Newcastle 0 Aston Villa 1: A Score-line That Flatters The Toon

Yet again, as against Coventry, Newcastle had plenty of possession especially early in the game, but it was Deja Vu all over again as we failed to get one shot on target, the wingers slung crosses in that went unchallenged, and we looked vulnerable every time Villa got into our half.

In Manzambi and Jackson Villa had two players who were a constant goal threat and it was typical that Manzambi, yet another player who turned us down, found himself with a virtual free header from an unchallenged cross that he easily planted past Hornicek.

By that time Newcastle were fortunate to still have eleven men on the pitch after Botman launched into a tackle with both feet off the ground - without a slight toe poke on the ball it would have been a definite red, but it didn't stop Villa being given the green light to leave SJP with a deserved three points.

The truth is the score-line flattered Newcastle; Villa hit the post and had enough breakaways to increased their win by another one, two or even three goals.

More Baffling Team Selections

Before the game I posted that if Jo, Steur and Osula weren't in the starting eleven and we got beat, my confidence in Jaissle would really start to be stretched.

Well...

Only Jo started, but what position was he actually asked to play?

In the pre-match line up he was placed alongside Nico in the two, but he spent more time in the oppo's half and was even seen closing down Villa's keeper.

Up front Pardo was moved out to RW, another move that I wanted, but what was the point of having him and Barnes slinging crosses into the box when Wissa was expected to outjump Mings and Lindelof?

There was no point, evidenced by the fact that every cross went unchallenged.

The whole PL knows that Barnes wants to cut inside and have a dig, so he mixed it up in the first half with some good crosses, but the guy who should have been there challenging, Osula, was on the bench.

And, yet again, Steur the only mid who consistently looks to play Jaissle's 'vertical football' with penetrating forward passes through the middle was left on the bench.

So, we ended up having good possession, but it was a possession that got us nowhere near real chances and a measly full time total of just one shot on target - Villa just lapped up our sideways passing, forays down the wings, and shot shy attacks with ease.

What sticks in the craw is that, just like Coventry, Villa didn't have to very good to defend their lead, block our attacks, and continually threaten us on the break.

We've lost two games and conceded five goals against two teams that in PL performance terms were bang average at best.

Hopkinson & Wilson Come Under the Spotlight

Every fan knew that losing Isak a year ago and then Gordon, Tonali and Bruno, on top of our insprational skipper Trippier, and then Eddie Howe departing pre-season, would mean one heck of a recruitment performance was needed from Hopkinson and Wilson.

Those departures however added c£200M to the transfer kitty and shaved a mighty wedge off the wages bill as our top earners left to line their pockets even further.

The decision was made to appoint a young manager from the Saudi league and add six young players to the squad of whom, all but Hornicek were aged 21 or under, and whose fees ranged from c£24M to £51M.

Only Dedic and Gonzalez could be considered experienced players and only the latter had PL experience.

Of the eight players signed only Hornicek, Pardo and Nico started against Coventry and Villa, leaving c£170M of new signings on the bench or in Jaouens case injured.

Is it any surprise that our performances are way off where we'd like them to be?

No.

The decision to bring in a young manager and young signings with no PL experience at comparitively hefty fees was exciting at the time, but also a risk.

Ultimately, in all jobs and in all levels of management, you stand or fall and are judged on the decisions you make.

Hopkinson, Wilson and Jaissle are facing that judgement now.

It might still be too early to know the answer...

But it isn't too early to be asking questions.

And plenty of questions are being asked by fans not just on this blog, but right across the Toon fanbase.

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