10 Problems Newcastle Need To Fix To Avoid Relegation

5. Move

The other issue with the two banks of players is that movement this season has been awful, with Gabriel Obertan's substitute appearance against Stoke proving to be a rare - and surprising - exception. Nobody is taking up the Yohan Cabaye role of coming back to pick the ball up, and the defensive midfielders are sitting too cautiously, taking them out of the equation as attacking options for most of the game. It is far easier to defend against a team that ignores the concept of fluidity, and though Newcastle do tend to have more of the ball now than the end of last season, the lack of movement means most passes are short, simple and not exactly progressive. It could be that the deep defensive midfield line means that Gouffran, Sissoko and Cabella are too cautious, because getting beyond the ball means opening the team up to counters, but simply working on movement in training would help ease those concerns by opening up far more options.