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The third episode of Newcastle United’s Prime Video documentary is released, officially, this week and it offers a glimpse into the motivational tactic Eddie Howe employed ahead of a vital home win over Manchester United. A win that propelled his team back into the top four in April.
The documentary trailer offered a snippet of said team talk, but now viewers can see in full what Howe told his squad before the game, and what was said at half-time when the game was locked at 0-0.
Context leading up to the game is important to understand, and this is outlined in the documentary via Alan Shearer’s voiceover: “In the build up to the game, Erik ten Hag was critical of Eddie Howe and his team.”
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The documentary cuts to Eric ten Hag’s pre-match press conference which shows the Manchester United manager being asked: “…you mentioned before the Cup Final that you were irritated by Newcastle with their tactics, I think that you were concerned about time wasting.”
Ten Hag responds: “We know they delay, and it’s something the referee doesn’t want. They want to have tempo in the game. So then they also have to be consistent to let the game go.”
Eddie Howe then explains to Amazon cameras the rationale behind his team talk. “I just want to try and maximise what we can from the group of players that we have to try and direct their thoughts. There’s not a set way, I don’t have a formula that I use as to what to say, it’s emotion at the time, your gut instinct. But I think anger can be a positive emotion.”
The documentary then cuts to his pre-match team talk inside the home dressing room at St. James’ Park where Howe tells his players: “My final message today, I’m going to do something that I rarely do. But I felt upon hearing the comments I needed to relay it to you.”
Flashing up words on a screen inside the dressing room, Howe continues:
“So comments from their manager, ‘They have the lowest ball in play time in the league and are quite successful at slowing the game down. It is an annoying team to play against, so we have to find a way to play against them. So it is up to us that we get the speed in the game and we’re also dependant on the refereeing as well.’
“Why am I telling you that? If they want a quick game, coming here? Let’s f*cking give it to ‘em. Let’s blow them away with our running, let’s be intense in every action that we do, let’s make it a quick game. Let’s go.”
In the next scene, back in the dressing room at half-time, Newcastle’s players cut a frustrated picture. It’s half-time, but the score is 0-0 despite the team dominating the game.
“F*cks sake, man!” shouts Joe Willock as he takes a seat, lamenting a golden chance he missed to opening the scoring. He is consoled by substitute Joelinton who tells him “Joe, keeping going, well done”.
Another substitute, Matt Ritchie can be heard shouting, “Same tempo, same intensity. They can’t live with you, keep going!”
Kieran Trippier then tells his team: “Boys, we need to be clinical. Against Man United, against these top teams you don’t get many [chances].” Before he slams both boots off the floor to remove the mud. “We need to be ruthless, When we get chances again, we put it away boys.”
Before the team head out for the second half, Assistant Manager Jason Tindall tells them: “We need to start the same way guys. Intense. The intensity blew them away first half.”
It proves to be the case, with Willock making up for his missed chance by scoring after 65 minutes. Then Callum Wilson heads home a header on 88 minutes to complete the victory.
In a post match interview, Manchester United defender Luke Shaw alludes to the fact that Newcastle’s intensity was the difference on the day. “I do think Newcastle are a very good side, but I don’t think they won the game on quality today. It’s an extremely tough place to come to here, I think they won it on passion, hunger, desire.”
The third episode of We Are Newcastle United is released on Prime Video on 25 August
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