Alan Shearer names two shocking Newcastle stars who just don’t suit Eddie’s style of play and major contributors to Newcastle ailing form

Shearer & Carragher Sound Alarm on Newcastle: “It’s Not Howe, It’s the Players” – Duo Pinpoint Two Lacking Fit

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE – As the clamour for answers intensifies on Tyneside following Newcastle United’s worrying run of form, two of English football’s most respected pundits, Alan Shearer and Jamie Carragher, have offered a starkly different perspective to the growing fan sentiment calling for Eddie Howe’s dismissal. While sections of the Magpies faithful are turning their frustrations towards the manager, Shearer and Carragher have firmly placed the blame on player suitability, singling out two individuals they believe are fundamentally ill-equipped for Howe’s demanding system.

Newcastle’s recent 3-1 defeat to Brentford, coupled with a string of inconsistent results, has seen the club slide down the Premier League table, sparking anxiety among supporters. However, both Shearer, the legendary Newcastle striker, and Carragher, the former Liverpool stalwart, were unequivocal in their defence of Eddie Howe on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.

“This idea that Eddie Howe should be sacked is absolutely ludicrous,” Shearer began, visibly frustrated by the online discourse. “He’s transformed this club; he’s brought back belief and a style of play that the fans love. The problem isn’t the manager, it’s that some players simply aren’t good enough, or more importantly, they don’t fit what he wants to do.”

Carragher nodded in agreement, interjecting with his tactical assessment. “Eddie Howe’s system demands relentless pressing, high energy, and a tactical discipline both in and out of possession. He needs players who can execute that for 90 minutes. When you watch Newcastle now, you see gaps, you see a drop-off in intensity, and that often comes down to individual capabilities or, as Alan says, the right profile for the system.”

The duo then went on to identify the two players they believe are struggling most to adapt to Howe’s intricate philosophy:

1. Sandro Tonali (Midfielder):”I still don’t think Tonali looks comfortable in that midfield two, or even a three, when Howe demands that constant forward thinking and defensive aggression,” stated Carragher. “He’s a talented footballer, no doubt, but he looks a yard off the pace in transition and is often bypassed. He’s not the box-to-box presence that gives Howe the energy he needs in the middle. His technical ability is there, but the engine and the defensive robustness required just isn’t consistently evident.”

2. Lewis Miley (Midfielder):Shearer, speaking from the perspective of consistent top-flight performance, highlighted the immense pressure on young Lewis Miley. “Miley is a fantastic talent, there’s no doubt about his potential, but Howe’s system is incredibly demanding, particularly for a central midfielder. It requires constant decision-making under pressure, relentless pressing, and the physical maturity to go toe-to-toe with experienced Premier League opponents for 90 minutes. At his age, and with the team struggling for form around him, it’s an incredibly tough ask to consistently deliver that without moments where his inexperience or physical development shows. He’s being asked to do too much, too soon, in a system that requires peak performance from everyone.”

Both pundits stressed that these observations were not a personal attack, but a pragmatic assessment of tactical fit and the immense demands of the Premier League. They argued that while the club has invested heavily, the recruitment in certain areas has not perfectly aligned with the demanding, high-intensity football that Howe has instilled and which brought Newcastle so much success, and that relying heavily on a young player like Miley in a difficult period exposes this.”

It’s easy to call for the manager’s head when things go wrong,” concluded Shearer. “But Eddie Howe has earned the right for more time, and more importantly, for the club to back him with players who are a perfect fit for his methods, not just good players in their own right, and perhaps ease the burden on young talents like Miley.”

The comments from Shearer and Carragher are set to ignite further debate, shifting the narrative from managerial culpability to the fundamental issue of player profiles within Howe’s unyielding system, and the balance of experience versus potential.