Newcastle 1 Leverkusen 2: Very Few Positives

Another pre-season defeat but unlike the loss to Everton this was a game where there weren't many, if any, positives to take.

Leverkusen scored within a minute and yet again - was it a great goal or poor positioning by Hornicek?

It's early days but, like a few on the blog have mentioned after the game, our new keeper has yet to show that he is an upgrade on Pope. Let's hope he soon does.

Other points for me; Lewis Hall had a decent game but he he was dispossessed more than once when trying to be too clever in turning or beating his man. Hall has great ability but he needs to learn when to make the simple pass, especially in or near the box.

Botman had a better game and Thiaw was the pick of the team getting the equaliser with a well placed header.

Mason Miley did his chances of being involved in the first team squad this season no harm with a solid display and grew in confidence as the game went on.

His brother Lewis was tidy without doing anything exceptional which considering he is just back from a long time out is understandable. He was subbed at half time but only because he needed that 45 minute run out.

Elanga was lively in the first half but faded in the second as Leverkusen took control of the game. Wissa was OK and Barnes nearly got the right connection for an equaliser.

And that leaves Woltemade.

He played as the main ST and although it pains me somewhat to say it, he was awful.

Closing players down in the press doesn't just mean running towards them, it also means trying to get a challenge or block in. Wolt did a bit of the former and none of the latter. Not good enough, at all.

Also, the first aerial ball that was knocked up to him he remained as statuesque as last season. No backing in, no movement, no early jump... and the defender came straight over the top of Wolt and headed it away.

I can't recall him winning one ball in the air and apart from two good lofted passes just before he was subbed he looked like a fish out of water.

Bayern wouldn't pay the £69M fee saying he wasn't worth near that.

After his goalscoring start to last season we were laughing at what we believed were sour grapes, but unless Jaissle can work wonders with Big Nick, Bayern will have the last laugh.

So...

The one good thing to come out of the game - as if we didn't already know - is that we desperately need quality players through the door before the window ends.

Every penny that is left in the transfer kitty needs spending and - if that means some of it going on a ST - so be it.

My concern at the end of last season was that we couldn't keep Woltemade and Wissa just because we'd spent big money and would lose big by selling them.

There had to be confidence that they would come good or we would be relying on Osula maintaining his goal run at the end of last season.

Unless Jaissle is seeing signs in training that make him confident there are goals in the ST's we have, then not biting the bullet and buying another ST could bite us even harder.

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