It’s reaction time. After the Leeds debacle, Newcastle Untied dug deep and won against the odds v Hull City. Can they do the same with the sterner test of Aston Villa at St James’ Park?
Here’s everything Matthias Jaissle said about the game, players returning and potential selection decisions from his press conference at Benton on Thursday.
Jaissle on injuries
“First of all, Bazu (Toure) seems to be much better. We’re happy for that. It didn’t look that well straight away, during the match. So now he was progressing, now good in the last few days. So hopefully he’s able to join the group on Saturday.
“Yeah, we need to manage that really carefully (Joelinton & Dan Burn). Like I mentioned that already. That’s the tricky part. We miss them so much. Um, Joe is now longer in the training already than than compared to Dan. For both of them to integrate them to give them more game time. For Dan it will be most likely too short to get the starting position already, as he just trained a couple of times. For Joelinton it could be a bit different.
“With Tino (Livramento) we we need to be also um cautious and and paying attention that it’s nothing where we hurry up as you know about his injury situation and history in the past but we are optimistic that also in the next weeks we we bring him back but slowly and step by step with JJ (Jacob Ramsey) I think it’s a bit different he’s making progress now much more a little bit like like Anthony hopefully also next week he will be joining partially in the training.”
Anthony Elanga fitness
“Unfortunately he’s out for many, many weeks. And now it’s the process to bring him back slowly but surely, uh, in a smart way that we not. Not too much in a hurry. Hopefully, yeah, next week he’s about to train again with the group at least partially, and then we need to reintegrate him, again step by step, but we miss him a lot.
“I can’t wait to have him back in the squad.”
Time for team to ‘learn fast’ - or be punished
“You saw the match as well, and in that match against Coventry, um we made too many individual mistakes and then you can not talk about a formation or, or about the tactical approach.
“So these things we need to avoid definitely, otherwise you get punished in that league. We aware of that and even though we are a young squad we need to learn fast. This is the message now towards the players that we need to learn fast as an individual but also as a group to avoid these things and then I’m sure that we coming back on the, on the right track straight away.”
Matias Fernandez-Pardo
“You know that young lads coming first time to the Premier League that they need the adaptation time.
“I got often the recommendation and also the advice that I should be patient for at least half a year until winter with these lads. Of course, you don’t have the time in the Premier League. So, the development, the adjustment needs to be as fast as possible, but I’m glad that we see him already in the situations that he’s bringing the principles on the pitch. He’s creating the chances. I think it’s just the goal missing right now to give him also the confidence back.
“But he’s an amazing player and he has so much potential.
“We all convinced that it’s just a matter of time. I watched him today after the session just when he got a couple of more finishes, pure class. So again fully, fully conviction that he he will, um, yeah, perform again on a good level like he did and he’s hopefully getting then also the rewards soon.”
Jaissle on Aston Villa midweek win
“Yeah, that gives them for sure a huge boost. I’m, I’m pretty sure as uh also they have their problems in the league, but they have quality squad picked with so much individual class, and of course the coach who showed now over many, many years, decades, uh, I would almost say his quality.
“So we are aware what we’re facing, but at home with our crowd in the back with the support we can hurt every opponent.”
Is Sean Steur pushing for a start?
“That’s right. He’s not pushing me - he’s scared (joke). Um, but of course he’s knocking on the door due to his quality. He shows that in the training sessions. This is a player I mentioned that many times why I believe that we have so much joy and fun with him in the future here.
“But he needs also time. Uh, he had that up and downs already during the season. Nico did a good job as well. So he’s knocking on the door and I’m aware of it.”
NUFC still a work-in-progress?
“That’s for sure that it’s still the transition and that’s still a process, but that’s nothing new now for us. I think we were all aware of that.
“We got some setbacks now especially the injury situation. We don’t complain about that and we don’t take that as a excuse but that’s reality and now we need to find the next reaction like we did well after Leeds to show the fans that we can do better.”
Can Steur and Gonzalez play together?
“There could be a way, of course. Usually from the player profile they are quite similar, also due to their qualities and how they interpretate a position but there’s always a potential also to see both.”
January transfer window
“This is the approach from every coach. First of all, we trust our squad, the current squad we have here. But there is always space and needs usually also to improve to bring players in, where it’s needed.
“Until January, that’s still a long time. Many things can happen performance-wise, injury-wise. Now it’s also time to to work with the group in the best possible way.
“And I mentioned that also so often that I’m really pleased and happy with that group. A young group, but really willing to learn and to improve.”
Pope (big shout)
Dedic Schar Burn Hall
Steur Nico
Joelinton (deeper than 10)
Osula. Pardo
Wissa