Pod On The Tyne: an independent NUFC podcast

As Newcastle's executives prepare to report to a delegation of the majority owners we're primarily concerned about coming up with tabloid-style puns. Foremost among the departments presenting to Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, you may think, will be the coaching, talent identification, and transfer sections. Squad building conducted last summer continues to have a significant effect on the pitch. No more so than in attack. Big money was spent on Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade and, while the german has ten goals, neither has settled in. So much so, that young forward Will Osula has taken the centre-forward starting spot. Will he keep it for the crucial visit of Brighton? Thanks to The Athletic's German Football Correspondent Seb Stafford-Bloor for his contributions this week and love from us all to Chris and the whole Waugh family. To donate to the Tiny Lives charity for Chris's running challenge, please click here.

Please enjoy this Extra Tyne episode with our compliments; we hope you will support the great work of everyone at The Alan Shearer centre. For more information, go to https://www.alanshearerfoundation.org.uk/. George Caulkin has been training to run the London Marathon on behalf of The Alan Shearer Foundation. To find out more, he recruited the man himself as a personal tour guide before sitting down to reflect on 20 years of work and what Alan would like to achieve next.

Eddie Howe's rather dramatic team selection brought about a lively start from Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium (what might we be saying had Will Osula buried his opportunity in the first minute?!). But, ultimately, this was another defeat. No shame in losing to a team locked in a title fight, you might think, but Arsenal were up against themselves as much as Bruno & co. Bruno brought quality, purpose, and drive back into the midfield. With four games left to stave off the (still quite remote) relegation worries, we'll need a more tangible improvement next time out.

Newcastle United's Premier League form has nosedived; actually, it's worse than that, it has come to an abrupt halt, set itself alight, all the wheels have fallen off, and it's sitting in the middle of the runway covered in soot. The situation feels impossible, the damage irrepairable; but is it? We break the club up into three areas of investigation; the ownership, the manager, and the team. Then we try to decide whether each of them can be fixed or needs replacing. With a trip to Arsenal this weekend something will have to change pretty sharp-ish or Saka-absence, nervous Emirates, sudden unexpected heat-death of the Universe, there's nothing that can save us from a serious beating.

We've already asked for reactions, resets; we've asked about the manager, the players, the executives. We've asked "where do we go from here?", and "is Europe still do-able". Today, we asked "can Newcastle be relegated?"... St James's Park may have reached resignation levels with this team in its current incarnation. The problem is, there are five games to go.

Defeat at Crystal Palace, particularly the nature of it and especially the closing half hour, have left us in no doubt that significant changes are needed and it seems they are on the way. But, what will those changes look like? We consider the options. The Bournemouth game now carries weight; not only as one Howe's team must win to regain any momentum in their pursuit of European football. There is added spice with news that opposition manager Andoni Iraola, an appealing prospect to many fans, has decided to leave the Cherries this summer. Les Ferdinand will be forever remembered as the free-scoring spearhead of Kevin Keegan's doomed title bid in 1995/96. Remarkably, he is also one of the first eleven black players to represent the club. Those players will be celebrated by Wor Flags as part of a Show Racism the Red Card event at the Bournemouth game this Saturday. His feelings on the display are, understandably, conflicted.

What kind of blurb do you want here? Newcastle had three weeks off; loads of the internationals had a rest, one or two good players returned from injury, and the squad had plenty of time on the training pitch... ...and then the same thing happened. Time to worry.

Three weeks without a Premier League fixture may have been a little excessive but we're fully refreshed, hydrated, and ready to resume hostilities at *check notes* Selhurst Park *groan*. Kieran Trippier is now in the closing stages of his time as a Newcastle player having announced his departure at the end of his current deal, this summer. What an impact he has had in his time with us! Unfortunately, The Lasses(TM) are facing up to another season in WSL2 after a draw at home to Nottingham Forest left their promotion hopes hanging by a thread.

Newcastle’s financial results were published on Monday with a press briefing held at St James’s Park held by CEO David Hopkinson and CFO Simon Capper. The headline story was the transfer of the leasehold of the ground; have NUFC joined the creative accounting collective? Whenever senior club officials speak to the press footballing matters dominate the questioning and, after a terrible week on the pitch, this time was no different. We consider some of David Hopkinson’s answers, not least his response on Eddie Howe. Newcastle’s Under 15s won a Premier League tournament over the weekend; the Academy’s Head of Football Development, Mark Atkinson, tells us about what that means, and we check in on a frustrating day for TheLasses™.

That wasn't the week that was in the script. Two huge games, two miserable collapses, several thousand angry geordies. Will Eddie Howe carry the can for those performances? For the first time in his Newcastle career, there are real concerns about whether he can take the team forward with a squad that lacks the drive, nous, and unity that have been hallmarks of his tenure. Or, will he finally be given the significant overhaul of playing staff that feels long overdue. European qualification would be a positive step forward, but it feels a distant hope. Elsewhere, TheLasses(TM) came away with a point in a drab contest with promotion rivals Crystal Palace. Peter Ramage tells us how much he's been enjoying his time working with the team.

