10 Issues McClaren STILL Needs To Resolve At Newcastle Before The Season Kicks Off

8. Sort Out The Diabolic Defence

It's been the area of the side that Newcastle have needed to address all summer, but here we are just a few days away from the beginning of the Premier League season and it still hasn't been addressed adequately enough. Yes Chancel Mbemba has arrived, but the Democratic Republic of Congo international was played at right-back rather than centre-half during his debut off the bench on Saturday - and the 20-year-old alone is not going to suddenly improve the entirety of the Magpies' defence. For years now Newcastle's defence has not been up to scratch, and until significant funds are invested - and at least another two top-quality performers are signed - then Steve McClaren can coach this current lot all he likes and things will still not be right. True they could be set-up in a system that does not leave the centre-backs as exposed as they are currently when the full-backs bomb forward, and the midfield could offer greater protection to their back four, but in essence it is largely a personnel problem.