The Magpies legend is concerned over the role of a huge summer transfer signing
BBC Sport pundit Alan Shearer
Newcastle United hero Alan Shearer(Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
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Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer insists Nick Woltemade is becoming an big worry for Eddie Howe, with the German striker's role in the side coming into question.
Goals have dried up for the 24-year-old since he exploded on to the scene in his first few months on Tyneside.
Woltemade has only one goal in his last 17 matches, the late third goal in the 3-1 FA Cup win at Aston Villa last weekend, after scoring five in his first eight appearances for the club.
Despite his size, Woltemade prefers to play a deep-lying role instead of an outright centre-forward. With captain Bruno Guimaraes out for two months with a hamstring injury, Woltemade has played in midfield in the last three matches, including Saturday night's 2-1 defeat to Manchester City.
Head coach Howe has opted for Anthony Gordon up front, with Yoane Wissa injured, with the England star smashing four goals in last week's 6-1 win over Qarabag, and causing City plenty of problems at the Etihad.
However, after United paid £69m to bring Woltemade to St James' Park from Stuttgart in an attempt to fill the void left by Alexander Isak, Shearer is concerned that such an expensive player doesn't seem to fit into the blueprint of an Eddie Howe side, and feels it is becoming an issue.
Speaking to Premier League Productions, Shearer said: "Clearly Woltemade is an issue for Newcastle.
‘The money they spent on him, near enough £70m, then deciding to play Gordon as a centre forward, tells you he’s not quite been what they thought he could be in that position.
"They’re trying to work out what’s best for him. Is he a No 10? Probably not. They try and play him in more of a midfield role . . . you see he can’t press, because he hasn’t got the legs, he hasn’t got the energy to do what Eddie Howe’s teams have done which have made Newcastle successful over the years.
"You saw that with the second Manchester City goal, when he goes to press he was beaten far too easily. He is an issue for Newcastle.
"It was always going to be a difficult situation because of the Alexander Isak situation, because of what he did and what happened. It hasn’t worked well for anyone.
Newcastle United's Nick Woltemade in the 2-1 defeat to Manchester City
Newcastle United's Nick Woltemade in the 2-1 defeat to Man City(Image: Newcastle United via Getty Image)
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"It hasn’t worked well for Isak, it certainly hasn’t worked for Liverpool with him and from my point of view and from Newcastle’s point of view, it certainly didn’t help them because they were forced into paying, I think, far too much money for two forwards in Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, roughly around £125m on those two.
"They are still working out and figuring out how to get the best of Woltemade because his game, his stature, his pace of play is not suited to what Newcastle have done in being successful under Eddie Howe with the energy.
"When Newcastle were at their very best, Newcastle were going after teams and pressing and not giving them any time to play whatsoever, but he can’t do that.
‘That tells you they're playing a winger in a centre-forward position that he has an issue in there."
Wissa could return to the squad for Tuesday's Champions League play-off second leg against Qarabag at St James' Park, with Howe likely to make changes with such a healthy lead.
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