What Is The REAL Problem With Newcastle?

Last night's 3-1 defeat at Everton has already sparked up more ante and disagreements among blog members than I can remember in my time running the blog.

And that's a good thing.

There's nowt like a bit of well mannered argy bargy to bring out the frustrations of fans to the fore, but sometimes the issues that caused the problems can get buried in the pile.

Identifying and solving the issues those problems caused lies squarely at Jaissle's door and if we see more results like the one last night the hierarchy might just decide that he isn't the man they thought was the right guy to steady the Newcastle ship.

But, that doesn't stop us fans from having our say and here IMO are the issues that faced the club and Jaissle before a ball was kicked this season - and like that programme 'Seconds From Disaster' the seeds of where we are at now go back a while.

1. Morale at the club wasn't high after a relatively poor PL 12th place finish last season that was anything but the one expected after winning the EFL Cup and qualifying for the CL the season before.

   Isak going on strike and leaving for Liverpool, our top targets turning us down, and the stark message sent to our other top players that the players they expected might make us genuine title challengers weren't coming to SJP.

2. Other than Woltemade initially, none of the players we signed got the pulses racing and as the season wore on it was clear that Woltemade wasn't up to the PL and nor were the other players we signed the 'next level' players we needed, with the possible exception of Thiaw. Players aren't daft and they see the same things as us fans. Apart from another decent EFL Cup run and some good results in the CL our PL form was poor to the point where we could hardly win at home never mind away.

3. Eddie's 433 wasn't working, the team had lost it's spark, and so had he, and we now know he offered his resignation at the end of the season. You can bet the players saw Eddie's lights dimming and that brings uncertainty and whispering.

4. And then, we lose Gordon, Tonali and the real blow was Bruno joining the exodus. Added to Tripps leaving that was the heart torn out of the Cup winning and CL qualifying team of only a season before. And then Eddie jumped ship. It doesn't take much imagination to know how the remaining squad felt.

5. We needed big signings, and plenty of them, but even before Eddie left our prime targets Munoz and Manzambi agreed, then disagreed, to sign when 'better' offers came their way. Deja Vu all over again from the previous summer. Wilson's plan was clearly to sign young players from outside the PL but yet again we had to move down the list of targets and the risky decision - which the blog called at the time - was to pay relatively big money for young players with very little first team experience. By the time Jaissle arrived five had already been signed. Dedic and Gonzalez were clearly Jaissle picks, Pardo debatable, but along with Hornicek the first two are the only players from eight signed who have got regular minutes. No way do they go anywhere near replacing what we lost in Tripps, Gordon, Tonali and Bruno - who remember were part of a side that finished 12th and the

   Mackems completed the double over. And, reportedly, Ross Wilson's signing decisions over the summer are now being questioned by PIF with a large part of the c£250M spent warming the bench instead of firing Newcastle's team into better performances.

6. And that brings us to the present day. Out of the EFL Cup and 8th in the PL - one place above Villa on GD (yes ours is better) - but with many fans now seriously doubting whether Jaissle is up to the job. The first question all fans have to ask is - did we really expect anything better? If in doubt, read points 1-5 again.

That isn't to say criticism isn't justified, that the formation can't be questioned, that the defence is leaking too many goals, and that we are missing chances and shot shy in attack (12 PL goals scored to Villa's 9), or that Jaissle doesn't deserve to be under the spotlight.

But... Jaissle has had just 8 PL games and 3 EFL Cup games to sort out all of the issues he inherited - and for almost all of that time he has been without seasoned PL performers like Tino, Schar, Burn, Jo, Ramsey and Elanga. And Osula.

Strip those seven out and add in Gordon, Tonali and Bruno - and then throw in a bunch of young unproven youngsters - and did any fan really think we'd be any higher than 8th after 8 games?

We expected highs and lows and that is exactly what we are getting.

Jaissle could have done better, undoubtedly, but he also could have done a lot worse.

Some say he shouldn't have played 4231 in the first place, or that he should have changed it early doors, but they might forget that is what he and his coaching team have drilled into their training routines.

They wouldn't have expected a new formation to perform like clockwork in a squad full of new signings, so they were hardly going to up and change because it didn't tick on time from the first game of the season.

Having said that, if we continue to ship goals especially away from home then that 8th position in the PL will soon be a memory.

And, if the performances and results of the past five games continue the criticism and pressure on Jaissle will only become more justified. That is the brutal reality.

He had a big job on his hands, no question, but he needs to prove he is a big enough man and has the managerial quality to lead us out of where we are currently at.

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