Abdulhafiz TeslimMatthias Jaissle has wasted little time trying to understand what has gone wrong at Newcastle United after a difficult week left supporters increasingly frustrated with the direction of the team.
The Newcastle head coach held a Monday-morning meeting with CEO David Hopkinson before later sitting down with some of his senior players as he looks for answers and a way to quickly improve the situation ahead of Sunday’s trip to Crystal Palace.
According to Mark Douglas’ latest report for The iPaper, the discussions were focused on assessing Newcastle’s recent struggles and gathering feedback on Jaissle’s methods as the German coach attempts to get his team back on track.
Jaissle meets David Hopkinson at 7am
Newcastle’s hierarchy are understood to be taking a calm approach to the current situation, although that does not mean the club are satisfied with what has happened over the past week.
Jaissle met with Hopkinson at the club’s KNOX training ground at 7am on Monday morning to review a difficult run of results.
Newcastle had suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat away to Coventry City before returning to St James’ Park and losing 1-0 to Aston Villa. The Villa defeat was followed by boos from sections of the home support at the final whistle, highlighting the growing frustration around the team.
The results have increased pressure on Jaissle, particularly because Newcastle have now lost three of their last four matches.
There have also been concerns about the team’s tactical balance, the lack of a cutting edge in attack and defensive weaknesses that have allowed opponents to create dangerous opportunities.
One senior source acknowledged the difficulties facing the club, telling the iPaper: “We’re going through an adjustment period.”
Jaissle had previously warned that his players would need time to fully adapt to his methods. However, the recent performances have made it increasingly important for the manager to show that progress is being made.
Jaissle speaks with senior players
Following his meeting with Hopkinson, Jaissle also held talks with Newcastle’s senior players to discuss his preferred style of “vertical football”.
The German coach wants to understand how his players feel about the demands of his system and whether they are comfortable with what he is asking from them.
His approach places a major emphasis on pressing, intensity, quick forward passes and winning possession back high up the pitch. The idea is to make Newcastle aggressive and direct when they regain the ball.
But there have been moments when the system has left the team vulnerable.
Opponents have managed to exploit spaces, while Newcastle have sometimes struggled to maintain the right balance between attacking aggressively and remaining defensively secure.
That is believed to be one of the reasons Jaissle wanted to hear directly from his senior players rather than simply expecting everyone to adapt without discussion.
The timing of these conversations is particularly important.
Newcastle now face Crystal Palace on Sunday, and another poor result would only increase the pressure surrounding Jaissle.
The Magpies have already suffered back-to-back 4-1 defeats in their last two away matches, and supporters will be desperate to see a reaction at Selhurst Park.
For Jaissle, this could be an important week.
The meeting with Hopkinson, followed by discussions with his senior players, suggests the manager is actively looking for solutions rather than ignoring the problems.
But ultimately, the biggest answer will have to come on the pitch.
Newcastle need a reaction, better performances and, most importantly, a result against Crystal Palace.
Another performance similar to Leeds or Coventry could leave the club facing even bigger questions about the manager, his tactics and whether his players are truly adapting to his methods.
For now, Newcastle’s hierarchy appear calm.
But with every poor result, that calm will inevitably be tested.
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Abdulhafiz Teslim
