Newcastle United’s season has been one of flickering brilliance mixed with moments of deep frustration. Eddie Howe’s men have shown flashes of their best, but those moments have been too inconsistent to define their campaign.
Ten games into the Premier League season, the Magpies sit 13th with just 12 points far from where they’d want to be. Their defeat to West Ham United extended a worrying seven-month streak without an away league win.
Yet, paradoxically, their Champions League form tells a different story, collecting nine points from 12 and looking far more composed on European nights. Add in their progress to the last eight of the Carabao Cup after impressive wins over Mansfield Town and Tottenham Hotspur, and you get a mixed picture: flashes of quality surrounded by lingering inconsistency.
Wednesday’s victory over Athletic Bilbao injected renewed optimism, but Howe’s task now is to fix his side’s biggest issues before momentum fades again.
At home, Newcastle are electric St James’ Park remains a fortress under the lights but away from home, the same belief and control seem to vanish.
Dan Burn epitomizes Howe’s philosophy: hard-working, fearless, and committed. However, the giant defender could soon find himself under pressure for his spot.
With Lewis Hall back from injury and impressing off the bench, competition is fierce. Content creator Geordie Josh recently called Hall a “generational left-back in the making,” a statement that many fans are starting to echo.
The 21-year-old offers a more athletic and progressive option compared to Burn, and his underlying numbers justify the hype. According to FBref data, Hall ranks in the top 16% of full-backs in Europe for both total passes and progressive passes, and in the top 9% for tackles won per 90 minutes.
These numbers underline what Newcastle need more of: dynamism and balance down the left flank. A progressive pass is defined as any pass that moves the ball at least ten meters closer to the opponent’s goal or any successful pass into the penalty box a vital component of Howe’s attacking structure.
Still, Newcastle’s strength lies in their spine. Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães continue to dictate games from midfield, with Tonali claiming yet another Man of the Match award midweek.
Up front, Nick Woltemade has stepped in admirably to fill the void left by Alexander Isak after a turbulent summer. But despite this solid foundation, one major concern lingers the form of Anthony Gordon.
Some Newcastle fans are beginning to draw uncomfortable comparisons between Gordon and former winger Gabriel Obertan, whose unfulfilled potential remains symbolic of a frustrating era at the club.
Obertan, once a highly rated youngster from Manchester United, joined Newcastle for £3 million and managed only three goals and ten assists in 77 appearances.
Now, Gordon’s struggles have prompted similar whispers. After the defeat at West Ham, fans noted that the winger has gone 21 Premier League games without a goal and 19 without an assist numbers no forward of his calibre should be posting.
Gordon, who arrived from Everton in January 2023 for £45 million, was expected to be one of the cornerstones of Newcastle’s new era. Last season, he lived up to that billing, earning the club’s Player of the Year award with double digits in both goals and assists.
But his form this term has dipped alarmingly. Despite his pace, energy, and technical quality, he hasn’t found the same fluency or confidence in the final third.
Below is a breakdown of his Premier League record so far:
| Season | Club | Apps | Goals (Assists) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | Newcastle United | 7 | 0 (0) |
| 2024/25 | Newcastle United | 34 | 6 (5) |
| 2023/24 | Newcastle United | 35 | 11 (10) |
| 2022/23 | Newcastle United | 16 | 1 (0) |
| 2022/23 | Everton | 16 | 3 (0) |
| 2021/22 | Everton | 35 | 4 (2) |
| 2020/21 | Everton | 3 | 0 (0) |
| 2019/20 | Everton | 11 | 0 (1) |
Those numbers highlight just how steep Gordon’s drop-off has been this season. The winger, once described as “a nightmare for anyone” by Howe, now looks far from that. His failure to convert big chances three missed already this season is only compounding the frustration.
While Isak’s exit may have disrupted Newcastle’s attacking rhythm, the responsibility on Gordon’s shoulders has grown heavier, and he has yet to rise to the occasion.
To make matters worse, his disciplinary issues including a red card against Liverpool and a recent hip injury setback against Bilbao have further derailed his progress. The Chronicle Live gave him a 5/10 rating for that game, noting he “never looked right.”
For a player once valued at £100 million and linked with a sensational return to Liverpool, Gordon’s stagnation is worrying. He’s too talented to fade into mediocrity, but he must rediscover his cutting edge before the “Obertan territory” tag sticks. Newcastle cannot afford passengers, especially in a season where ambition and expectation are sky-high.
Howe’s challenge now is clear: restore Gordon’s confidence, reignite Newcastle’s attacking spark, and translate those St James’ Park performances into consistent away form.
If he succeeds, the Magpies’ campaign could yet take a dramatic turn for the better. If not, this season may become another story of wasted potential both for the team and one of its brightest stars.
