Newcastle United manager Matthias Jaissle has held crunch talks with the club's CEO and squad following a difficult start to the season, but the club remains behind him with no immediate plan to dismiss him.
Two straight defeats raise concerns
The Magpies suffered their second consecutive defeat after a 1-0 home loss to Aston Villa on Saturday, drawing boos from home fans. That result came five days after a 4-1 defeat away to newly-promoted Coventry City.
Newcastle have now lost three of their last four games, leading to concerns over Jaissle's preferred 'vertical football' tactics. Speculation has increased that he could become the first sacked Premier League manager, but everyone at the club remains behind him.
Talks with players and CEO
According to The i Paper, Jaissle sought feedback from senior squad members regarding the style of play and their roles in it. The response was that players are 100 per cent committed to the approach, which centres on playing four in defence, a high-intensity press, and moving the ball upfield quickly.
Jaissle also met with chief executive officer David Hopkinson promptly after the defeat to Villa. He was back at the training ground early on Monday morning to assess the week's results, though the squad was absent as players had been given the day off.
Upcoming fixture at Crystal Palace
Sunday's fixture at Crystal Palace now carries added significance, with a third straight loss likely to reinforce the message that current methods are not working.
Jaissle, 38, remains a staunch defender of his vertical football tactics, describing them more as a mindset than a specific strategy. The approach worked initially, with the team undefeated in his opening five games, scoring at least two goals per game in each of his first four outings.
However, the high-risk, high-reward model has shown drawbacks. Newcastle have kept just two clean sheets in nine matches under Jaissle, one in the EFL Cup against Millwall and another in a 2-0 win over Tottenham.
Jaissle warned over the summer that this season would be one of transition, with potential patches of inconsistency. Beyond the departure of Eddie Howe, the club underwent a widespread squad makeover with several major departures and new signings. The squad remains loyal to Jaissle's vision, banking on it delivering more consistent results over time.
