'95 million' Newcastle's marquee signing underperforms in defeat against West Ham

Newcastle United’s 1-3 defeat to West Ham in the recent Premier League match not only resulted in lost points for Eddie Howe’s squad but also highlighted major worries in the offensive line, particularly due to the dull display by their 'high-profile' signing Nick Woltemade.

Joining Newcastle during the summer transfer window for a hefty fee, Nick Woltemade was expected to inject fresh energy into the black-and-white stripes' attack following Alexander Isak’s departure. After a promising start, the German forward has gradually shown poor form, earning only a 4/10 rating in the match against West Ham—the lowest in the squad.

According to English experts, Woltemade made only a few faint impressions in the first half. He executed a skillful move to create a chance for Jacob Murphy in the 19th minute, but overall, the 22-year-old striker failed to link up effectively with teammates. Indecisive touches, weak ball retention, and near invisibility for most of the first half led to his substitution by coach Eddie Howe immediately after halftime.

Before the match, Eddie Howe made six changes compared to the 2-0 League Cup win over Tottenham. Among them, starting Woltemade was seen as an experiment to utilize his physique and technique in central combinations. However, the plan quickly fell apart as Newcastle's attack appeared disjointed, while West Ham played disciplined football and capitalized on defensive errors to score three goals.

Woltemade, who was once praised by German media as “the Bremen version of Erling Haaland”, is gradually losing favor among fans. After a promising start, he has gone goalless in the last two matches, and being substituted after just 45 minutes against West Ham is a clear warning from coach Howe.

This defeat extends Newcastle’s winless away streak since April. In this context, Woltemade’s poor form adds more pressure on the coaching staff. Without improvement soon, Newcastle may face greater challenges ahead.