Newcastle United's January transfer window 'priority' as Anthony Gordon solution is offered
Newcastle United's 3-1 defeat to Fulham has exposed some of the side's frailties that were somewhat papered over after picking up 10 points from their opening four games.
The Magpies however in their fifth game could not come back from going behind at Craven Cottage and were handed their first defeat of the season. The performance, and in particular the opening 45 minutes raised questions about several issues that had been bubbling under the surface.
In the latest episode of The Monday Show via The Everything is Black and White Podcast, Aaron Stokes and Andrew Musgrove reflect back on the defeat to Fulham and look at how Toon boss Eddie Howe goes about solving some of they key issues.
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Is it time for a formation change? Has 4-3-3 had its time at Newcastle United
Eddie Howe has favoured using a 4-3-3 set up over any other formation - and in theory it should give United's midfield three the flexibility to influence games.
Bruno, when this formation was proving a success, was key. He was used as single pivot and would either drop back into the back four or go wide when United were on the attack. Helped by the overlapping full backs, United were often unstoppable.
That hasn't been the case this season - and in truth, especially away from home, it's not really worked for the best part of the last year.
Fulham exposed United's flaws - finding too much space between the defence and the midfield and exploited the lack of discipline in the centre of the park with neither Joe Willock, Joelinton or Bruno, sitting deep and protecting the back four.
This has lead to question over the formation as Stokes explains: "Is the famous 4-3-3 of Eddie Howe dead? Has that part of the progression come to its end?
"Howe is not going to get any more out of it. I actually think Newcastle have looked a lot better in the last couple of games, when they've actually dropped two alongside each other and played a nice double pivot. Bruno has got someone alongside him, someone like Joelinton, and he's played two, and then he has someone a bit further advanced.
"I don't know whether that's the answer going forward. History suggests that Eddie Howe doesn't think that's the way. He's stuck with that 4-3-3 religiously, even through the few bad times that they've had under it.
"Again, it's a question, but again, we'll keep coming back to that midfield three.”
Could playing a No.10 solve the Anthony Gordon issue?
Anthony Gordon has not had the best of starts to the season - looking at times disinterested. Rumours of a potential move to Liverpool in the summer, a lack of game time at Euro 2024 and now a battle for his spot on the left with Harvey Barnes, may provide some of the reasons to why he is looking far from his best.
As Andrew Musgrove wrote this week, there's a confidence that Gordon will rediscover his form of last season, but it's just about finding the position he is most effective in if indeed Barnes keeps him from the left wing.
Musgrove speaking on The Monday Show, reckons that a formation change that sees Howe adopt a number 10, could prove perfect for Gordon.
“4-3-3 has been found out totally," he said, "for me, I would play four-four-two with two centre midfielders with one tasked with just picking up anyone who tries to come on through.
"They can do the [Cheick] Tiote kind of job. Then you have two wingers and a number 10, and then Isak up top.
"I think actually that's how you possibly solve the Gordon issue.
"If you say to him, you're going to be our number 10 man through the middle, you probably solve his, what in my opinion is a little bit of unhappiness at the fact that he keeps getting chopped and changed from the left. You say, 'you're going to be the number 10 now, play off of Isak's shoulder, and I think that could work, and then you play Barnes, and you play one of Miggy or Murphy.”
Do Newcastle United need to revisit the issue of a number six?
It's been a debate that begun pretty much as soon as Eddie Howe arrived at Newcastle - do the Magpies need a traditional number six in their team? Some say it does. Some say it doesn't, and some argue that they may have that already it in Sandro Tonali or even Joelinton.
The issue is - as mentioned above - the discipline. Joelinton has not shown that he can hold that position and resist the urge of flying forward and leaving the defence exposed, while we haven't seen enough of Tonali to know whether he can be the remedy or not.
Tonai will perhaps get a chance to show he can be that defensive element the midfield is missing and given that he has played 195 times as a defensive midfield he would appear the perfect fit.
However, in the 15 games he has played for Newcastle, just twice has he been deployed as a defensive midfield - so it might require a change of approach from Howe.
Musgrove, commenting on the position, said: "“I also think the lack of a number six is a big issue.
"Now we went on for months. We had a big discussion nearly every week about number six. I think that's come to the surface again.
"But then Eddie Howe said, I want it to be fluid. We don't want a traditional number six. Every single week this season, especially away from home, the midfield is powerless.
"It's exposed. You need a traditional number six in there to protect that back four, especially when you've got someone like Dan Burn at the moment playing centre back who's not got the pace, because the defence is just exposed.
"I really do think that number six has to be a priority - if Eddie Howe is going to stick with this formation, which is the other question, a number six is a must.”
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