Newcastle on the Brink of Striker Crisis: Is Wissa Following Woltemade's Shadow?
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- Yoane Wissa hanya mencetak dua gol dari 5,46 xG di Premier League sejak bergabung dengan Newcastle, memboroskan sepuluh peluang emas.
- Kegagalan Wissa mengulang pola yang sama dengan Nick Woltemade: keduanya tak mampu beradaptasi dengan intensitas dan fisik Premier League.
- Jika tren buruk berlanjut, Newcastle berisiko merugi besar dan harus mencari striker baru yang lebih cocok dengan taktik tim.
Newcastle United are facing a serious problem in their attacking line after their expensive striker, Yoane Wissa, has performed far below expectations. The Democratic Republic of Congo international was bought from Brentford for £55 million last summer, but so far has only scored two goals from 5.46 expected goals (xG) in the Premier League, and has missed ten big chances. This performance sparks concerns that Wissa might follow in the footsteps of Nick Woltemade, a German striker who also failed to shine at St. James' Park.
Woltemade was brought in from Stuttgart for £69 million in the summer of 2024, but only lasted one year before being loaned to Juventus. Despite scoring 17 goals in the Bundesliga, he struggled to adapt to the rigors of the Premier League. In 33 appearances, he only scored eight goals and lost 62% of his aerial and ground duels. Newcastle's management admitted a recruitment error for not considering the physical aspects required to play as a lone striker in England.
Wissa, who scored 19 goals for Brentford in the 2024/25 season, was expected to be an instant solution. However, he has instead experienced a setback. In last weekend's match against Hull City, he failed to convert a penalty that should have given Newcastle a 3-0 lead. His shot was too weak and easily saved by goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis. That moment reflected how unclinical Wissa has been since donning the black-and-white shirt.
The failures of Wissa and Woltemade cannot be separated from the playing style implemented by Eddie Howe before his departure. Howe relied more on physical play and long passes, unlike Brentford who often utilized through balls for Wissa, Kevin Schade, and Bryan Mbeumo. As a result, Wissa struggled to adapt, especially in one-on-one duels with opposing defenders. He lost the majority of aerial and ground duels, showing that he is not the ideal lone striker for Newcastle's system.
Howe's replacement, Matthias Jaissle, is now faced with an expensive legacy that does not suit the team's needs. Newcastle have also lost several key players: Sandro Tonali sold to Tottenham Hotspur for £100 million, Anthony Gordon to Barcelona (£69 million), and Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal (£75 million). With a squad that has not fully recovered, reliance on Wissa in attack becomes a significant risk.
"In hindsight, Newcastle made a big mistake by recruiting players who do not possess the physical attributes to play as a lone striker in the Premier League," a sharp analysis from Football FanCast stated.
For Indonesian football fans, Newcastle's case serves as a valuable lesson about the importance of adapting playing styles in transfers. Liga 1 clubs, which often bring in foreign players, also need to consider tactical and physical aspects, not just goal records. Failure to adapt can lead to significant financial waste, as experienced by Newcastle with Woltemade and Wissa.
Looking ahead, Wissa's future at St. James' Park is increasingly uncertain. If he continues to struggle to score, it is not impossible that he will be sold or loaned out in the next transfer window. Newcastle must also quickly find a striker who is more suitable for Jaissle's playing philosophy, or risk losing valuable points in domestic and European competitions. Will the management learn from their mistakes, or will they repeat them again?
