Newcastle United's transition from the squad Eddie Howe had built to the new-look outfit under Matthias Jaissle was never going to be easy. Everyone at the club, and many watching on from outside, have acknowledged that it will take time for things to slot into place.
We've seen as much on the pitch, with Newcastle at times looking electric on the counter attack, and at others appearing to be toothless while shipping chance after chance at the other end. Jaissle remains confident he has a group of players who will get things right, but there are plenty of talking points both off and on the pitch.
No natural number 10 in the squad
How United line up, the progress of the summer signings, and what is happening with the stadium plans were some of the major themes in our recent NUFC Q&A. Here's the full transcript of what was asked, and how Sean McCormick answered.
Asked which Newcastle player would be best suited to the No 10 role from the current squad, and why they didn't buy one in the summer, McCormick said: "It is the million dollar question and the truthful - and worrying - answer is it looks like a system built around a number 10 without a natural one in the squad."
He caveated that both Joe Willock and Yoane Wissa have performed well in the role this season and cover huge distances and carry the ball forward well, which suits Jaissle's philosophy. Jaissle was asked in yesterday's press conference if he has a number 10 in the mould he would like and skirted around the issues, suggesting his approach is flexible in terms of the positions of his players and it is more about players matching his principles than fitting a specific system.
What was perhaps jarring was that Newcastle's final signing of the window was expected to be a 'number 10' and there was a feeling initially that Matias Fernandez-Pardo was being signed in that mould. However, it quickly became apparent once McCormick started talking to sources in France that not only had Fernandez-Pardo ended the season as a number nine for Lille, he actually saw that as his favoured position.
McCormick said: "I think it was an oversight not to sign a natural number 10 in the summer and, for the time being, I think you will see a mixture of Wissa, Willock and perhaps Fernandez-Pardo or even Joelinton in the role if Jaissle persists with the 4-2-3-1 system."
Injury concerns and the Woltemade comparison
On Newcastle's injury situation, McCormick admitted it was a concern before the international break. With five under-21s called up to the first team squad in the absence of nine senior players ahead of the Hull City game, he said the hope is that it was a case of bad luck and not something more systemic that Jaissle and performance director James Bunce need to arrest.
The injury situation in the 2023/24 season was unprecedented and Bunce's arrival has brought that back into line. Impact injuries cannot be helped, but if muscular and soft tissue injuries begin to take hold then fingers can be pointed at how the schedules are managed. McCormick said he thinks you have to give Jaissle and Newcastle the benefit of the doubt for now, particularly as the performance staff who were already at the club continue to get to know and understand the demands of Jaissle and his coaching staff.
Asked if Newcastle have repeated their Nick Woltemade mistake with Fernandez-Pardo, McCormick said the Belgian's profile fits more with the Anthony Gordon forward experiment last season. He said: "Fernandez-Pardo is explosive, he has an incredible turn of pace and I think his running power is something Newcastle can utilise. He's young, has huge potential, but he looks really raw and I think Newcastle need to nail down his best position quickly or it could turn into a Woltemade situation."
Woltemade started like a house on fire last season but his confidence quickly waned and the second half of last season was spent trying to shoehorn him into a side that he no longer fitted. McCormick believes Fernandez-Pardo will be a slow burner but there are some encouraging signs, and the message from Newcastle - both from Jaissle and above - is that they are not overly concerned about his start just yet.
Bamba's lack of minutes and January sales
On Aladji Bamba, who has barely played despite costing £34.5million, Jaissle has urged for patience and for him and Bazoumana Toure to adapt to life in England. But McCormick noted that when you spend that much on a midfield player you would expect them to be able to contribute straight away, and for whatever reason Jaissle - who has given him just 27 minutes of football - doesn't think he is able to.
With Nico Gonzalez, Lewis Miley, Sean Steur, Jacob Ramsey, Joelinton and Willock all currently ahead of him, McCormick said it begs the question why the Magpies spent so much money on Bamba, even if his potential is undoubtedly high. He suggested there will have to be serious thought into how they manage his situation the longer it goes on without him getting a sniff of action, and potentially look at a loan move in January.
The under-21s have two big games coming up against Sunderland u21s at St James' Park in 10 days' time and the EFL Trophy decider away to League Two Rotherham United on November 3, where Bamba could get some meaningful minutes in the tank. He has also played for France's under-21s this season, and should Newcastle beat the Millers the EFL Trophy knockout tie would also provide another opportunity for him to play.
On potential January sales, Nick Pope is an obvious candidate to leave in the winter transfer window. The England international goalkeeper was told in the summer he was surplus to requirements but there was no serious interest. Since then, he has assumed the position of third choice goalkeeper but in the wake of Ewen Jaouen's injury he has been on the bench for the last five games. Pope has had interest from Bayern Munich in recent weeks and the 34-year-old's contract runs out in the summer.
The other situation to look out for is Joe Willock's. While talk of a new contract for Jacob Murphy has increased in recent days, Newcastle are no further forward in tying down Willock's future, despite both players being out of contract in the summer. Jaissle loves Willock and the former Arsenal youngster has scored three goals and been involved in every match so far this season. Newcastle batted away serious interest from Besiktas in the summer and their president bullishly claimed earlier this month that he will sign the 27-year-old, whether it is in January or in the summer.
Stadium decision delayed
On the stadium, McCormick said he suspects there won't be a firm update on it before the end of 2026. David Hopkinson has remained tight lipped around the stadium decision, with work ongoing as they decide whether to revamp St James' Park or build a new ground. The CEO's last on the record update in La Manga said it wouldn't be helpful to add to the speculation until there has been a meaningful breakthrough.
Hopkinson said: "You guys (journalists) are dogged, your constituents want to know. And we want our stakeholders to know. But in the moment, as we're trying to conclude a transaction, is not the moment to tell people, 'Here's what we're trying to do'."
McCormick noted that Newcastle are making great strides commercially but the gap between themselves and the big six clubs in terms of commercial revenue remains a chasm. Hopkinson has secured a new kit sponsor, a training ground sponsor, a training kit sponsor amid many other deals he has described as 'self help', but it does feel like the real driver of bridging that gap is increasing the revenue streams from their stadium.
When McCormick spoke to football finance expert Kieran Maguire about this issue in the summer, Maguire said if Newcastle want to be competing consistently for Champions League football - as Hopkinson's 2030 vow suggests they do - they have to move to a new stadium that allows them to be more commercially flexible. "Spurs are very good at what they do," Maguire said. "And what they are very good at doing is being an entertainment complex. That's how I'd describe them. Whereas Newcastle United is a football club."
Clearly, that stadium decision needs to be right, which is why the club are carefully deliberating over it. Getting it right will determine their path over the next 10 years. But they also cannot allow too much time to pass by where the gap grows bigger and bigger.
