OPINION
Newcastle United slumped to yet another defeat against Leicester City on Saturday, their fifth in seven Premier League games this season.
It was another stark example of how shockingly far behind their top flight peers the Magpies are, and it’s a problem that ultimately lies at the feet of the players.
Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka revealed after the game that there were some angry words said in the dressing room following the loss at St James’ Park.
“Yeah,” the 6ft 3in shot-stopper [Source: Transfermarkt] said when asked by the Chronicle if there was a dressing room inquest.
“We need to be honest because we are not in a good position now. We need to change something because we all want to be successful.”
That’s all well and good, and passion is rarely a bad thing, but the Newcastle players need to start showing the sort of fight that they evidently demonstrated in the dressing room on the pitch.
Too often the team have been swept aside with scant resistance this season. The performance against Leicester was dismal, and it demonstrated that Claude Puel’s side have moved far beyond a much historically bigger club in Newcastle.
Early in this campaign we saw determination and industry from the players without any reward, as manager Rafael Benitez set his side up defensively to try and soak up the inevitable pressure from the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea.
That commitment to the cause was in evidence again against Crystal Palace last weekend in a battling 0-0 draw. However, running around and defending doggedly is not enough for a club the size of Newcastle.
The Magpies players need to demonstrate that they have the courage to go out and play to the best of their ability. We haven’t seen that so far this term. No one is taking any risks, no one is attempting to open up plays with creative passes.
The likes of Ciaran Clark, Mohamed Diame, Kenedy, Ayoze Perez and Salomon Rondon have simply not been good enough this campaign – despite whatever fight they’re showing in the dressing room.
It’s fine being passionate and bandying harsh words about after the game’s over, but the players need to use that energy on the pitch instead – and start putting in the performances they’re capable of before it’s too late.
