How would you rate this opening half of the season for Newcastle United?
The Athletic asked journalists to create a ‘report card’ for the team they cover.
In the case of Newcastle United it was George Caulkin who had the job.
So how did Athletic man Eddie Howe and his team assess what has happened this season leading up to 2026?
George Caulkin has rated Newcastle United a ‘D’ in the first half of their Premier League season.
Asked to sum up this Premier League season so far for United, NUFC’s supporting journalist explains: “After a (new) summer full of unrest, Newcastle has had a difficult time after Alexander Isak. The Premier League has involved heavy work.”
As for Newcastle United’s biggest disappointment, Caulkin answers: “Newcastle’s away form is particularly moribund. With new players and more games to contend with, their pressing style is no longer functioning. There have been some truly terrible performances, including a lying 1-0 defeat to Sunderland, their local rivals. They ended the year with a win at Burnley, but god, it was a struggle.”
Ahead of Sunday’s clash with Crystal Palace, Eddie Howe and his team are thirteenth in the Premier League with 26 points.
However, it’s a bit of a strange season overall, with few teams showing any consistency.
At the halfway point, Newcastle United is still only four points behind the top five and an (almost certain) Champions League place.
When asked about Newcastle United’s biggest surprise this season, George Caulkin says: “Finally ending that long wait for success was not the springboard it could and should have been this season. With a trophy in the cupboard, European football to look forward to and money to spend after a dry spell in the transfer market, Newcastle were in a (theoretical) strong position. Recruitment, both outgoing and incoming, was desperate and they are still picking up the pieces. It turns out that being good is quite difficult.”
No discussion of this first half of Newcastle United’s season can ignore a debate about the impact Alexander Isak had on pre-season and when the season started. And how badly Newcastle United’s owners have let down Eddie Howe, the head coach who made it clear how important it was to bring in a key signing early this summer, but only one of the six arrived in time to have any pre-season at NUFC.
The very late arrival of new signings and the strike of Alexander Isak, followed by a long run of injuries, with none more disastrous than Isak’s replacement Yoane Wissa, who could not make his Premier League debut until the final game of 2025.
On a more positive note, the Athletic journalist says: “The Champions League and Carabao Cup have been much better” for Newcastle United and that Eddie Howe and his players deserve a ‘B+’ for the cup competitions so far.
Then when it comes to giving Newcastle United hope for the remainder of the 2025/26 season, the answer is: “That Eddie Howe can find some answers to Newcastle’s inconsistency. Qualification for the final stages of the Champions League would be decent. Successfully defending the Carabao Cup (is that too greedy?).”
Overall, I think it’s all a bit premature to write off this Newcastle United season yet.
Especially the cup competitions, a recent home record in all competitions of ten games played, eight wins and two draws, PLUS the fact that United are just four points away from a Champions League spot with half a season to play.
A reminder of what the Premier League table looked like after 19 games ahead of this weekend’s action:
So how did the other Athletic journalists rate the clubs they cover, their figures for the other Premier League clubs so far…?
Grade A star for Sunderland and Aston Villa
Grade A for Arsenal, Manchester City, Brentford
Grade A min for Crystal Palace, Leeds
Grade B min for Man U, Everton, Brighton
Grade C+ for Fulham
Grade C for Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs
Grade D for Bournemouth, Burnley, Newcastle United
Grade F for Westham
Grade F for Forest (but B minus since Dyche’s appointment)
Grade F min for Wolves
I have to say that I think many of these other journalists were a ‘little bit’ more generous in highlighting their clubs, compared to Geordie Caulkin and Newcastle United!
Of course, all eyes are now focused on how the second half of the season will go, then we will see how the full report cards will read…
#Honest #reflection #Newcastle #United #rated #midseason