a big fan of Eddie and I think he single-handedly changed the club and the people's expectations in that city. I mean, he's going to go down as one of those legend managers this club has ever had. Yes, of course, I think there could be some criticism, it's not good enough to not win an away game since April, but ultimately I think if you asked any fan a couple of years ago to have a trophy and to challenge the Champions League and to fire on all cylinders in the top competitions out there, I think they would have signed for that."

Despite the criticism from Shearer, Woltemade has proved to be a successful signing for the Premier League outfit on paper, as the German striker has scored seven goals in 17 matches across all competitions since his summer switch from Stuttgart, including four league goals in eight outings. He will look to get back on the scoresheet when Newcastle host Man City on November 22.