Matthias Jaissle had a glint in his eye when asked about Nico Gonzalez's role for Saturday night's match against Tottenham Hotspur. The German head coach has been eager to sign a No 6 during his first three weeks in charge, and although his tenure remains in its infancy, the players are already well drilled in his 4-2-3-1 formation.
Newcastle have been able to soak up pressure before breaking fast, getting their more offensive stars like Anthony Elanga on the ball to cause havoc in the opposing final third. After Spurs' disastrous opener at Brentford, it will be interesting to see if Roberto De Zerbi sticks with the engine room unit that was branded a "midfield mess" last weekend, with even £100m summer signing Sandro Tonali failing to inspire Tottenham in the London derby.
Tonali and Bergvall's Midfield Struggles
Tonali's midfield partner as one of the two holding players was Lucas Bergvall at Brentford, but he made a host of mistakes and an error that led to a goal in a shocking first 45 minutes in which he was hooked. Both Bergvall and Conor Gallagher were hooked at half-time with the game as good as lost at 2-0 before 6ft 2in Uruguay star Rodrigo Bentancur and summer signing from West Ham Matues Fernandes tried to shore things up to no avail as a further goal was conceded and Tottenham got lucky with Igor Thiago's penalty miss.
Of course, home advantage for Spurs will be important, but it could also work against them if Newcastle get an early foothold in the game. A glance at Spurs' average starting positions shows a huge gap in midfield, and while United may have gone to Tottenham and thought about parking the bus in the past, they will feel they can get a bus through the middle this weekend.
An Opta observer said: "The midfield was unfit for purpose in the first half. The two teams played similar formations - 4-2-3-1 - but Janelt and Sangare protected their defence. Tonali and Bergvall left theirs to fend for itself, which combined with Robertson and Gray being so high and wide, it’s no wonder that of Brentford’s 1.85xG from Open Play, 1.27 of it came in the first half."
Jaissle's Midfield Options
The Toon head coach must decide whether to start Gonzalez as one of his two holding midfielders, but he has plenty of choice. Sean Steur, just 18, was fantastic alongside Lewis Miley last weekend, and that would hardly be a bad choice if Jaissle sticks with it. But he has a £50m signing at his disposal, and the Newcastle manager said yesterday: "He [Gonzalez] trained with us and he looked sharp."
Jaissle could also turn to Jacob Ramsey or Joe Willock if he wanted to, and all of them seem like good options. Compare that to Spurs who are frantically moving players around in desperation, and this could be a day when the midfield comes out on top. Both Steur and Miley's passing has been crisp and purposeful, but the pair have also shown they can get stuck in, with the Stanley lad picking up a booking against the Reds, and the Dutchman cautioned against West Brom, so they are up for the fight.
Wissa's Impact in a New Role
The ex-Brentford man played just behind William Osula as a No 10 against Liverpool, and while he did miss some big chances, he was involved in plenty of duels. Opta said: "Nobody was involved in more duels from a Newcastle perspective than Yoane Wissa (19). Playing in a different role than we’re used to seeing, he was all over the place, and he won more fouls (4) than anyone else on the pitch."
Jaissle is going to be a striker short due to William Osula's injury and could push Wissa into an advanced position. Or he could hand Nick Woltemade a chance up top. In truth, Wissa's strong showing behind the striker looks more beneficial, with the DR Congo man making up for lost time after an injury-hit debut campaign last term.
