Premier League: Five reasons Newcastle are struggling

Alan Pardew is clearly concerned by Newcastle's form

Newcastle set the Premier League ablaze last season finishing fifth but, in their current form, relegation seems a more likely prospect...

At this point last year, the Magpies were seventh, just five points off the Champions League spots. This season however, Alan Pardew's side have acquired ten less points and currently languish down in 14th following their fifth Premier League defeat in six games at Craven Cottage. Now Newcastle are looking worriedly over their shoulder with only one more point in the bag at this stage than when they were relegated in 2008/09 and currently priced at 14.5n/a for the drop, but what has gone wrong at St James' Park?

Small squad/injuries 
The Premier League is no place to operate with a threadbare squad and unfortunately for Newcastle, they are suffering from lack of numbers, combined with some rotten luck regarding injuries. Long-term casualties include the versatile Ryan Taylor and perhaps even more crucially their chief playmaker Yohan Cabaye is curently out for two months with a groin injury. Other important players such as skipper Fabricio Coloccini and Hatem Ben Arfa have also been out for spells. 

Europa League
Newcastle have acquitted themselves well in the Europa League, comfortably qualifying from their group with a game to spare. These midweek continental commitments are bound to have an effect on thin resources though, as just two wins in the Premier League following eight European ties testifies. Two games in a week for some players is too much with the rigours of the Premier League to contend with.

Tactics
In trying to accommodate Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse into games both home and away Alan Pardew's 4-4-2 has clearly not been working. Tellingly, there are not many teams who operate this way anymore, especially away from home where 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 are the preferred set ups. Considering the Magpies enjoyed success with a 4-3-3 formation last season, it makes it even more baffling why this has not been adopted more regularly, Pardew's reluctance to force Ba out wide or sideline Cisse being the likely explanation.

Ba/Cisse combination isn't working
Watching these two compatriots trying to link up is painful even for the neutral. Ba and Cisse are like two siblings who have fallen out over some inheritance, barely speaking to one another as passes between them continuously fall short or they fail to read the others' intention. At least Ba is troubling the scoresheet on a regular basis though, already in double figures and rated at 18.5n/a to finish as top scorer.

Lack of summer investment
Underpinning all these problems is a failure to add to what is a really good nucleus of players. It's great credit to the club that they held on to all of their star assets this summer but no team with ambitions can afford to stagnate, especially with a European campaign to contend with. Aside from Vurnon Anita's transfer from Ajax, Newcastle have not added any big guns to their armoury.

Despite these problems, it's not time to press the panic button at St James' Park just yet though. If Newcastle can do some shrewd business in the January window and bolster their squad, the players which finished fifth last year should be able to engineer a top-half finish. With their chances currently rated at 3.39/4, this may be a good time to get behind the Magpies.