Since Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Everton, so much of the debate, discourse and media discussion has centred around Nick Woltemade.
Big Nick may be struggling, with questions raised about his lack of form and where he fits in this Newcastle side, but not enough has been said about Yoane Wissa’s displays.
Signed for £55m on deadline day, we clearly overpaid for the DR Congo striker, yet he arrived with a Premier League proven record, netting 20 goals last season and 12 the season before at Brentford.
However, as we head towards the run in, the 29-year-old has just one Premier League goal to his name all season, with his overall performances and lack of involvement leaving a lot to be desired.
Speaking to the media this morning, Eddie Howe was asked about his struggles this season, with the boss attempting to explain why his form has suffered during a “tough period” for him off the pitch:
“He didn’t train a lot in the summer so obviously had a gap there in his physical preparation for the season and then picked up an injury on international duty.
“That’s very, very difficult to adjust to mid-season. You have a six week pre-season for a reason to get players adjusted and ready for a new season.
“We haven’t been able to do that with him, but he has been doing a lot of work behind the scenes on his fitness. He has just come back from another injury and we are hoping his best moments are ahead of him.
“Certainly, he has shown a great attitude to his training and he is really motivated and keen to do well for the club and repay the club and the supporters for everything they have given him.
“That’s the situation, it hasn’t been an ideal introduction for him coming here. It’s been a tough period for him.”
I understand a lot of it. His desire to leave Brentford meant his pre-season was a little like Alexander Isak’s and far from ideal, then he was injured weeks after signing.
That September injury while on international duty was clearly a serious one, delaying his league debut until our slender 2-1 win at Burnley back in December.
So, it’s been far from ideal, when you consider his lack of pre-season and an injury that’s eaten into his 2025/26 campaign even further, but we’re now three months on from his debut and we’re seeing so little from him.
He has three goals in 20 appearances in all competitions, he’s barely touching the ball when he comes onto the pitch, and I’m not seeing much of that pace, movement, energy or goal threat that made us commit to such an overpay last summer.
Hopefully he steps up soon and finds form and regains full fitness, as that £55m investment was heavily reliant on an almost 30-year-old striker hitting the ground running.
He is absolutely *****! A major disappointment at 54 million. His had more than enough time to prove me wrong
Terry(Quote)
The evidence so far shows Wissa is overpriced, overpaid and overrated.
The problem in buying “proven” Premiership players is that they look good in the team and system they were playing in and that doesn’t necessarily transfer across to another setup.
Take Darwin Nunez for example at Benfica he looked like a world beater then he went to Liverpool and was disappointing then to Al-Hilal the same.
Sometimes coaches play a system like we did with Isak which works perfectly for them and sometimes it doesn’t.
The other question is will the coach be clever enough to find or change a system to suit the new players that have been brought in, at the moment our coach isn’t as we are not getting the best out of Elanga, Woltemade or Wissa.
It’s not an easy job but that’s the job they are paid to do especially when they have chosen and tracked those players in order to fit into their style of play.
Joseph(Quote)
Wissa is none of the following :
Athletic
Fast
Strong
Skilful
A goal poacher
Strong Shooting Skills
Onside when it matters
So what the hell is he to justify spending £50 million
Geordy(Quote)
True. But only thiaw as been a good signing We need a goalkeeper. Before looking any other position.
Dave thistlewood(Quote)
We all want him to do well. However, what I can’t understand is the excuse that if a player doesn’t have a pre-season the rest of the season is a write off. Really?! I know he’s been injured, blah, blah, blah; but we’re talking about an “athlete” who is getting paid tens of thousands a week?!? Hopefully he comes good.
Peaco(Quote)
He was certainly fast and a poacher at Brentford, showing great finishing. Sadly, we’ve seen none of that since his knee injury…
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
Dave you right Thiaw is the only signing this season to justify the pricetag. I would rather of had a young potential signing from Europe over Wissa. Who isn’t fit to wear the number 9 shirt.
Terry(Quote)
Peaco I seem to remember Papiss Cisse who didn’t have a pre season with us and scored 12 goals out of 13 goals. If that’s Wissa’s excuse for being terrible this season then he only has himself to blame just like Isak. Newcastle are certainly paying the price for it.
Terry(Quote)
Fair point Terry. Can’t disagree.
Peaco(Quote)
The set up Seems to turn sought after under 23 players into under performing players .. the teams from kids upwards are not doing well despite being stocked with once promising youngsters and of course the disaster that is the loan system
.. the same is true of the first team this season ., top players just not performing , top of the league for injuries and formation tactics and strategy very poor … I think the whole structure is not delivering outcomes required and that leads back to the all powerful manager … this is not a blip in form it happened last season for a while and this season again.., plenty of excuses but if we want to be a top 4 team every season .. changes must be made
Mike(Quote)
His success came in a Brentford side playing counter attacking football, which we don’t. Exactly same as Elanga at Forest, which goes some way to explain why both are flopping here.
Terrible buys therefore and if as rumoured Eddie was involved, then its his blame to shoulder
sickntired(Quote)