Matthias Jaissle Newcastle United pressure ahead of Fulham match, Digi Mart USA News: Newcastle United travel to Fulham on Saturday afternoon, five and a half months after their last visit to Craven Cottage, which proved to be Eddie Howe’s final competitive match in charge. The Magpies were beaten 2-0 by the Cottagers that day and finished the season in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
Sandro Tonali pulled out with injury during the warm-up, forcing a late tactical reshuffle. Anthony Gordon and Kieran Trippier were unused substitutes, and Bruno Guimaraes was replaced by injury in the second half after one of the flattest performances of his four-and-a-half years on Tyneside.
All four players left Tyneside this summer, as did Howe. Howe had said after the defeat in May that Newcastle were not quite at the level they needed to be, adding that they were not a big enough goal threat, did not defend with enough solidity, and that the problem was more mental than anything else.
Howe had been set to lead the club through a period of change until he left by mutual agreement over the summer. Matthias Jaissle replaced him and enjoyed a decent start to the season, but the 38-year-old has since encountered serious turbulence in recent weeks.
Newcastle have lost four of their last five matches since the last international break. Their suitability for Jaissle’s ‘vertical football’ system has been heavily questioned, and the side have been too easy to play through this season.
Fans booed the team off at half-time and full-time in Monday’s 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa, and the mood at the club has shifted from excitement and belief to apathy and frustration.
Jaissle spoke positively at Thursday’s press conference about the unity behind the scenes and the alignment of his vision at all levels of the club. The source notes that this must be shown on the pitch at Craven Cottage, where the result will be a yardstick for whether his Newcastle side is better, worse or the same as under Howe.
Fulham have also changed manager. Marco Silva left to join Benfica and former Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa replaced him.
Arbeloa came under pressure after a difficult start, but Fulham have taken seven points from the last nine available and are moving forward.
Another defeat for Jaissle on Saturday would leave Newcastle clearly moving in the wrong direction.
