Nick Woltemade

[Ben]

His service was shocking today, he's the least of our problems 

[Donut]

Looks like a tall CAM with decent technique and an eye for a goal who is being asked to play as a ST in a dysfunctional Howe system... I feel bad for him.

[nemtizz]

5 minutes ago, Ben said:

His service was shocking today, he's the least of our problems 

 

When your striker doesn't pose a single threat when he's not in the box it's a pretty big issue, especially considering our style of play. He's the main reason we're struggling away from home. Can't win a header or a duel to save his life. 

 

Not even close to being solely his fault mind. He's a wonderful player and I like him a lot but doesn't suit playing as a lone striker for the way we play. That's a lot of money to spend to realise it after the fact. There's no way Eddie plans on playing them together either. 

[joeyt]

15 minutes ago, Ben said:

His service was shocking today, he's the least of our problems 

 

Him unable to  play a pretty easy cross field ball for Gordon in the first half in acres of space was really poor I thought

 

 

Edited December 14, 2025 by joeyt

[TRon]

14 minutes ago, Ben said:

His service was shocking today, he's the least of our problems 

 

 

There were quite a few crossed thrown into the area which just dropped into empty space. We just don't have players who attack the ball in the box, whether that's Woltemade or anyone else. 

[Teslact]

1 hour ago, nemtizz said:

 

Well he can. He's quite literally responsible 

 

Did anyone give Gordon a shout to tell him he time to try and control it rather than panic half-arse head it? Are Eddie's instructions for him to stay back (especially with Burn off)? I'm not really faulting Gordon here either if no one told him he had time.

[Jack14Bojangles]

5 minutes ago, joeyt said:

 

Him unable to  play a pretty easy cross field ball for Gordon in the first half in acres of space was really poor I thought

 

 

 

Yes, that scene was really bad. I think he made a wrong decision and wanted to pass to Elanga briefly.

[KingArthur]

His style of play is not suited to this 4-5-1 at all. If we want to use him properly, we either A) need to have more of the ball B) have to press higher up. He is totally useless if he is pressing 2 CBs all alone and our wingers are 75 metres from opponent's goal.

[Jack14Bojangles]

Just now, KingArthur said:

His style of play is not suited to this 4-5-1 at all. If we want to use him properly, we either A) need to have more of the ball B) have to press higher up. He is totally useless if he is pressing 2 CBs all alone and our wingers are 75 metres from opponent's goal.

That's absolutely right.

Why don't we try a 4-2-3-1 formation with Wissa up front and Nick behind him?

[Collage]

1 minute ago, Jack14Bojangles said:

That's absolutely right.

Why don't we try a 4-2-3-1 formation with Wissa up front and Nick behind him?

I have a feeling Eddie thinks that would be too big of a change, going from 3 to 2 CMs etc
I wonder if we signed him to play as a striker or if we just signed him because we could.

[buzz]

That would never work. He's way too slow and absent in games to play effectively as part of midfield 

[Kanj]

It’s not uncommon to miss or not play that cross field pass. The issue is it was as clear and easy chance we’re gonna get and a player of his ball playing ability has to make that pass in a fine margin game. 
 

I feel for him today as he’s a good young lad who will be hurting about today. He has to up his intensity and be more aware of the stakes in derby matches. 

[Jack14Bojangles]

3 minutes ago, buzz said:

That would never work. He's way too slow and absent in games to play effectively as part of midfield 

He is not supposed to play as a midfielder, but as a withdrawn second striker.

[Jack14Bojangles]

I've thought about this for a long time.

It makes no sense to play Nick as the lone striker 20-30 meters in front of midfield as long as the old system, which was tailored to Isak, continues to be used.

I don't know if Wissa can take over Isak's position one-to-one. But Nick definitely can't. Signing Nick was a huge mistake.

If Eddie isn't capable of playing a system with two strikers, with Nick as a second striker, and also implementing an aggressive pressing game, then Nick should either be loaned out or sold. That would be best for both sides.

 

I'm a big admirer of Nick and have seen what he's capable of, for example, with the national teams.

