“0-passes, 0-takles what a flop”-Howe must immediately drop 4/10 Newcastle dud who was outclassed by Paqueta

“0-passes, 0-takles what a flop”-Howe must immediately drop 4/10 Newcastle dud who was outclassed by Paqueta

When Jacob Murphy fired home a thunderous strike just four minutes into the match, Newcastle United looked set for an easy win against a struggling West Ham United side.

However, those early dreams quickly unraveled. The Magpies’ lead slipped away as West Ham mounted an inspired comeback to hand new boss Nuno Espírito Santo his first victory in charge, with Eddie Howe’s men succumbing to a disappointing 3–1 defeat.

Lucas Paquetá ignited the turnaround with a brilliant first-half equalizer before Newcastle’s fortune took a turn for the worse — Sven Botman’s own goal and a last-minute Thomas Souček finish sealed a much-needed win for the Hammers.

While Paquetá shone with class and determination, many of Howe’s usual reliable performers faltered badly, leaving Newcastle languishing in 13th place.

Newcastle’s Underperformers Against West Ham

Few Newcastle players could take any positives from their personal displays.
Malick Thiaw put in a solid effort, but he was let down by defensive partner Botman and Emil Krafth.

Krafth endured a nightmare first half, failing to win a single duel and being substituted at the break. Dan Burn also struggled on the left flank but somehow lasted the full 90 minutes.

Up front, Nick Woltemade was anonymous, touching the ball only 14 times before being replaced by William Osula — who, according to Toon legend Alan Shearer, offered “not one positive” contribution after coming on.

Goalkeeper Nick Pope also had a game to forget, failing to stop Paquetá’s opener and looking uncertain again as Souček’s scrappy goal crossed the line.

The Midfield Struggle: Joelinton’s Decline

While several players underperformed, Joelinton’s display stood out for all the wrong reasons.

The Brazilian midfielder was completely outclassed by his countryman Paquetá, who dominated the midfield battle.

Paquetá’s performance — his third league goal of the season and seven duels won — showed why he remains central to West Ham’s plans.

In contrast, Joelinton looked sluggish and ineffective, failing to win a single tackle and winning just 42% of his duels.

Even 20-year-old Freddie Potts, making his first Premier League start, outshone Joelinton with three tackles and five duels won. Joelinton’s lack of impact earned him a meagre 4/10 rating from Newcastle World’s Jordan Cronin.

What’s Next for Howe and Newcastle

Journalist Luke Edwards criticized Newcastle’s display as having “no energy,” and with good reason. Howe now faces a tough decision ahead of their Champions League clash against Athletic Club on Wednesday.

Several long-serving players — including Anthony Gordon, who Edwards labeled “awful” in the first half — could find their starting spots in jeopardy.

But none more so than Joelinton, whose recent dip in form and poor showing against Paquetá may force Howe to rethink his midfield options if Newcastle are to bounce back in Europe.