United have undoubted quality in midfield but Eddie Howe is yet to find the right system for his new-look line-up

Crisis? No way but heightening euphoria has been well and truly pricked to be replaced by cold reality.

Three successive defeats in Newcastle’s opening four Premier League matches confirmed that two massive steps

forward have been followed by one back. United are playing snakes and ladders, climbing the ladder followed by

sliding down the snake.

Easier matches lie a little way ahead and Newcastle will be all right long term but this is a significant hiccup. There

was much wrong at Brighton – individual mistakes and a defense which has surrendered its clean sheet mentality to

become as water tight as a colander are two of the obvious.

However for me there is another significant conundrum for Eddie Howe to ponder over during the next fortnight’s

international break – the balance of his midfield which is the launch pad of every team. Sandro Tonali is a player of

unquestioned pedigree. Serie A winner with AC Milan, Champions League semi-finalist last season, Italy Under 21

skipper with 14 full caps. All of which encouraged United to dole out £52m this summer, their second biggest ever fee.

However, despite a sensational debut in a barnstorming 5-1 opening day victory, Tonali has through no fault of his

own unbalanced United’s engine room. His ability is obvious but what can be challenged is whether Newcastle’s

major need in their current position was for his type of player.

United required a No 6 to be the shield in front of their back four releasing Bruno to attack the edge of the box but

instead they bought Tonali which meant they sacrificed their least glamorous midfielder Sean Longstaff who was the

glue holding together the middle of the park in last season’s surge to a fourth place finish.

Bruno has consequently suffered with confidence and clarity in a newly-shaped midfield, Joelinton has fought the

problem of repeated injury sometimes brought about by frustration, and Longstaff has warmed the subs’ bench. The

triangle of Kieran Trippier, Bruno, and Miggy Almiron which wreaked havoc down the right last season has also been

disturbed.

United have become far too open in the middle third with Bruno not disciplined enough to sit and shield for 90

minutes plus, often preferring to dribble out of the back sometimes with disastrous results. Everyone needs to play to

his strengths and this is not his. Big Joe is currently as poor – all three were at Brighton but then the make up is now lopsided.

It is not a matter of selecting the best 11 individuals but the best balanced 11 like a jigsaw fitting together to suit the

system you want to play. Perhaps United needed a defensive sitter rather than a Tonali creator while equally it can be

suggested that a central defender of genuine pace, something they dangerously lack at the back, would also have

been a shrewd acquisition of necessity which was scorned.

United have bought four high profile players this summer but only Tonali has been deemed ready to start and he has

done so in all four matches to date. So have United strengthened their team? I would suggest not. They have

strengthened their squad, yes, but not necessarily their starting eleven.

May I stress before the keyboard warriors have a field day suggesting I am persecuting one individual that nothing

could be further from the truth. I am attaching no blame whatsoever to Tonali personally. He is a very talented

footballer who will have a terrific career and can become a superstar right here on Tyneside but as of now United’s

midfield engine room has been muddied.

Before an hour was up Tonali and Joelinton – two of the midfield three – were hooked which is early but it was also

too late. The tide was flowing relentless only one way. Howe’s single team change in four matches was forced upon

him – Matt Targett for the injured Sven Botman – which showed admirable faith and loyalty but the next two weeks

must produce a mass think tank in the coaching room.

United have to get back to the blueprint that worked so brilliantly last campaign – the relentless high pressing,

disciplined attacking at pace, minimum mistakes, infectious togetherness which saw them punch way above their weight.

The Mags have lost three of their first four league games when they suffered only five defeats all last season. That

tells us everything.

Next up are unbeaten Brentford in the PL and AC Milan away in the Champions League opener. It certainly gets no

easier so this fortnight must be used as a welcome breather. It matters not that so many players are missing on

international duty. It gives Howe and his staff more time for a complete rethink, a ruthless assessment of what has

changed, and a chance to form a definite plan to counter the negatives.