Let's Not Panic... Yet.

4-1 defeats in our last two away games - coming on top of a glaring inability to defend playing Jaissle's 4231 system - have seen the panic buttons bring pressed with a hard thumb right across Geordie land.

Football can kick you in the teeth and punch you in the stomach and in my 60 odd years of supporting The Toon I've taken more beatings than a worn out journeyman boxer.

Even younger fans will have slack ivories and a bruised belly...

It's all part of supporting the 'hokey cokey, in out, shake it all about' Newcastle United dance team that takes the field no matter who is our manager or what squad we have at SJP.

Take last night...

"We could go fourth" was the cry...

We went fourth all right; four goals shipped against a promoted team that had lost their first four games on the trot, hadn't scored in any of them, and had only one win and one goal to their name... until they played Newcastle United, the gift that keeps giving.

I'm Not Writing Off Jaissle & His 4231... Yet.

Some on the blog last night - understandably - all ready have, and I can imagine social media is ablaze with salvo's being launched and nuclear missiles being fired in all directions at our new manager and his squad.

And yet, for me, despite tonight's awful result IMO it's far too early to talk about MJ and even his 4231 system being a failure.

But...

Jaissle needs to understand and learn the lessons of our performances and weaknesses fast. The honeymoon is over and the divorce lawyers are already in the shadows.

These were disasters waiting to happen and I know am not alone in being gutted but not surpised at our second 4-1 collapse in three games - that collapse was also evident in the second half against Hull when we were fortunate to get all three points.

There ARE mitigating circumstances...

Who knows what his team selections would have been from the start of the season if Osula, Burn and Jo hadn't all been out injured at the same time.

Jaissle has had to work with the players he had available and shorn of those three he lost a combination of aggression, physical presence, leadership and experience that it is clear the team desperately needed.

The young signings that seemed so exciting at the time, along with our young manager, have found the PL a brutal experience where weaknesses are quickly identified and ruthlessly exposed.

Last night emphatically proved that we are a defensive weakness just waiting to capitulate and when that capitulation can come even against a poor team like Coventry Jaissle has to realise that massive changes are needed urgently.

Daniel Farke faced a similar situation six or seven games in for Leeds last season and changed his system to 352 dropping to 3421 out of possession and transformed their performances - Amorim at Man U refused to change his failing system and team selection and got sacked.

Which way will Jaissle go?

We'll find out in his team selection on Saturday.

IMO if Osula, Burn and Jo are all fit to start... then they have to start.

And Steur should start at 10.

I couldn't in some ways care less who else Jaissle starts or leaves out.

But if those four players don't start and we lose, especially heavily, serious questions then need to be asked about the man in charge.

Strong leaders are never afraid to admit they are wrong, especially when they are leading their troops into an impossible situation.

That is where Jaissle is at now.

He either changes from 4231 or he radically changes who plays in that system.

If he doesn't...

He is leading NUFC into a death march that could end in relegation.

Last Post: Coventry 4 Newcastle 1

Next Post: Keep Calm & Carry On