Newcastle United have been something of a mixed bag this season. Even in victory against Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, the hosts left something to be desired after winning 2-0 and rising to nine points from four outings.
Though the Magpies needed to bounce back after that limp defeat in the Premier League against West Ham United at the weekend, there are many levels still to scale in order to restore that finest, full-throttle style that Eddie Howe's Tyneside outfit have become defined by in recent years.
However, the fact remains that Newcastle lack flair and creativity and inspiration across the midfield and the final third right now. Nick Woltemade has been a revelation since completing his club-record £69m transfer from Stuttgart at the end of August, but he is not the prime version of Alexander Isak in black and white stripes. Not yet.
Isak Premier League record
And the German goalscorer can't do it all alone. Anthony Gordon is still struggling and found his issues exacerbated on Wednesday, pulled off with another suspected hip injury after a showing that left plenty to be desired.
Why Newcastle are so inconsistent
Newcastle have been consistent in their inconsistency this season, and that's a problem. Gordon is a case in point, but also the £55m right winger Anthony Elanga, who has blanked across 16 matches since his summer switch from Nottingham Forest.
Howe would have hoped the Sweden international (and Gordon) would have established firmer channels down the flanks, and their struggles in this regard have run counter to Howe's tactical vision and its implementation.
Joelinton's drop-off has been accentuated against the efforts of Bruno Guimaraes and, particularly, Sandro Tonali in the middle of the park. So elegant and effective are the robust pair, with the 29-year-old Brazilian lagging behind after years of robust service.
Change is necessary, and while players like Joelinton have been invaluable parts of this sustained period of progress, they are not indispensable and it is probable that a move for a new high-profile centre-midfielder will be explored in 2026.
Joelinton-1
In spite of Tonali's emergence as one of the best deep-lying midfielders in the league, United seem to have a problem effectively passing the ball at the moment.
Howe's Newcastle system is one of the most progressive in the Premier League, with transitional play at the forefront, but more is needed, and the solution might be to drop a fan favourite who's reached legend status this year.
Howe must drop Newcastle star who's moved clear of Isak
Newcastle won against Athletic Bilbao, and opening the scoring was Big Dan Burn, as he has been affectionately nicknamed by the Toon supporters.
Dan-Burn
Club legend? The 6 foot 7 defender has certainly endeared himself to his boyhood club since joining from Brighton in January 2022, featuring prominently under Howe's wing and scoring the first goal in United's 2-1 win over Liverpool at Wembley last year to lift the Carabao Cup.
But has he scored a goal more impressive in isolation than in the Champions League this week? Header of the Season, no doubt. In fact, the 33-year-old's second goal in Europe's premium club competition means he has edged ahead of Isak in the all-time scoring charts. A rather facetious statistic, but one lapped up by the fanbase all the same.
Of course, while Burn is one of the staple stars of the Howe era, we cannot turn away from the negative noise around his role and performances in recent weeks.
Frankly, the more laboured and sedate style of a team like Bilbao opens the door for Burn to show off his strongest qualities. He excelled, and remains a trusty member of Howe's squad, having been among the first to be signed after the manager's appointment nearly four years ago.
But Lewis Hall is far more dynamic as a full-back, and his cameo against the Spaniards suggests Howe might be wise to drop Burn as soon as the younger man recovers his full match fitness.
Newcastle's Lewis Hall
For all the concerns over Newcastle's passing, they indeed stand as one of the most forward-thinking distributors in the Premier League. Statistics can be misleading, though, and that does not translate to fluent and sharp transitional play.
That is the objective, and Hall could be a strong proponent in enacting the right tactical change on Tyneside. Content creator Geordie Josh hailed the 21-year-old as a "generational left-back in the making" after his promising injury return, and we have all seen in the past his prowess on the ball and in defending on the wing of the backline.
Premier League 25/26 - Most Progressive Passers
Team
Liverpool
Newcastle
Nott'm Forest
Arsenal
Chelsea
Data via FBref
After all, the former Chelsea prospect ranks among the top 16% of full-backs across Europe over the past year for passes attempted and progressive passes, as well as the top 9% for tackles won per 90 (data via FBref).
Burn, awarded a 9/10 match rating from the Chronicle Live against La Liga opponents, not only scoring an emphatic header but setting the standards with a steely, composed defensive display.
But he's slow and less multi-faceted than a rising star such as Hall, who could become a nailed-down starter in the coming weeks as he builds his fitness up.
Lewis Hall
While Big Dan Burn will continue to be a dependable, industrious and beloved part of Howe's Magpies side, he cannot start every game going forward; he is not progressive enough to propel the system back into full throttle.
Hall, however, has the perfect style to dovetail back in and make things tick.