Does Matthias Jaissle Have the Right Newcastle United Squad to Play His Way?

Newcastle may have made eight signings thus season but only three were made after Jaissle arrived and all of those signings were aged 21 or over.

Of the other five signings four were were aged 20 or under and the core squad had also lost its top performers.

So, the question is; does Jaissle have the right squad to play his style of football in his favoured 4231 system?

A high press and vertical football works best when attacking players can exploit space immediately after possession changes hands.

That's why pace, movement and quick decision-making become so important.

Newcastle definitely have attacking players capable of hurting teams, but Jaissle now needs to discover which combination gives him the intensity he wants without sacrificing creativity or a genuine goal threat.

Are Newcastle's Centre-Backs Being Left Too Exposed?

This may be less about the defenders themselves and more about what is happening in front of them.

When a high press works, the opposition should struggle to play forward.

When it doesn't, the centre-backs can be left defending large areas of the pitch.

No Premier League defence wants to spend 90 minutes doing that but the stats show that Newcastle have conceded more shots than any other team in the PL this season.

And, the fact is, our forward press has been almost non-existent so not only is a key element of Jaissle's tactical approach almost totally missing - but a high press isn't the cause of the defence conceding a high number of shots.

Does Jaissle Need to Adapt His Tactics?

Probably — but adapting doesn't mean abandoning them.

The best managers have a clear philosophy but recognise that different opponents create different problems.

If Jaissle wants to enforce his style of play there will be matches when Newcastle can press high and overwhelm teams. We saw that with Eddie Howe early in his time.

There will be others when dropping five or ten yards, controlling midfield and choosing the right moment to press might be more effective, especially away from home.

The Premier League has a ruthless habit of punishing teams that become predictable and that was one of the reasons Eddie Howe struggled for performances and results last season.

What Should Jaissle Change Against Hull?

Saturday's game against Hull at St James' Park now takes on a wider context than the usual one of wanting to win the game.

The result will obviously matter, but we should also watch how the team reacts when possession is lost.

Will the players in the three drop back, track their man and close down spaces?

Will the team push a high line and press when Hull are playing out from the back?

And if Hull beat the initial press, does the team have a way of countering a quick break or a ball over the top?

The answers to those questions are every bit as important as whether Jaissle continues with 4231 or reverts to 352 or any other system.

In any system, the players need to be drilled in their roles, stick to them, and work as an organised unit.

In the first half especially against Bournemouth and Leeds the players were simply not functioning as a team and looked lost and bewildered as the oppo swarmed all over them - not just physically, but numerically and in tactical organisation.

The Leeds defeat doesn't prove that Jaissle's system won't work at Newcastle.

But it did demonstrate how badly things can go wrong when it doesn't.

The next stage for Jaissle isn't necessarily changing his philosophy. It's finding the Newcastle players — and the balance between them — capable of making it work.

Last Post: Matthias Jaissle- What fans Need To Consider

All Posts