Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
‘Having go at Joe not justified’
JAMAAL LASCELLES says big-money signing Joelinton cannot shoulder all the blame for Newcastle’s failure to score.
Steve Bruce’s strike force is misfiring with just six goals in 10 league games this season.
That’s despite spending £80million in the past nine months on new forwards including £40m Joelinton, who has scored just once.
Last January’s big buy, £20m Miguel Almiron, has yet to score or make a goal but is having an impact with his work-rate.
Alain Saint-maximin, a summer arrival from Nice whose fee could rise to £20m, has also drawn a blank despite being highlighted as Newcastle’s main attacking threat.
Skipper Lascelles said: “We need to be more ruthless. Have more nous. Be more streetwise. Little things. That is what is killing us.
“Goals don’t just come from one striker. You can’t pressure just one person. He needs service.
“He needs support and people allowing him to get in to good positions and runners off him. It is a team thing, not just the attackers. We are not pointing fingers at anyone.”
Boss Bruce admits the Magpies are in a relegation fight, but says that is the same as the last few seasons.
The most worrying issue for Toon is their lack of goals and creativity which leaves them vulnerable – despite pre-season talk of a more open playing style.
Lascelles added: “We have to look at ourselves and see what we can do different. Go for another goal, squeeze up and get more passes together?
“We gave away a really sloppy goal against Wolves. I wish we had stayed in the game.
“We need to look at it this week to see how we can manage the game a bit more, to do something different to what we did.”