10 Things We Learned From Newcastle 0-1 Mönchengladbach

Taylor and Willo aren't a good centre-defensive duo - who'd have thought it?

Pre-season has finished and the 2015-16 Premier League campaign is almost upon us. Newcastle United completed their preparations with yet another defeat, this time 1-0 to Borussia Mönchengladbach in their only warm-up fixture at St James' Park, and the match left fans with more questions than answers about where the Magpies are at in their development right now. Panic stations should certainly not be taking hold, but the Magpies are starting to make a bit of a habit of losing matches and they just do not look quite right yet under Steve McClaren. The Magpies host high-flying Southampton in their top-flight opener on Sunday, a side who finished seventh last season and are well-drilled under Ronald Koeman's management. Undoubtedly this was a step-up in opposition against Borussia compared to what the Magpies had faced to date in pre-season, but in all honesty Thorgan Hazard€™s brilliant winner was a rare bit of quality in an otherwise turgid affair. It was obvious for all of the 21,088 present at St James€™ Park that this was a pre-season match, because it€™s pace was practically non-existent. That€™s all of the Magpies€™ pre-season fixtures gone now and yet McClaren is still searching for a defensive formula that works. Even the home debuts of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Chancel Mbemba and Georginio Wijnaldum could not lighten the spirits of a poor Newcastle display. So what did we learn about Newcastle United from their final pre-season fixture? And what positives and negatives can be taken from it and into the Premier League campaign?
Contributor
Contributor

NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.