Navigating a Premier League season is a constant process of problem-solving. A team can be strong in several areas, but even one persistent weakness can be exploited by savvy opponents and become a recurring headache for the manager.
For Newcastle United, the early part of the campaign has been a story of two contrasting tales. On one hand, the team has built its success on a foundation of defensive rock, boasting one of the best defensive records in the entire league.
On the other hand, a specific and growing concern at left-back threatens to undermine that very strength, creating a tactical dilemma that Manager Eddie Howe must solve.
The positives for Newcastle are significant and should not be overlooked. After a slow start in front of goal, the attack has begun to click into gear.
A commanding 4-0 victory in the Champions League was followed by a solid 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
Across those two matches, the team looked more creative and clinical, scoring six goals without reply. The new record signing, Nick Woltemade, is already repaying his transfer fee with important goals, and the midfield, led by the brilliant Bruno Guimaraes, is beginning to control games.
However, the true cornerstone of Newcastle’s early-season form has been their defense. The partnership between Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw in the heart of the defense is quickly becoming one of the most formidable in the league.
They are composed, strong in the air, and intelligent in their positioning. This solidity has resulted in an impressive six clean sheets already this season.
It’s a record that provides a safety net, allowing the team to grind out results even when the attack isn’t at its free-flowing best.
But this defensive fortress has developed a crack, and it’s located at the left-back position. The problem is not one of effort or commitment, but of fit.
The issue began with injuries to the team’s two natural left-backs, Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall, who are both facing long spells on the sidelines. This has forced Eddie Howe to turn to a trusted and reliable soldier: Dan Burn.
Burn is a cult hero at St. James’ Park for a reason. He is a towering, physical defender whose presence is felt in both penalty areas.
As a center-back, his attributes are perfectly suited to the demands of the Premier League. However, when asked to play at left-back, his limitations are exposed.
The role requires a different kind of athleticism pace to track speedy wingers, agility to change direction quickly, and the stamina to constantly push forward and support the attack before sprinting back to defend.
These are not Burn’s natural strengths. In the recent match against Nottingham Forest, this mismatch was clear for everyone to see. While Newcastle controlled the game and won comfortably, Forest repeatedly looked to attack down Burn’s side of the pitch.
He was dribbled past on multiple occasions, and his discomfort in one-on-one situations against quicker players was evident.
One content creator described watching him at left-back as “the stuff of nightmares,” a phrase that, while harsh, captures the anxiety his positioning can sometimes cause.
His statistical output from the game tells the story of a player caught between two roles; he made valuable defensive contributions like clearances and interceptions, but the key metric of being beaten by his man highlighted the core problem.
This is not a new issue, and it won’t go unnoticed by Newcastle’s future opponents. In the Champions League match against Union Saint-Gilloise, the Belgian team consistently targeted Burn’s flank, identifying it as a potential weak link.
As Newcastle prepares to face teams with more potent attacks, this area will come under increased scrutiny. A trip to face Brighton, for example, could see the pacy Yankuba Minteh running directly at Burn, a matchup that would test the defender to his limits.
The situation is complicated by Burn’s recent call-up to the England squad, where he will almost certainly be used in his natural center-back role.
While this is a wonderful personal achievement for him, it means he misses valuable training time to adapt to the specific demands of playing left-back for Newcastle.
This leaves Eddie Howe with a difficult decision. Does he persist with a square peg in a round hole, hoping the team’s overall defensive structure can protect Burn’s flank?
Or does he look for a temporary solution, perhaps in the free-agent market, to provide a more natural fit until his specialist left-backs return from injury?
Dan Burn has been, and continues to be, an invaluable member of the Newcastle squad. His character, aerial ability, and versatility are huge assets. But in the specific role of left-back, he is on borrowed time as a starter.
For a team with aspirations of competing at the very top, every position on the pitch must be optimized.
The central defense is a powerhouse, but the left side of the defense is currently a vulnerability. How Eddie Howe addresses this problem could be one of the defining stories of Newcastle’s season.
The team’s strength is built from the back, and for that foundation to hold, the left-back position needs a permanent and natural solution.
