POST-MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE: Eddie Howe: Newcastle 2-1 Tottenham

right M George two seconds with d and was that a classic ground out win yeah it was a tough game it was a really tough game I thought um second half in particular I thought first half was pretty even um but uh we came under pressure I thought we defended our goal really well um the great response really to to going one all from the players from the the guys that came on the pitch to find a way to win it's it's so difficult to win in this league especially if you're not at your absolute best so we're finding a way to do it so that's great signs but we know that um longer term we're going to need to improve our performance important was it to get positive result after the last few weeks sort of narrative well it's massive and it I mean you need to win um at any stage but I think when when there's difficult moments and this transfer window has been tough for us I think it's even more important because it it just enables you to see things clearly and to to move forward with positive momentum hopefully we can do that um today was a tough game but we as I said we found a way to grind out a win and hopefully that's good signs for the rest of the season George hi well I think it does because we know most transfer windows are shut so I think it gives us some stability and a lot of the off field talk can hopefully disappear and we can focus on the pitch and the players that matter um and we can try and get ourselves in a really good place I think what this does do hopefully will give us confidence it give us the ability to see ourselves as a very good team one that can get better and improve as the season goes on I still think we're short Fitness wise I think that's clear to see we've got a lot of work to do in the international break with the players at stay and I mean you've not been able to sort of show to your players you firstam got the you can together you Cann G yeah it is because you need the players to believe in themselves and you need the players to believe in the changing room and the ability that we have I think they do um but we've still got a number of players that can make a big difference out injured and that is always a challenge you can see today that was every player that was fit and available was on the bench was involved got no one else senior professionals so it's a really small Squad but in some senses that small Squad Fosters team spirit and togetherness and that's what we Tred to do go to Dominic and then to the front of L so you bring back to transfers you just mentioned most windows closed obviously some are still open is there still um yeah maybe the the players that have been linked to move like Jamal Lewis could possibly leave but certainly we hope no one else do four games into the season four games on beat another team Al maybe shortcoming fit while he playing how you like to St no I don't think we're playing as as we would like I think that's obvious I don't think we're playing with enough control I don't think we're playing with enough composure but um what we are showing is the defensive and um aggressive qualities that you need with I have to say with defending very well when you look at how much ball Tottenham had around our box today I thought the back four in particular and Nick were magnificent in repelling their threat made some really good defensive actions um but on the ball I think we got a lot of work to do our attacking play not kicked into Rhythm yet but in saying that today I still thought we could score at any stage of the game and before they scored I thought we missed a great chance to go 2-n very similar to the goal that we did score um when Jacob makes that brilliant pass to Alex and um I still I thought we looked an attacking threat while not having a lot of the ball Luke CRA and then Scott watching Anthony Gordon quite closely today what's what's the kind of issue with him is it is it a la of Fitness at the moment yeah I think Anthony's had a um an unusual Summer by his standards long stretch at the Euros where he didn't play so naturally I think that's a long period without game sharpness and everything that you need to get then he comes in for us he has a twoe preseason preseason are usually five to six weeks so I think it's clear that Anthony's slightly off on his um on his fit normal Fitness levels um especially where he was last year where he worked tirelessly to get into the best physical shape he could be um and at the moment we're trying to get him fit in the games we're trying to leave him on the pitch as long as we can knowing that we can't really train him because we got we had a busy spell so he's getting his Fitness from the matches which is never ideal but he will be fine um touchwood as long as he stays injury free uh we get him up to speed quickly a lot of players last season we all know that but perhap none of them more than a Nick po yeah I think you can see that today I mean his ability to keep the ball out of the net is unrivaled in my opinion he is an incredible shot stopper he fills the goal um couple of the saves he made today I thought were incredible typical nit like um and I just think he gives everyone around him confidence so you can't underestimate the power of your goalkeeper we certainly don't and that's no like Martin did a really good job for us last year but Nick has unique skills as Martin does and um it was a great performance from him today Greg any there was a Saudi contingent there today have you had a chance to speak with them and if so what what the message being thankfully no as in I don't have to answer your question uh but I hope to catch up with them after this when we last spoke you on Friday morning there was still T in the window go you said you answered all questions then but now you've had 36 hours to reflect what happened or what didn't happen where are you at in terms of that give us your sort of summary of the window challenging in one word no no one word's good challenge yeah challenging because we we knew going into the window is going to be challenging and it proved no different um and that I do say repeat myself because it's the only thing I can do is tell you my my feelings is that that would