Followers of the Tyneside club are more and more seeing the team's outfit as an unreliable companion. At their brilliant best, they transform into the very thrill-seekers, producing high-octane displays. Yet, on other occasions, once-dependable individuals like Sandro Tonali and others utterly do not show up.
Exacerbating these problems is a second-half game management suffused by a worrying element of disorganization. Before their Boxing Day to Manchester United, the numbers reveal a sobering picture: they have let slip thirteen precious top-flight points from winning positions this season and are without a clean sheet in ten straight matches across all competitions. Claiming victory at Old Trafford would constitute only their second domestic triumph on the road this season.
Conversely, a loss has only come once in their previous 6 league encounters, and although occupying a seemingly lowly 11th position, they remain a only 6 marks off the highly-prized Champions League places. Add in an impending two-legged League Cup last-four clash against Manchester City and a strong prospect of progressing to the Champions League last 16, and it becomes simpler to see the gaffer's cautious hope.
“Our issues aren't limited to problems,” said the club's boss. “We have positives too. My glass is firmly positive right now. I know everybody else could have a divergent opinion, but my belief is we are getting better.”
The question is: can this group recapture – or perhaps surpass – the heights of the previous campaign's Wembley triumph and European-qualifying finish? Juggling a congested schedule makes this difficult.
The resulting tiredness might be the reason behind the inability to uphold a superb first-half showing against Chelsea, ultimately letting slip a two-goal advantage to tie 2-2. Likewise, it is possibly the culprit for a subdued performance in a painful loss to arch-rivals Sunderland, where the side looked sluggish just days after a demanding Champions League away day.
While on-field instruction is undoubtedly the manager's strength, the constant grind of twice-weekly matches has severely cut into essential coaching sessions. This slows the team's stylistic evolution to operating with summer signing their number nine up front, instead of the departed Alexander Isak. While hugely talented, Woltemade has not shown the equivalent electric breakaway speed or ferocious defensive work rate.
Indeed, the team's previously effective pressing game has occasionally malfunctioned. Fitness issues to vital component the Brazilian midfielder have not helped, while expensive arrivals Anthony Elanga and the English midfielder have had difficulties adapting since their combined £90m+ moves.
If a move to a three-man defense might theoretically assist the team, a severe backline absence list renders that difficult. First-choice full-backs will be absent for the upcoming crucial matches, challenging the squad's depth.
When playing at their energetic peak, they seem virtually unplayable. The issue is sustaining that intensity for the full 90 minutes. The go-to alternative approach of dropping deep into a passive defensive shape has sometimes been self-destructive.
“The Chelsea game descended into anarchic at two-all,” conceded the coach. “However we were going for the victory. Our mentality is to always go out to win.”
What appears called for is a middle ground – one featuring better possession retention, a engine room capable of controlling the pace, and a sensible readiness to sometimes accept a draw. However, a desire to challenge on all competitions is stretching limited player options to their limit.
This might appear unthinkable to some, but a more selective strategy in the cup competitions earlier could have alleviated the present schedule congestion. With vital Champions League and league games on the agenda, the necessity to carefully choose focus areas is growing increasingly clear.
The manager acknowledged the size of the journey remaining. “When you're at a club of this size, the demands are big. Each game is critical. We have work to do in the Premier League. We are in the League Cup last four, we aim to go through in the Champions League and do well in the FA Cup.
“The direction is in the correct path, but we have a great deal of work to do to transform into the regularly winning side we aspire to be. The ability to string together winning runs has eluded us so far.
“The objective is to attain those heights we are aware we're capable of. My feeling is that the confidence to do that is growing. But now we have to prove it. It's not all bad currently, but the next few weeks will determine a great deal.”
