Newcastle United head coach Steve McClaren insists that no-one within the Magpies’ camp is happy about the club’s current plight.
Newcastle have mustered just two league wins from their opening 14 games this season – both of which came against newly promoted sides – whilst shipping 30 goals, the joint most alongside Bournemouth.
Successive defeats to Leicester City and Crystal Palace have left the Magpies loitering at the foot of the Premier League table in 19th place, and their appalling recent displays have raised ubiquitous concern amongst fans.
The malaise that the Newcastle hierarchy attempted to vanquish by loosening their purse strings over the summer continues to loom over St James’ Park, and, on current form, the club are sleepwalking towards relegation.
After a miserable start to the campaign, Newcastle showed green shoots of recovery during a four game run in which they collected seven points out of a possible twelve, and fans could finally see glimmers of cohesion in the Magpies’ play.
However, back to back 3-0 and 5-1 defeats following November’s international break have brought the Tynesiders crashing back down to earth, and they now look like a team devoid of all confidence, spirit and ideas.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s home clash with high-flying Liverpool (as quoted by BBC Sport), McClaren bemoaned his side’s recent slump in form:
Nobody is happy at this football club. All of sudden we have gone three steps forward and five or six back. We believe in these players but confidence is very fragile.
McClaren remains hopeful that Newcastle can come through their sticky patch over the coming weeks, and the former England manager believes that his youthful squad will benefit from the unpleasant experience:
People question a lack of character and fight and it appears that way, but these are young players, this is what they are going through.
