- Lewis Hall’s comments after Nottingham Forest game revealed
- England international’s verdict on position change
- Eddie Howe confidence that will ease concerns
Lewis Hall has spoken out about his current situation at Newcastle United and his move to right-back in the 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest.
Hall was dropped by Eddie Howe in favour of Dan Burn on the left-hand side of defence in recent games, much to his and many of the fans’ bemusement.
The England international returned to the starting XI last weekend. But, instead of his usual spot, Hall was placed at right back following the injury of Lewis Miley and the continued absence of Tino Livramento.
Hall ‘not best pleased’ at being dropped
Speaking in the wake of Newcastle’s 1-1 draw at the City Ground, Hall spoke openly about his spell on the bench.
The left-back said, “I was very happy to be back in the team,” he told Chronicle Live. “I think any player never wants to be on the bench. I think it goes without saying I wasn’t best pleased.
“Like I said, everyone goes through their moments in football. It’s just about how you deal with them. I was back in the team today, so I was happy.”
It was an eloquent and reserved response to what was largely considered an unjust decision.
Hall has undeniably been one of the Magpies’ best players this season, and there is a lot to suggest the situation could have been much worse for the club without his presence.
Whilst there was some uproar among the fanbase, Eddie Howe’s decision seems to have been met with little resistance by the World Cup hopeful.
Hall’s patience was rewarded against Nottingham Forest, with the 21-year-old welcomed back into the fold.
Albeit Hall’s return came in the form of a slight positional tweak, which wasn’t met particularly well by the Geordie faithful.
Hall ‘quite happy’ to play right back
It was the absence of both Miley and Livramento that sparked Hall’s positional shift. He was favoured there over the departing Kieran Trippier, which was somewhat of a surprise to many.
Speaking about his return, Hall said, “I’ve moved there (right-back) a couple of times during the game and stuff.
“The gaffer put me there in training a few times this week. I’d like to think I’m comfortable with both sides, to be fair. I was quite happy to.
“I enjoyed playing there today. Similarities on both sides, obviously. Some things are different. We’ve got two games left. We’ve got Tripps available as well. He’s an outstanding player. He’s not got many games left, so whatever the gaffer decides, let’s go with that.”
Hall’s comments will have served to calm supporters’ nerves, with many believing he may become unhappy given how the last few weeks have unfolded.
The left-back’s apparent subtle vote of confidence in Eddie Howe was also interesting. It could give an insight into how the players are feeling amid swirling speculation about Howe’s future.
All things considered, Hall is clearly unfazed by the current landscape.
The last two games against West Ham and Fulham may well see Hall continue in the right-back spot ahead of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad announcement and what will likely be a big summer for Newcastle United.
Either way, there doesn’t seem to be quite the scope for panic about Hall’s future as there had been in the immediate aftermath of the Forest game.
