Callum Wilson has explained exactly what is wrong with Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United

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Callum Wilson has only been back for one game, but he has already hit the nail on the head of Newcastle United’s biggest issue.

Newcastle United lost 2-0 to West Ham on Monday night, despite going into the game as favourites.

Eddie Howe’s side passed up the chance to move up to sixth in the Premier League and just two points behind second-placed Manchester City.

Instead, Newcastle United are down to 10th.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
8	Aston VillaAston Villa	12	5	4	3	19	19	0	19
9	FulhamFulham	12	5	3	4	17	17	0	18
10	NewcastleNewcastle	12	5	3	4	13	13	0	18
11	BrentfordBrentford	12	5	2	5	22	22	0	17

Callum Wilson sums up big Newcastle United issue

Inconsistency has been the undoing of Newcastle United so far this season.

On Monday night, the Magpies failed to break down a West Ham defence that has been breached 19 times this season.

Once West Ham got a lead that they could hold on to, they sat deeper and defended. And they have every right to do that, even if some onlookers turn their noses up at teams that sit back in a low block.

It was up to Newcastle to break down that low block and get back into the game, but they were unable to.

In the eyes of Callum Wilson, Newcastle were not clever enough in the final third.

“There were a lot of shots,” he told the club’s official website.

“The quality of the shots probably was not what we wanted, the areas of the shots probably wasn’t that.

“They had a lead, they had something to hold onto and congested the box. Three or four big centre-halves in there, so when we’re putting crosses in it’s easy for them to head away.

“We probably needed to be a little bit more clever around the box, a little bit more intricate to try and work an opening.

“It wasn’t meant to be. Some nights are like that.”

Eddie Howe must find a solution to Newcastle problem

Newcastle continue to struggle against teams that sit back and defend.

It is an ongoing problem for the Magpies, who are often devoid of ideas when they dominate possession.

It is a big issue, as it is resulting in Newcastle dropping points against teams they should be beating. It happened away to Everton, and it happened at home to Brighton. Even in the cup at home to League Two Wimbledon, Newcastle struggled to break them down and had to rely on a Fabian Schar penalty.

If Newcastle are going to return to the Champions League, they need to beat teams like West Ham at home, especially when you consider how poor their form was going into the game.

Four out of Newcastle’s next five Premier League games are against teams lower in the table, and they are fixtures that the Magpies should be winning.

However, that may depend on whether or not Newcastle can become bit more clever in and around the box against stubborn defences.