8 Key Decisions Steve McClaren Must Make Ahead Of Newcastle Vs Arsenal

6. The Midfield Two - Is The Current Dynamic Working?

A controversial point perhaps but one area of the Newcastle side that has not been functioning quite as Steve McClaren would have liked is the "double pivot". Vurnon Anita and Jack Colback have occupied the two defensive-midfield positions so far this season, but in all three matches there has been at least one spell where the Magpies have been over-run through the middle. McClaren and Ian Cathro like the pair because they are both tidy on the ball and tend to start the majority of Newcastle's attacking moves with their neat, slick passing. However, their positioning off the ball is questionable and, particularly during the opening 20 minutes of the Manchester United game, they were thoroughly outplayed. Unfortunately for McClaren, this is one area of his side where he is not blessed with many options. Cheick Tiote could come into the fold, but his fitness is still questionable, while Olivier Kemen is yet to make a first-team appearance. Georginio Wijnaldum could be moved into a deeper role, but that could limit his effectiveness going forward or even leave the Magpies even more suspect defensively. Whatever McClaren decides, the dynamic does still not feel quite right yet - and that is going to become a problem going forward.