A friendly set of Premier League results on Saturday had presented NUFC with an opportunity to get themselves back into the Champions League picture and we all know what that means this season. After a positive start, Howe's men proceeded to stink out St James's Park, particularly in a second-half that horrified even the most ardent context-hunters. Did anyone in black and white emerge with credit? It's going to be a loooong three weeks until the next league game.

Newcastle United emerged from the Camp Nou dressing rooms a goal behind in the Champions League last 16; twenty minutes later their hopes were shattered, with shards strewn amongst a debris of defensive calamities. What could have been Eddie Howe's greatest ever managerial achievement will be remembered as an evening of embarrassment. There's only one way to redeem that, along with a sterile performance at the Stadium of Light in December, and that's a derby win at the weekend; ideally in some style. Different story for TheLasses(TM) who vanquished Birmingham City to boost their promotion hopes with Crystal Palace next. And Chris has an Academy update as Robbie Stockdale is named full time manager of the U21s.

Usually, when you win at a ground for the first time in a decade (second time in four decades!), you'd be thinking limbs, cans, maybe even can cans. Newcastle's away end certainly enjoyed today's victory at Stamford Bridge, but there was no great spectacle or sense of an event. Reporting from Fulham Broadway, Chris Waugh is joined by a competition winner to recap a job well done, even if we're all thinking about Barcelona already.

Newcastle's hopes of progress to the Champions League quarter finals had a huge boost with Harvey Barnes late goal in the first leg of their last 16 tie against Barcelona... ...and then took an equally large hit with Lamine Yamal's late penalty. Was it the best performance of the season? Were Barca a little complacent? Where will Lewis Hall finish in the Ballon d'Or list? We also consider the small matter of Chelsea away in the league, we hear from Jemma Purfield as The Lasses resume hostilities in WSL2, and there's a brief reaction to the news of ticket price rises.

Newcastle United are out of the FA Cup, having been thoroughly beaten by Pep Guardiola's Manchester City 3-1 at St James's Park. Chris and Luke Edwards analyse a deflating evening. With the cup exit, dreams of domestic silverware will have to wait, but Barcelona are the visitors in Tuesday's Champions League last 16 tie and Eddie Howe is certainly not underestimating the scale of that fixture.

Manchester United have been through some tough times recently but an unbeaten run under interim boss Michael Carrick brought them to St James's Park full of confidence. Yet, on a clear Wednesday night, Newcastle United defied their own dodgy league form, yet more questionable refereeing, and anyone else who wants some, to hold firm with ten men before a true moment of inspiration. Spring is in the air, and there was a spring in Will Osula's step as he first won possession from Bruno Fernandes before speeding onto Trippier's through ball and curling home a delicious winner. Happy, happy, joy, joy. Next up, the other lot from Manchester... why not, eh!? To find out more about the 'Unofficial World Club Championship' head to https://www.stevesfootballstats.uk/

Newcastle's form has seen a slight uptick in recent games, but absolutely not in the Premier League. Newcastle have lost five from six in the league, and this defeat makes it three successive league games at home for the first time under Eddie Howe. Having twice overcome their own attacking difficulties to equalise, they quickly gifted the lead back to Everton, who were also grateful to Jordan Pickford for a magnificent save late on.

Today's title is three things Eddie Howe has built his team around, but are desperately lacking from the podcast as we lurch from gaffes to factual errors via hungry cats. Yes, Newcastle are through to the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time since we did it before in a different format, which technically wasn't the last 16, it was the second group stage... anyway, it's a great achievement. Of course, the play-off tie with Qarabag was all but over after the first leg, and it WAS all over eight minutes into the second. The game at St James's then went a bit sideways; we break down the breakdown. Next up Everton, with inside info from a friendly face, and the players who have manufactured an upturn in form must now turn that into a league win at home.

Newcastle's mileage has topped 5,000 this week and they added a few hundred more with a journey to Manchester to take on City, who have had a week off. Confidence was rock bottom going into this one; the team's record at the Etihad Stadium is woeful but, while another defeat goes on the list, there were a fair few encouraging aspects. Chris Waugh is joined by the Daily Telegraph's Luke Edwards for analysis of our best attempt yet at breaking the Etihad duck.

Newcastle's agony at missing out on direct passage to the Champions League last 16 was eased slightly as they made light work of their play-off tie. Five first-half goals, four from centre forward Anthony Gordon, effectively put the tie beyond hosts Qarabag. Next up, Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.. it's a graveyard of geordie hopes and dreams, can three consecutive away wins trigger a change of fortunes? Things are on the up for Newcastle's women as well going into the international break.