Eddie Howe makes admission on worrying Newcastle stat against Bournemouth: ‘It’s not good’

Eddie Howe admitted his Newcastle team’s inability to create chances at Bournemouth was concerning, saying it was ‘not good’ that they failed to register a shot on target in the second half.

The clash on Sunday afternoon ended goalless as the Magpies’ tepid start to the Premier League season continued on the south coast.

Howe’s side have won just one of their first five league matches, drawing three and losing one.

It has not been thrill-a-minute, with just three goals scored and three conceded in those five outings, with the contest against the Cherries on Sunday unlikely to live long in the memory.

Newcastle managed four shots in the whole game and just one on target, which came before the interval, which Howe admits is not a stat his team will be proud of.

‘It’s not good. You want to create chances and clear cut chances,’ Howe told the BBC. ‘It didn’t feel that in our performance. We are going through one of those phases where it’s hard to score away from home.’

Both Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes were unused substitutes and Howe pointed to his changed midfield as an issue, as Lewis Miley and Joe Willock stepped in.

‘Joelinton we have to really protect from injury. He’s just back,’ he said. ‘Bruno is different but the two who played today did really well.

‘We’re evolving and changing as an attacking force. Our ability to defend has been at a high level and we will score goals.’

He added on the game: ‘I haven’t give it too much thought in terms of who deserves what. We know Bournemouth are a really good team.

‘We limited them to long sots and Nick [Pope] made some good saves. We didn’t get our attacking game going.’

The Magpies are adjusting to life without Alexander Isak, who left for Liverpool in a £125m deal, while new signing Nick Woltemade is getting used to life in the Premier League and his fellow new arrival, Yoane Wissa, is out injured.

Wissa, who joined from Brentford late in the transfer window, is out with a knee injury and expected back next month.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola felt that Newcastle made the game a bit stodgy, leading to the stalemate.

‘It was different to the other Newcastle Bournemouth from the past,’ he said. ‘They were trying to make the game very slow, very compact.

‘We were putting pressure on them. We have been very solid but we haven’t been as brilliant to make the difference.’

Newcastle are in Carabao Cup action on Wednesday at home to Bradford City before welcoming Arsenal to St James’ Park on Sunday afternoon.

Bournemouth go to Leeds next weekend in a Saturday 3pm kick-off.