But he shouldn't be wasted in a system that's ineffective for him.

Either Eddie manages to change his system, or they should part ways.

 

I still love you Geordies, though.

 

 

Edited December 14, 2025 by Jack14Bojangles

[The Butcher]

1 hour ago, Ben said:

His service was shocking today, he's the least of our problems 

He's one of our biggest, if not the biggest problem imo.

[HMSIllustrious]

On 10/12/2025 at 18:06, 1964 said:

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 2025 by HMSIllustrious

[Pilko]

On 10/12/2025 at 17:06, 1964 said:

My thoughts were that they were insinuating that because he has a male friend over from Germany that he was gay, the whole thing was utterly pathetic

 

Has his mate got a pair of boots? I don't know the fella but I'd bet he could offer more physical threat if nowt else on Wednesday.

[HMSIllustrious]

I feel people are too dramatic, he has had some bad games recently (still won the penalty against Leverkusen), but that happens to every player in a squad that is too thin for the many competitions we are in if they arent rotated. So his drop in form is just expectable. Give him some rest and don’t pile up on him after today. From what I‘ve seen in Interviews, I think he will be a very unhappy guy today.

[gbandit]

2 hours ago, Miggys First Goal said:

He’s a back heel specialist and that’s about it. 

Howay man, he’s absolutely class but he’s been flagging for a while and today was a disaster. The lad is going to continue to be a huge player for us but he needs time out the side and we need players on the wing that can stretch the play 

[Sibierski]

2 hours ago, nemtizz said:

 

When your striker doesn't pose a single threat when he's not in the box it's a pretty big issue, especially considering our style of play. He's the main reason we're struggling away from home. Can't win a header or a duel to save his life. 

 

Not even close to being solely his fault mind. He's a wonderful player and I like him a lot but doesn't suit playing as a lone striker for the way we play. That's a lot of money to spend to realise it after the fact. There's no way Eddie plans on playing them together either. 

Disagree fully he’s an issue away, if anything he should be an asset away because of his ball retention and bringing others into play. The fact we routinely play with him isolated up top is all on the coaching set up. We still have wingers getting chalk of their boots and no CM close to him unlike for Germany where wingers are more inside forwards and someone like Wirtz etc playing around him. 
 

We’re making him play to our previous ways, which is hurting us. Rather than adopting to him, which comes down to the coaching. In which case, what’s the point of signing him? It’s either Wolte or Howe next summer really.

[morpeth mag]

We need to get bodies closer to him. I think he needs to play with Wissa in some form of 352 formation

[et tu brute]

Just now, morpeth mag said:

We need to get bodies closer to him. I think he needs to play with Wissa in some form of 352 formation

No chance that happens under Howe it will nearly always be one or the other. 

[Yorkie]

Saying he's not a striker is just manufacturing a way to be forgiving, and also a bad shout in terms of finding a solution. He's a striker, and that's all he ever has been throughout his career so far. 

 

He's just very unaggressive, slow and clumsy, at least he is at the moment. Goes without saying that he and everyone else needs him out of the team ASAP.

[Gottlob]

Looked off the pace and unsuited to today's game from the very outset.

 

You can't sit deep and look to counter with Woltemade as the striker because he doesn't have the pace and our wide players aren't good enough to go it alone. If you can push a bit higher up and are still looking to play on the transition, you need Woltemade and the midfielders to link up with some slick interplay before they play in the wingers. We haven't developed sufficiently in that direction and besides most of our wide players aren't clinical in front of goal. The other options are we become more of a possession-based side or find some sort of room for Wissa.

[KaKa]

Started turning on this guy already too. My God.

 

The team is playing absolutely disgusting football. Can't keep possession and can't get it to the three forward players in decent positions. It's all a complete waste of time at the minute.

 

Funny to see all the forward players getting shit on here constantly while the midfield continues to fail to function competently.

 

Not only were they terrible at having any sort of control of the game, or getting the ball to the forwards, they also let Xhaka have the freedom of the pitch for Sunderland.

 

Tonali especially has been completely ineffective when we have the ball. No idea what he's supposed to be doing.