Why Can't Newcastle Get the Same Yoane Wissa Who Plays for DR Congo?

With most Newcastle fans bemoaning that we don't have a consistent goalscorer and that we've wasted big money signing shot shy forwards - and especially £55M on Yoane Wissa - how is it that Wissa is scoring for fun for D R Congo?

Nine goals in his last 13 international appearances.

Three goals in three Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Those are impressive figures for any striker, particularly one who has struggled so badly to reproduce that form at club level.

Yet that is precisely the situation Newcastle United find themselves in with Yoane Wissa.

The 30-year-old was on target again on Thursday, scoring after just three minutes as DR Congo beat Sierra Leone 3-1.

Meanwhile, at Newcastle, Wissa has managed just four goals in 41 appearances since arriving from Brentford.

So what exactly is going wrong?

And perhaps more importantly, is the problem really Wissa, or is it the way Newcastle are playing?

Are We Playing Wissa in the Wrong Position?

One of the most noticeable differences between Wissa's performances for DR Congo and Newcastle is how he is used.

For his country, Wissa often operates alongside Cedric Bakambu, a traditional centre-forward who can hold the ball up, occupy defenders and create space for others.

That allows Wissa to make intelligent runs into dangerous areas and concentrate on what he does best — finishing chances.

At Brentford he formed a two man attack with Ivan Toney and then Brian Mbuemo with Wissa and Mbuemo switching between playing through the middle and out wide.

At Newcastle, Matthias Jaissle has frequently used him as a number 10 in his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation.

But is Wissa really a number 10?

No, he isn't.

His greatest strengths are his movement, anticipation and ability to arrive in the penalty area at the right moment.

Playing him deeper, particularly when Newcastle are struggling to retain possession, is just putting a square peg in a round hole.

Newcastle's Slow Build-Up Isn't Helping

Another significant difference is the speed with which the ball reaches Wissa.

For DR Congo, the attacking play is often direct and purposeful.

They get the ball forward quickly, allowing Wissa to exploit spaces before opposition defenders can reorganise.

Newcastle, on the other hand, have frequently been painfully slow moving the ball through midfield.

That doesn't suit a player who thrives on quick balls played through the lines or between the CB's, plus he has never been given a run in one position this season being switched from a ST to a 10 due to Osula's injury and Pardo being given starts as a CF.

What About His Brentford Form?

Wissa scored 19 Premier League goals for Brentford in the 2024/25 season.

Some say that was a 'one off' season but 19 PL goals without penalties and a consistent scoring record for DR Congo cannot be so easily dismissed.

Strikers, more so than any other position, need to be given the type of service they thrive on and, like Chris Wood before him, Wissa hasn't had that during his time at Newcastle.

Is Jaissle Trying to Fit Players Into His System?

This brings us back to something I've questioned previously about Jaissle's 4-2-3-1 formation.

Are we selecting a system that gets the best out of our players, or are we asking players to adapt to a system that suits our manager but doesn't suit them?

My feeling is that it is the latter.

Nico and Jo in the two, two wingers in the three, Wissa and Willock played as 10's...

All square pegs in round holes.

It's no wonder nowt fits and performances and results are suffering.

And Now Fans Want ANOTHER Striker & A 10 Bought

With the January window coming up and recruitment planning no doubt underway the call from many fans is that we need a 'proper' striker and a 'proper' 10.

But, what if we already have them but we aren't playing them in the right positions?

For me, Wissa and Nico are the classic examples.

Set the side up to play to Wissa's strengths, as Eddie did for Isak...

Play Nico, technically one of the best players we have, as a 10 instead of in the two where his lack of pace and physicality is a weakness...

Do that and we just might save wasting another stack of cash on players who, at the prices we can afford, will be gambles at best.

IMO we'd be better spending any money available on signing a young CB with pace and a LB as cover for Lewis Hall.

Even better...

We'd be better off ditching 4231 completely and playing 10 square pegs in 10 square holes.

If Jaissle persists with 4231, and results continue to nosedive, he might well find that he is the biggest square peg in a round hole of players who haven't got the qualities to fit into his system.

If that happens...

It will be a round hole that he has dug himself and that he'll be pushed into in a sack.

What do you think? Comments below.

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