Newcastle United defender Dan Burn believes his team needs to rediscover their gritty edge and take inspiration from Arsenal’s ability to mix style with toughness.
Following a 3-1 defeat to West Ham at the London Stadium — the Hammers’ first home win in nearly nine months — Burn admitted Newcastle’s struggles on the road have been “frustrating.”
“It comes down to mentality,” Burn said. “The manager will look at that and come up with a plan for how we can improve and win games — probably by being a bit more ugly.”
Burn referenced Newcastle’s past reputation for being hard to play against:
“A few years ago, we were known for a bit of ‘something-housery,’ and a lot of that edge has faded. But when you’re away from home, it’s important not to lose — just pick up points and keep the momentum going. We haven’t done that well enough.”
While Newcastle have been dominant at St James’ Park, winning their last four home games across all competitions, Burn emphasized that their upcoming Champions League clash against Athletic Club must be followed by a tougher mindset in their next league match at Brentford.
“That’s where you really earn your money,” he noted. “In our first year in the Champions League, we were underdogs. Teams didn’t respect us as much, so we could play ugly, press hard, and bully sides. As we’ve grown, we’ve added quality and better football, but there’s still a place for that toughness.”
He praised Arsenal as the perfect example of balance:
“Arsenal do it really well. They play great football, but they can also get ugly when needed — and that’s why they’re top of the league.”
Burn concluded that Newcastle need to rediscover that mix of grit and discipline:
“Sometimes we’re just a bit too nice. On days like Sunday, we needed to be more compact and resilient.”
Published on November 5, 2025
By goalx365