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To positively no one’s surprise, Newcastle United lost 2-1 to Bournemouth on Saturday to increase the pressure on Eddie Howe
This was a display lacking in any kind of drive, spirit or ambition. The Howe era is drifting and Newcastle United lack a backbone. If the season was any longer, there would be genuine fears of a relegation battle.
Who was Newcastle United’s biggest flop against Bournemouth and why? 
Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images
A William Osula goal either side of strikes from Marcus Tavernier and Adrien Truffert condemned Newcastle to yet another defeat.
Here’s how Geordie Boot Boys rated the players…
Aaron Ramsdale – 6
Ramsdale never really convinces and it says a lot that a loan player with seemingly little chance of staying beyond the next few games is starting ahead of Nick Pope.
There are bigger problems than him, of course, but it wasn’t brilliant from him on Saturday.
Tino Livramento – 4
Livramento is so far off it right now and he will hope the injury that forced him off has no impact on his World Cup dream.
It’s hard not to feel that his time here is drawing to a close. He’s been brilliant for Newcastle for so long but he’s far from the player who thrilled supporters for so long.
At best, he looks distracted.
Malick Thiaw – 5
Where has the Thiaw of old gone? The German was not alert enough for either goal and the good credit he built up in the first half of the season is slowly starting to diminish.
Sven Botman – 5
Another player who looks completely lost right now. The Botman of old used to dominate defensively, but he is pushed around far too easily.
Struggling to see how he can hope to get back to his best levels right now.
All opinions welcome but I would LOVE to know how you think Howe can turn this around….
It’s the same thing every week!
Credit: Getty Images/Stu Forster Lewis Hall – 6
Hall never seemed right the whole game and the fact he was taken off at the break was a concern. Given his performances this season, as close to being exempt from criticism as one can possibly get during this dreadful run of form.
Sandro Tonali – 6
Are the teams supposedly interested in Tonali watching him right now? There’s a lot of running but not much in the way of quality.
Not a dreadful performance on an individual level but so far from the player we saw last season.
Jacob Ramsey – 4
Ramsey has a tendency to let games pass him by, which is hardly ideal from the club’s big midfield signing.
Did next to nothing here and has not often looked like the upgrade on Sean Longstaff many predicted him to be.
Lewis Miley – 6
Miley looked frustrated at times, and it’s hard to blame him. While not to pretend he put in an excellent showing, he is not – and probably never will be – a major issue right now.
Anthony Elanga – 4
Really poor again and a poor decision in the second half attracted audible groans from the crowd. Elanga has never got going as a Newcastle United player.
It’s natural to want to give him a chance but the Sweden star has done so little to suggest he’s anything like the player they really needed on the right.
Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty ImagesWilliam Osula – 7
The only starter to emerge with any kind of credit, frankly.
Osula played on the shoulder and did very well for his goal, even if the way in which the ball broke to him was rather fortunate.
The composure he showed to round the goalkeeper indicated an increasing confidence.
Harvey Barnes – 3
Utterly anonymous. When Barnes isn’t scoring goals, his performances can be like that sometimes.
On paper, he’s an ideal back-up for Anthony Gordon. That hasn’t actually been the case on the grass for a while now, however.
Subs: Kieran Trippier – 6Bruno Guimaraes – 7Jacob Murphy – 5Dan Burn – 6Nick Woltemade – N/AJoin Our Newsletter
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