"It felt like a mental test as much as a physical one. How would Newcastle United cope with the voyage to Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium - less than 72 hours after suffering a 2-1 defeat against Barcelona? Navigating such challenges certainly stretched Newcastle during the club's previous foray in the Champions League in 2023. Indeed, after losing against Borussia Dortmund, a drained, injury-hit side were beaten by Bournemouth just a few days later."
"But this goalless draw threw up an unusual quandary. On one hand, resilient Newcastle have now kept three clean sheets in a row on the road in the Premier League this season. However, on the other, the blunt black-and-whites have also failed to score in any of those games against Bournemouth, Leeds United and Aston Villa. "We're evolving and changing as an attacking force," Howe told Match of the Day."
"replacements Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade are going to need time to fill the void for differing reasons. Wissa is a proven Premier League player, but the former Brentford forward is set to be out with a knee injury until after the next international break in October while record signing Woltemade is adjusting to the physicality of the top flight following his 69m move from Stuttgart."
Newcastle United drew 0-0 at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium less than 72 hours after losing 2-1 to Barcelona. The result extended a run of three consecutive Premier League away clean sheets while also marking the third successive away match without scoring, following games against Bournemouth, Leeds United and Aston Villa. Champions League travel and recent squad changes tested the side, echoing a 2023 pattern when European fixtures and injuries led to a subsequent defeat at Bournemouth. Alexander Isak missed early matches and completed a British-record move to Liverpool on deadline day; Yoane Wissa faces a knee layoff and Nick Woltemade is adapting after a £69m Stuttgart transfer, though Woltemade showed promising link-up play.
Read at www.bbc.com
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