The Magpies have struggled badly in their last two away games as they try to get to grips with a new formation

Matthias Jaissle's Newcastle United tactic are again in the spotlight following Monday night's humiliating 4-1 defeat to Coventry City. The German has stuck to his 4-2-3-1 formation since arriving at the club in August, but the jury is out on how successful the set-up has been.

It has taken some getting used to, for the fans if not the players. The United faithful had become accustomed to their side enjoying plenty of the ball in midfield, often dictating the play, especially at home. While the 4-3-3 favoured by Eddie Howe was not foolproof - let's not forget Newcastle finished 11th last season - it brought its fair share of success.

Of course two of the main components in that midfield set-up, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, are no longer at the club, and there was an acceptance that some things needed to change this season.

Jaissle arrived promising a fast-paced brand of football which would see Newcastle hunt the ball down then then it get it forward quickly and that was evident against Liverpool and Spurs in the opening two games, but only seen in brief spells since, notably in the first half against Hull City.

As the dust settles on the Coventry result, it's easy to point the finger once more at the formation and question whether that is to blame for United's failings. Too easy, in fact.

The truth is, it's hardly a left-field idea which flies in the face of current trends. Far from it. Many of United's Premier League rivals now adopt a similar system, but do it a lot better.

In fact, one of the weaknesses of Howe's 4-3-3 was in inability to deal with a No 10 who could play inbetween the lines and open United up. And it's that No 10 role which Newcastle are currently getting wrong.

Yoane Wissa has been handed the responsbility of that all-important position, but right now it's simply not working.

A No 10 should be expected to create big chances each and every game while bringing in their fair share of goals too. Since that blistering run which set up Joe Willock's goal at Liverpool, Wissa has not assisted once, while scoring just a single goal this season.

He is neither getting into the box to score and create, nor getting back to help the midfield, bar some challenges on the wrong side of the ball which all-too-often lead to a free-kick. Against Coventry, he had just one touch in their 18-yard box.

There are plenty exponents of the role to compare with. Arsenal's Martin Odegaard is perhaps the pick, but the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White, Emi Buendia Pascal Gross, Mikkel Damsgaard, Cole Palmer and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have all created many big chances for their clubs so far.

For me, Wissa is a striker, and it's leaving the midfield woefully short, giving Nico Gonzalez and Co far too much to do.

It's not for any lack of effort on Wissa's behalf. He has looked re-energised under Jaissle and could well be the answer to the central striker question.

The clamour to switch back to 4-3-3 is understandable, especially now Joelinton is fit. Once Amar Dedic is fully match-ready, Jaissle will have Lewis Miley, Sean Steur, Nico Gonzalez, Jacob Ramsey, Joe Willock and Aladji Bamba all competing for the central midfield role, so it would seem logical to adopt a system which may include at least three.

But it does not have to be abandoned. Ramsey, Steur and Willock can all play in an advanced midfield role, as can Matias Fernandez-Pardo.

While their are issues all over the pitch, until this pivotal part of the system is addressed, Newcastle will continue to struggle to get it right on a regular basis.