However much we want to ignore it, the Alexander Isak finishing last season, papered over the cracks that were appearing at Newcastle United.
When he didn’t play, we didn’t win.
When Alexander Isak couldn’t be bothered after the Cup win, we were rubbish.
The Newcastle United team was set up to get the best out of him and it worked! He’s struggling at Liverpool for the same reasons.
This season has shown that without him, Newcastle United are a mid-table team.
It doesn’t matter that some of our players are top players, as a team we are mid-table.
We have been unable to adapt our system to our new players and we are also unable to adapt, despite the opposition having sussed us out! The likes of Hurzeler, Glasner and Iraola have more flexible systems both before games and during games and have all had far greater changes in personnel than us to cope with.
Forget the hyperbole about our midfield three being the best in the Premier League. Not now they aren’t. Yet the same three are always picked whenever they are fit, even when off form. But what do they have in front of them to work with?
We can all see that we’ve gone backwards. Not all down to the Manager or the Club. But some of the reasons are down to both.
We want to be like Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea, hoovering up young players and sending them out on loan to improve. But, we’re miles behind that. We are miles behind Brighton, Palace and Bournemouth in spotting young talent from abroad. That’s because of the Mike Ashley era!
But Newcastle United are rubbish at developing raw talent from abroad. Our loan system for young players needs an overhaul. Even those raw players that stay or come back from loan, rarely get time in the first team, unless one of the usual 11 are injured!
Teams like Brighton, Palace, Bournemouth give the younger players they get from abroad a chance. That’s because these teams ‘aspire’ for a European place. A Champions League place would currently be the pinnacle for them. Their fans are more forgiving! We expect Europe!
Like Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, we don’t want to buy older experienced players, because they have no resale value. Yoane Wissa was wanted by Eddie Howe but circumstances forced us to cough up much more than his value.
We wouldn’t have touched a Xhaka, a Jordan Henderson (putting aside Sunderland link, it’s the age and ability of the player), Welbeck or even Milner. Look at how they’re doing.
We seem to be neither one thing or another at the moment!
But in the here and now and, if you like for next season (when we don’t qualify for Europe and have finished between 7-10th), I’ve no idea what realistic expectations will be.
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