be the same for everyone connected with the club there's no one in any different position who's connected with the club that's wanting to do as good a job as we all can and try and improve the squad it was challenging um but by not spending uh any money I say any money we did we did spend a bit of money but but not spending the sums that maybe was expected hopefully that helps us in future windows I don't know as I sit here today but hopefully that gives us a bit more freedom in the future to be a bit more proactive Scott um sorry seems like these transfer questions there being today supp Turkish interest window still got two weeks I mean is there anything changed in his situation with you or are you still very muched you want here until January at the very least yeah absolutely I want Kieran here um that hasn't changed and that won't change now I up sort of the stories via a few messages as you do um so it's the first I'd heard of it and you know when we talk about players coming into the team um and you know we saw it last season where where players had to to do that I mean I me the role that he's played in faan's ABS I guess shows that while you have got a small Squad the importance of those type of players to be able to do that going to be m yeah I mean I think what it does do when you I said earlier that everyone who was fit today is involved this highlights how important every single player is and we have to get as I said yesterday we have to get the best out of every single individual and you look at Emil as a as a player he never really played center half in a back four before I don't believe he might say different but I don't believe he has I've not seen him do it he certainly played in a back three before but a back four to a back three is totally different he has done brilliantly in fabian's absence I have to say I think he's very very dependable um first and foremost he's a great character he wants to play for Newcastle he's absolutely motivated to improve full credit in we go to Mark Le and we finish with Aaron please Eddie we're not used to see teams kind of it's two games now anyway you probably not had possession probably not we stepped off a little bit more than we ever seen before that's not like a deliberate thing is it's more to do with the first game but also maybe not um yeah man that that is fair to say I mean you say you've not seen Newcastle teams before that I have um oh my teams yeah but but there be games where we've had to do that we've had to do that um the plan today was a mixture a mixture in our game as I said before I think after the Wolves game here last year we change our tactical plan whether people see it or not regularly we don't just have one way of playing and that's it we we're constantly changing you have to because the opposition you're playing against um are different as well every game So the plan was to be not without the ball as long as we were today but we knew there would be spells where we we wouldn't have it um but in some respects that doesn't damage us we're very good counterattacking team so we're quite prepared to be in that moment but longer term we know we need more of the ball and we will endeavor to have more of the ball um certainly that isn't a something that we plan to to go into any game planning to be without the ball for long periods but sometimes that happens you have to suffer that um while trying to find a way to win just finally Harvey bar didn't see that much really good so far this SE yeah it was a brilliant goal it was typical Harvey finish really I think he has the ability to not just finish really well but just take up great positions to score goals you look at his record it is incredible for a wide player at this level so so um really pleased for him he's fighting for a place in the team that will only Inspire us you see Jacob Murphy's contribution when he came on with a brilliant assist so uh that's good to see Edie sounds like looking forward to being in charge your destiny in some ways now because the Windows shut you get on the training field and results are that probably the only way to respond sometimes yeah I mean that's the only way I know I mean the transfer side of football now is so big that you can't as a manager control all of that you're very much concentrating on your own job which is coaching training style which we're working towards um but you know how important the transfer window is to everything that you do and your future success depends on how successful you are in the window so as I said earlier hopefully it gives us a bit more freedom in future Windows just on of the team owners here today that's got to drive you forward now between now and Janu the togetherness I think it always drives me forward uh I think when I come to work every day and your interacting with the staff and the players that we have here it's an absolute privilege and a pleasure to to be with them all I think we have a great team spirit is something that we have to protect at all costs and in part that go does go back to the transfer window have to bring the right characters to the good um the characters we brought in so far have have helped us get where we are okay to finish yeah I didn't know what was going to happen so the the war Flags display was a brilliant surp surprise when I walked out um visually it was incredible I'm sure Sandro well I could see Sandro who he was near me was emotionally moved brilliant thought his performance when he came on was outstanding he helped um us in a moment of need um just amazing from the supporters and again it doesn't surprise me but it is so important that relationship between players and supporters is strong and that's something again that we have to take ownership of as as from our side and make sure we're giving our R every time we wear the shirt now' like a number of our players I think he he's got some work to do um [Music] um but uh he be pleased I think with two contributions the contribution he made on Wednesday which was really good um and today again Premier League game very different to the Nottingham Forest game when he came onto the pitch we were in need of a spark and I felt with the other substitutes I thought he he gave us that thanks everyone cheers thank you cheers f