Richard Keys must be adored. You don’t. Don’t you…?
Hmmm. He’s doing it again.
Richard Keys enjoys stirring things up and getting people worked up.
Eddie Howe, among others, is in his sights this time.
Richard Keys in his personal blog on September 18, 2023:
‘How about this for a phone number?
One of the top six executives will be fired before November. And it’s a fairly nice race right now.
Ten Hag, Howe, and Pochettino are all firmly in the picture.
Guardiola, Klopp, and Arteta are all as secure as a house.
Let’s start with the first list.
It might surprise you that I’ve included Eddie Howe and I very much hope I’m wrong.
Howe did a fantastic job last season, but this time round it’s very different.
Newcastle haven’t made a good start but back to back games v Man City and Liverpool was a tough ask.
Having said that – if you’ve got ambitions to be a top club you’ve got to be competitive in games of that nature – and certainly win games at home against other top 6 teams.
Newcastle should’ve beaten Liverpool.
And they should’ve got at least a point at Brighton.
Top teams don’t get beaten in those games. The very best teams win them.
They were lucky v Brentford. Gordon throwing himself at Flekken should never have resulted in a pen – so Newcastle got away with one there.
Now comes the CL – a wonderful distraction that they didn’t have last season.
There’s no reason why they can’t beat Milan in the San Siro, but if they don’t, do the owners start to get a bit edgy?
It’s Sheff Utd at the weekend, then City in the Carabao Cup – Burnley and PSG after that.
If they’re only scratching results – or worse – I can see one or two questions getting asked.
Again – I hope not, but we live in a realistic world – not a romantic one.’
So Newcastle United have faced five of the other eight teams that finished top nine last season, the most difficult opening schedule of any Premier League team.
Richard Keys ‘forgetting’ to mention the 5-1 hammering of Aston Villa on the opening day of the season, whilst ‘lucky’ to beat Brentford? I don’t think so. United were the better team and deserved to win, even if you believe Newcastle were fortunate to get the penalty (which I don’t), then Brentford getting that Callum Wilson goal ruled out was even luckier.
‘And they should’ve gotten at least a point at Brighton,’ said Richard Keys. Top teams do not lose in those matchups. They are won by the best teams.’ At the same time, Arteta and Klopp are ‘as safe as houses’…
Ironically, Arsenal were thrashed 3-0 at home by Brighton only a few months ago! Earlier this year, Klopp’s Liverpool were defeated 3-0 at the Amex.
Never take Richard Keys seriously, especially when he is feverishly attempting to stir it up.