SCHAR YOUR PAIN

Fabian insists struggling Toon must go back to basics to silence fans and avoid the drop

FABIAN SCHAR has warned Newcastle’s collapse in form must stop now – if they are to avoid relegation.

The Swiss international defender surveyed the wreckage of a slump stretching back to Boxing Day and admitted the squad will hold an inquest to get their season back on track.

Boss Steve Bruce is facing growing flak from fans, and Schar reckons the team has to get back to basics – being hard to beat and creating more chances.

Bruce has pledged to shake up his shot-shy side next weekend, with striker Dwight Gayle in line for a recall, and a possible switch in formation to allow more creativity, with Matt Ritchie and Isaac Hayden also pushing for a return.

The Toon Army have not seen a goal from their team in three games. Newcastle have won just once in their last nine games in the Premier League, and are the joint-lowest scorers in the top flight, with £40million striker Joelinton on a 24-league game drought.

The Magpies are seven points above the drop zone on 31 points, and Schar says the quicker they get to 40 points the better. After picking up the 2019 North East FWA Player of the Year award, he spoke with Alan Shearer behind him, saying: “Maybe we need him! We cannot continue like this. We all know we have to do better. We have to improve.”

It is a big fortnight with Burnley at home at the weekend and then a trip to West Brom which offers the chance of reaching the FA Cup quarter-final.

Win those and the mood will change.

Schar (above) added: “The last two games we cannot be happy with our performances. Or with the results.

“At Palace the chance was there to do something but we didn’t create too much.

“We have to talk about this and see what we can do better. We now have important games ahead of

SINCE a 1-0 win against Crystal Palace on December 21, Newcastle’s league form has collapsed, with just six points from a possible 27. They have scored just six times in those nine games and had it not been for a stoppage-time winner to beat Chelsea and two stoppage-time goals to snatch a point at Everton, things could have been far worse.

................. Man Utd 4 Newcastle 1 .................. Newcastle 1 Everton 2 .................. Newcastle 0 Leicester 3 ....................... Wolves 1 Newcastle 1 ................... Newcastle 1 Chelsea 0 .................. Everton 2 Newcastle 2 .................... Newcastle 0 Norwich 0 ................... Arsenal 4 Newcastle 0 ........ Crystal Palace 1 Newcastle 0 us. What needs to change? If we play to our strengths I am confident we will get points and finish strongly. “Forty points needed? Ask me in three games when we have those points!”

The ball-playing defender has urged fans not to blame the misfiring forward line for all the team’s problems.

Schar said: “It is hard. People are blaming our strikers but they forget the work they do for our team to defend.

“The whole team has to create more and then they will score. It is not just strikers, it is the whole team who need to be better.

“We are not like Man City with 70-80 per cent possession. We know this.

“We know our strengths. We are normally well organised on the defensive side. Then we have to get our chances.

“We know we can improve, especially with the ball, creating more chances and scoring more goals.

“We have just one week before an important home game against Burnley.

“We will train hard prepare ourselves.

“I think we have quality in there, we just have to go back to our basics, what we are good at, and be positive for the next games.” to