Matthias Jaissle makes Newcastle United claim after Aston Villa defeat that will divide supporters
Newcastle United are heading in the right direction despite back-to-back Premier League losses, according to boss Matthias Jaissle.
Matthias Jaissle insists Newcastle United are heading in the right direction, despite suffering back-to-back Premier League defeats.
The Magpies were thumped 4-1 away to newly-promoted Coventry City last Monday before failing to respond against Aston Villa at the weekend, losing 1-0 at St James’ Park.
Jaissle’s side were unbeaten in their opening three Premier League matches, beating Tottenham Hotspur and drawing with Liverpool and Bournemouth, but have now suffered three defeats in their last four.
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They bounced back from their 4-1 loss at Leeds United with a 2-1 home win over Hull City, but couldn’t repeat that against Villa after Johan Manzambi’s 36th-minute header separated the two sides.
Matthias Jaissle ‘not concerned’ after NUFC’s defeat to Aston Villa
Newcastle managed just one shot on target against Villa through centre-back Sven Botman. However, Jaissle insists he is not concerned.
“It doesn't concern me, but it’s something we need to improve, and that's linked to the decision-making,” the German said.
“There were occasions, even in barbed situations, where we could shoot also - that's also another part - and hit the target. I think you all saw that match, and you all saw these occasions.
“We can improve the quantity for sure, I agree with that. But the ones who were there today could be much better played and used in an efficient way.”
Only Coventry, Hull and Tottenham have a worse expected goals tally than Newcastle, but Jaissle remains confident that there are enough goals in his young side.
Jaissle said: “Yes, I'm confident, because we need to believe in the young squad, in the young talents, especially up front.
“If you saw them today, it's just a time now where they can explode, where hopefully they make the right decision, where they go for the shot instead of the pass, or the pass instead of the shot.
“So these things need to be clearly mentioned in the analysis, and what I said already, we need to work on that.”
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Matthias Jaissle says NUFC are heading in the ‘right direction’
Newcastle underwent a major transition in the summer following the sales of Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, alongside the arrivals of eight new signings, all aged 24 or under.
Despite their worrying form and underlying statistics, including their expected goals against, Jaissle believes his team are heading in the right direction.
“Yeah, I think it’s always a reality check you need to do after a couple of months, especially when you have such a transition phase as we have now behind us,” he said.
“We all talked already about that, there will be ups and downs, and at the moment there is a down. This is not for discussion, that's clear. But it was, again, for us, a step in the right direction between the boxes.
“There is huge potential and we need to improve fast, but I mentioned already, we need to learn fast how to defend better in the box, clear clinical, without making such an easy mistake, giving Aston Villa today a gift, and in the opposition half be more efficient.
“If there are occasions, and today there were occasions, even though we can improve in the final third, but these occasions need to be used much more clinically, and then you have at least a draw.”