Newcastle United have two of the most prolific strikers in the Premier League in terms of minutes per goal but we so rarely see them both on the pitch at the same time.
That is partly down to the way that Eddie Howe often sets up his team in a 4-3-3 formation, but also because of the duo’s unreliability when it comes to fitness.
However, in today’s final game of the season, there is a strong hope that Eddie Howe could field both strikers in a variation on the traditional 4-4-2 formation that was one the go-to for most managers.
The Daily Mail has reported that Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak could start today’s game at Brentford which will see the curtain come down on another Premier League season.
Newcastle must will at Brentford today
Newcastle need a win to stay in the European race while Brentford have nothing to play for but pride and ending the season in style in front of their home crowd.
When asked if there was still a place in the modern game for 4-4-2, Eddie Howe pulled out a reference to Mike Bassett.
“I’ll make one thing clear, it’s not a Mike Bassett 4-4-2 we play. can’t believe I’m saying that… it’s a little bit more complex than that.
“But having those two players, with the attributes they have, they can play together, definitely.”
The lack of competition has been a problem for Eddie Howe
Howe went on to say how much Wilson and Isak’s injuries have affected this campaign.
“Along with a lot of things, it has been one of the main factors to impact on the season. Go back to the season before, I was dovetailing them in and out together. It was a brilliant option to have. As soon as one looked fatigued I could replace them.
“The competition between them was healthy and it seemed to drive them both on. When you only have one of them available, that competition goes. It can have a detrimental effect. One of them has then had to stay on the pitch when they’re not at their physical best. I would have loved the option to play them together more, but every manager would have those tales to tell.”
This is exactly why Newcastle must acquire a third striker before next season, not just for the cover but for the competition. Howe seems adamant that Wilson will still be at the club next season, and if that’s the case then we’ll only need to sign one striker this summer, but we still think Wilson will be sold which will need us to find two.
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