4. Sort Set-Pieces Out
Newcastles set-pieces are, to be frank, an embarrassment. In all 5 games played this season they have failed to look threatening at all from a deal ball situation (bar direct free-kicks, tip-of-the-cap to Ryan Taylor). Pardew himself has admitted that against Villa at least they were awful... we hit the first man five times and went on to suggest that they rethink about how we are going to score from set-plays. What makes this admission even more frustrating is that Pardew touched on the subject towards the end of last season but nothing productive seems to have been done in pre-season at least. Newcastles main tactic is to aim for Williamson/Taylor at the far post and hope he heads it back into the danger zone. On the rare occasion the delivery actually reaches its intended target, more often than not a foul has been committed. Newcastle will also have to be aware on their own defensive set-pieces with Everton notoriously strong from both corners and free-kicks. Height-wise the Magpies dont have someone who can compete with Fellaini so the two centre backs (Coloccini is an injury doubt) will have to try and outmuscle the Belgian. Last season Coloccini and Williamson were both caught embarrassingly flat-footed by an Everton set piece and went on to lose 3-1.