'Nowhere near good enough': Alan Shearer once again slams Nick Woltemade after just 14 touches for Newcastle United on Saturday
Things aren't getting any better for Nick Woltemade with Newcastle United's German international coming in for intense scrutiny of late.
For whatever reason, it's just not clicking for the 24-year-old at Newcastle this season. We thought we'd hit the jackpot when Woltemade went on a great scoring run when he was first introduced to the side, but that form was very temporary.
Eddie Howe has resorted to experimenting with the 6'6" forward, playing him in different areas of the pitch and it seems that's having more of a detrimental effect than helping him in any way.
Woltemade was criticised for being poor on Tuesday against Qarabag and we expected he'd be dropped for the game against Everton on Saturday, so we were shocked when his name was in the starting lineup.
Alan Shearer slammed Nick Woltemade once again after another shocking performance
We assumed he was playing up front given the players Howe had selected, but he started in midfield with Anthony Gordon up front and Joelinton out on the left. That didn't work, and Howe rotated them around to more natural positions. While that move helped Gordon and Joelinton, it did nothing for Nick Woltemade, who Alan Shearer slammed as not being good enough on Match of the Day last night.
"First of all, I thought Newcastle were a bit of a mess today, particularly in the first half an hour when Joelinton was on the left, Woltemade was in central midfield and Gordon was up front, and then he changed it and put Woltemade up top.
"But when you look at the stats from Woltemade it's nowhere near good enough, and I know part of that is being in midfield, but part of it was up front today.
"No goals, no assists, no shots, no touches in the opposition box and 14 touches today (vs Everton). It's not all his fault because others have to improve as well, others have to step up, but there's no doubt it's a conundrum for Eddie as to where and how he gets the best out of him.
"I think there is a player in there, but it's a player that is really, really struggling."
Nick Woltemade needs lots of time on the training pitch
Shearer made it clear that he doesn't believe it's all Nick Woltemade's fault, and we would definitely agree with him there. Yoane Wissa came on late in the game and managed only five touches in 16 minutes or so on the field, but he did at least register a shot.
Woltemade gets no support as our team is still trying to play as if they have Alexander Isak to play off, and that's simply not the case. Woltemade and Isak are two entirely different types of players.
This pre-season is going to be massive for the club, not just in terms of transfers, but actually having time on the training pitch with this season's acquisitions and getting the best out of them. This season feels like a write-off now, in the Premier League, at least. If we just focus on winning a cup, we might be able to salvage something.
