Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe believes new signing Nick Woltemade could have made a difference in their goalless draw with Leeds United. Woltemade watched from the stands as Newcastle struggled to score, managing only two shots on target. Howe acknowledged the need for Woltemade to adapt but expressed confidence in his potential impact. Newcastle’s scoring woes continue, and Howe seeks improvement. Meanwhile, Leeds boss Daniel Farke is pleased with his team’s unbeaten home record and defensive performance.
Eddie Howe believes that the absence of new signing Nick Woltemade was keenly felt as Newcastle United were held to a frustrating goalless draw by Leeds United at Elland Road. The Magpies, who completed the €80m (£69m) acquisition of Woltemade from Stuttgart earlier in the day, struggled to break down a resolute Leeds defense, leaving Howe to ponder what might have been had the German forward been available.
Woltemade watched from the stands as Newcastle's attacking woes continued, with the team managing just two shots on target throughout the entire match. William Osula was given a rare opportunity to lead the line in the absence of Alexander Isak, who continues to be linked with a move to Liverpool. Anthony Gordon, who had previously filled in for Isak, was serving the first of a three-match suspension following his red card against Liverpool.
The match was a largely uneventful affair, with both teams struggling to create clear-cut chances. Leeds managed just one shot on target, while Newcastle could only muster two. The combined expected goals (xG) for both sides was a meager 1.01, with Leeds contributing 0.59 and Newcastle 0.42. This represents the second-lowest xG tally in any Premier League game since the beginning of last season, surpassing only Fulham's match against Manchester United in January, which produced a combined xG of 0.93.
Howe expressed his frustration at not being able to call upon Woltemade, who scored an impressive 17 goals in all competitions for Stuttgart last season. He highlighted the unique qualities that the German forward could bring to the team, particularly his physicality and creative flair.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Howe said, "I like the different dimensions to his game. Of course, he’s a big presence, he’s a big man, but he has really good technical skills and really good creative ideas around the box. If he was playing today, he would’ve helped us in that respect, seeing what other players can’t."
Howe acknowledged that Woltemade would need time to adapt to the demands of the Premier League and integrate into the team's style of play. However, he remains confident that the new signing will prove to be a valuable addition to the squad. "He’ll need a period where he adapts and he understands what we ask of him and the test the Premier League will bring him, but I think he will score goals and he’ll hopefully be a fantastic addition for us," Howe added.
Newcastle's struggles in front of goal are becoming a growing concern, as they have now failed to score in four of their last five Premier League matches, a stark contrast to their previous form, where they were shut out only three times in 28 games. Howe admitted that his team needs to improve significantly in the final third, regardless of the absence of key players.
"Any team in the Premier League would miss their centre-forward, so I think we’re in that bracket, but we’re also missing Anthony Gordon and Joelinton too," Howe stated. "I don’t think I can stand here and use that as an excuse. We still have very good players and can do more in that final third. It’s never been an issue for us, scoring goals, so we need to turn that round very quickly."
Addressing the speculation surrounding Isak's future, Howe revealed that he is also awaiting clarity on the situation. "I’m very much in your boat really, waiting to find out what’s going to happen. We can’t wait for the finish line, because we need clarity to move forward," he said.
While Newcastle are still searching for their first win of the season, Leeds remain unbeaten at Elland Road, having picked up four points from their opening three games. Leeds boss Daniel Farke expressed his satisfaction with his team's performance, particularly their defensive resilience. "I am happy with our home games," Farke said. "We played one of the best sides in the United Kingdom and we dominated. It was a pretty competitive game. This is exactly how a newly promoted side has to approach a game, with rock-solid defending and not giving any chances away."