Frustrations all around St. James’ Park, as the Newcastle United players lost another game (though not on a Monday), as Aston Villa under Unai Emery took all three points.

Once again Newcastle United were not good enough, suffering their second defeat in a row after the international break.

This article isn’t meant to frame a few Newcastle United players and say that they are awful. I simply want to pinpoint a few question marks and tell some players the performances need to get better after our ninth game of the season.

I’m going to start off with my countryman Matias Fernandez-Pardo. Things haven’t quite gone smoothly at the start of his career on Tyneside, the player getting a lot of criticism.

I’ll have to agree that Monday against Coventry was really poor, he blew away two huge chances and threw away a possible NUFC comeback.

Against Aston Villa he performed better in my eyes. Mainly because he was on that right wing, because we have to be honest: MFP isn’t a bloody striker! I’ve got the same issue with Nkunku, when people say “he is a striker” I want to tell them “no, he’s a 10”. Pardo also is that 10.

Or at least he isn’t a striker because that right wing suits him quite well in Anthony Elanga’s absence.

Criticism also has to go a bit towards Yoane Wissa. The DR Congo striker started the season very well. He played a brilliant game against Liverpool and of course scored against Tottenham away.

But after that, the train has stalled. You maybe thought he played good with DR Congo and he’s going to be back strong. That hasn’t happened. We have to remember that Wissa is a striker who can perform in the Premier League. He showed it at Brentford with his 19 goals in his last season there, none of them penalties. Why doesn’t it work at Newcastle then?

Also a bit sloppy in my opinion is Bazoumana Touré. I know it is maybe a bit too early for him as he hasn’t had a proper chance. But when he comes off the bench, I don’t see a player who’s going to change the game. There was one moment against Villa where he just simply had to run down the wing. Instead he wants to cut in the middle between two Villa players. That doesn’t work and I hope he understand that.

It really needs to get better because this is not the Newcastle United we want to see. I’m also not targeting only these particular players because I could write similar about them all, with the exception of Lewis Hall.

I don’t want to be a jerk to these players or make it feel like I don’t like them. I really do love them. But if we want to change something, these players need to step up.

It is so important to get the positive mindset back.

Next weekend we have Crystal Palace away with a 2pm Sunday kick-off.

Crystal Palace are also struggling at the moment. They have picked up seven points out of a possible 18 so far.

Perfect moment for Newcastle to climb up the table a bit. Up the Toon!