Matthias Jaissle has already set out what he wants from Newcastle. He says the team should be front-footed, intense, aggressive and successful, and he has also talked about a more flexible structure where formations matter less than how the side attacks and defends. Yoane Wissa is the early attacking test of that idea.

Jaissle's idea for Newcastle

Jaissle's comments point to a fairly clear reset. He wants Newcastle to play with pressure up the pitch, but he also wants room to adapt, with principles taking priority over a fixed shape.

That fits a club that starts the 2026 Premier League season in 17th place. Newcastle finished 12th in the 2025-26 season, and they also ended the Champions League league phase 12th with 14 points from 8 games and a +10 goal difference. The squad has already shown it can handle a more demanding structure, but the league form still leaves a lot of work to do.

The opener against Liverpool at St James' Park will be a strong first read on how quickly the idea is bedding in. Liverpool's latest five league results were D-L-D-L-W, and Newcastle's recent meetings with them read L-W-L-L-D from Newcastle's side.

Wissa's early response

Wissa has been the most obvious early beneficiary of the change in mood. He scored both goals in the 2-1 comeback over Valencia, then said pre-season has felt like a reset after a difficult year physically and mentally.

"After a tough season for me, physically and mentally, the World Cup - especially playing with my national team - has been good," Wissa said. He added, "So now new manager, new Yoane Wissa. That's what I hope. I'm going to help the team achieve something great this season."

The World Cup numbers back up the confidence. Wissa made 4 appearances and scored 3 goals for DR Congo, which is the kind of return Newcastle will want from a forward who looks sharper than he did a year ago.

William Osula scored five in the final seven Premier League outings, so Wissa is not stepping into a vacuum. Even so, the forward's bounce gives Jaissle a more interesting attacking option than Newcastle had at times last season. The first real test of that comes against Liverpool on 5 September.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →