With just one game to go, Newcastle United will be happy to see the back of the 2023/24 season.
While there have been incredible moments such as the Champions League adventure and that night against Paris Saint-Germain, it has also been a gruelling campaign for Newcastle United.
The crazy cup draws they got were excruciating, while the increase in games took its toll. An injury crisis like no other took a hold of Eddie Howe‘s squad, and resulted in the Toon boss having to turn to the kids at times.
Lewis Miley emerged as a future superstar, while Alex Murphy got to make his senior debut. Those were positives to come from the injury situation, but there were far more negatives to consider.
Being without key players such as Nick Pope and Joelinton has been really damaging, and now the Magpies have just one game left to save their season. They face Brentford on Sunday, knowing that a win will be enough to finish seventh. That could see them qualify for the Europa Conference League, but only if Manchester City win the FA Cup.
Newcastle United have started looking into their injury crisis
That will mean another busy fixture list for Newcastle next season, but at least the calibre of opponent will not be quite as high. And the Magpies will have learned lessons from the 2023/24 campaign, as they aim to become regulars in Europe and a team that consistently challenges for honours.
To do that, they cannot afford to have another injury crisis like the one they have experienced this season.
That is why the club are taking steps to improve things, with iNews reporting that Newcastle United are undertaking a ‘deep dive’ into the injuries they suffered this season.
This is a vital step, as it is important to know why the Magpies suffered so many issues and find a way to avoid them. Whether it is down to Eddie Howe’s playing style, the way they train or decisions regarding recovery, Toon officials need to find the answers to ensure it does not happen again.
It could have been a very different season for Newcastle United
It is not an excuse, but the amount of injuries certainly had an impact on Newcastle’s season. Eddie Howe was unable to rotate his side during a busy winter period, with the same 11 players pretty much playing every minute of every game.
The injuries have also had an impact on the way Newcastle operate, with Nick Pope’s absence hindering the Magpies’ defensive capabilities. Martin Dubravka has not commanded his area anywhere near as well, nor has he been able to rush off his line and close down space. That has created confusion and uncertainty for the Toon defenders.
Joelinton’s injury layoff has hurt too. We have missed his pressing and ball-winning ability in the middle of the park, while Howe had intended to use him out wide in tougher away games. However, that has not been possible.
Another issue Newcastle have had has been the length of the injuries. Players have been out for months rather than weeks, resulting in them missing a lot of games. In fact, so many players have been absent for 10 or more Newcastle United fixtures this season (not including Emil Krafth, whose injury occurred last season).
Newcastle United need to learn from what has happened this season and do their best to ensure it does not happen again. While some injuries have been pure flukes, others were perhaps avoidable.
This season has been quite the learning curve, and one that can hopefully prove to be beneficial in the coming years. If it can help Newcastle avoid a similar situation in the future then, in a perverse way, it will have served a purpose.
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