Former Newcastle United striker Dwight Gayle believes neither Joe Willock nor Yoane Wissa can shine as the club's No 10 because head coach Matthias Jaissle's system leaves the Magpies "pressing with a numerical disadvantage."
Gayle, speaking via UK bingo sites to Chronicle Live, said it is difficult for any player to stand out in the role given how Newcastle are set up to play. Willock and Wissa have both featured there this season, making an impressive start before their performances tailed off in recent weeks.
System limits the No 10 role
"I think it's always difficult because at the moment Newcastle's system is pressing with a numerical disadvantage," Gayle told Chronicle Live. "They're almost leaving an extra man behind the ball, whereas previously they used to press with every man and would play with a higher sweeper as the spare player. Whereas now we're almost pressing against two less when nowadays they obviously have an extra goalkeeper who counts as a player as well."
He added: "So I find it difficult for the 10 to get too much of the ball. So I think that would help the No 10 if we can push one more forward to make it a bit more of a difficult situation for them to pick up."
Buying a playmaker in the January transfer window has been described as a priority, but Gayle feels that while Newcastle are more "fixated" on playing on the counter-attack, the system will not allow a No 10 to truly flourish.
Counter-attack focus and squad context
"I think there's definitely players who can play in that position who would love to and I think it's more of a situation of playing towards the 10," Gayle said. "Sometimes I think they are more fixated on that counter-attack which doesn't really always emphasise a 10. It's more of an 8 running into those slots and the wingers getting on the ball. We're not really a possession-based team where the 10 can start floating around."
He continued: "Our attacks don't last too long as much as they normally do. So it's more the 10 wouldn't have time to float and be an extra man in the wide positions. Like I said, it's definitely not really an area the way we play is going to stand out, I don't think yet. And that's not a problem, it's just the way it is."
Jaissle's side are currently 12th in the Premier League table after picking up 12 points from 10 matches. They are four points adrift of the top six and four points above the relegation zone.
Position and upcoming fixtures
"Before the season started, I think this would have been an OK position," Gayle added. "I know the fans would want more but ultimately I think they had a good start and I think automatically when you've done that you want them to grow on it, even though it's still early and he's got a lot of information that he's going to have to pass across and a lot of changes that the players previously wouldn't understand."
He noted the team lost two of the best midfielders in the league, making it difficult, and added: "The players that have come in they haven't been as good as the previous two or a group so it's always going to be difficult for that reason but like I say they're still very young and it's a team that's growing."
Gayle stressed the importance of staying close to the top end of the table, saying: "Throughout the Premier League we know that teams sort of go through little spells of difficulty but they're still in a position where they're close enough now if they go string a few results together that they can push back into it."
He concluded: "Going into the Christmas period of a lot of games it's important that they're picking up results, so every three games they're picking up two good results wherever it needs to be and they don't ever go on a bad run from this point to be honest."
