Alarm bells - Newcastle United have £121m problem that Matthias Jaissle must fix
Newcastle United’s goal-shy strikeforce have scored just twice between them across all competitions this season.
Newcastle United have a centre-forward problem. In truth, there is a lot more to fix in the first-team squad than the No.9 spot.
From defence to attack, this is a distinctly average Magpies setup. But goals is one area that evokes concern potentially more than any other.
By the time Arsenal visit St James’ Park next week, Newcastle will not have scored a home goal for over two months. It took a wonder strike from 30 yards for Jacob Murphy to put Matthias Jaissle’s men in front against Fulham at the weekend.
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Meanwhile, on the same gameweek, club-record arrival Nick Woltemade - deemed expendable in the summer - scored his first Serie A goal for Juventus. Those either kept on or brought in to replace him must now step up.
Yoane Wissa, Will Osula and Matias Fernandez-Pardo have scored just two goals between them across all competitions this season. There is a caveat to this, with Osula and Fernandez-Pardo spending time on the sidelines.
However, a deeper dive into their Newcastle careers should raise alarm bells. The trio average just one goal for every 260 minutes played across all competitions.
For a club rooted in iconic goalscorers, fans have a right to demand more. Osula has shown signs of improvement in recent months.
The Dane netted six in nine games towards the back end of last season to head into the current campaign as Newcastle’s first-choice striker. Injury derailed his progress but he is still a mile away from being considered a true, clinical bagsman.
Fernandez-Pardo is probably better suited as a winger. The 21-year-old is adjusting to English football but told Newcastle chiefs during the summer negotiations that he wants to play centrally. It is time to start delivering.
As for Wissa, he is perhaps the biggest disappointment of the three. He wears the iconic No.9 shirt and arrived as a seasoned Premier League operator.
Newcastle have just four goals in 41 games to show for their £55million investment. Wissa is averaging a goal every 438 minutes in black-and-white stripes.
Deployed as a striker and No.10 this season, Wissa has already missed five big chances - more than any other United player. Some have questioned whether he is Newcastle’s pound-for-pound worst signing of the Premier League era.
Given the Magpies stumped up almost half of the Alexander Isak money to sign him, that damning assessment is hard to argue against. And for now, Matthias Jaissle must make do with the tools he has.
The fact he has struggled to instil his philosophy is no surprise given he was thrust into the dugout three weeks before the season started. This is not his team.
Before the trip to Fulham, Jaissle was aware of his remit when asked about January. He said: “First of all, it’s on us to do the best out of the current squad. We have a lot of potential players, young signings we did in the summer.
“But as a manager, you always aim for adjustments in each transfer window. This will be my first one in January, and of course, you’re always aiming for adjustments.
Even when the window opens, as mentioned, the focus will lie elsewhere. Newcastle would be hesitant to splash out on a new striker. Those already bearing the goalscoring responsibility must rise to the challenge.
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