THE CASE AGAINST COLOCCINI

Fabricio Coloccini has signed a new contract, he is still the captain and he is not joining Crystal Palace. After talks with Steve McClaren, the Argentine wants to see out his career at St James’ Park.

But he should not start the opening Premier League game against Southampton on Sunday because he has not figured in any of the pre-season matches under McClaren’s watch.

He might have worked on the shape and system in training, but after a week’s full training McClaren should not take the gamble on his fitness and should send a message out to the rest of the squad that there are no exceptions.

Mike Williamson and Steven Taylor have been at the heart of the defence for most of the summer and do have their flaws, but it would be a mistake to thrust Coloccini straight back in just because he has signed a new contract after recovering from an ‘Achilles’ problem.

Newcastle also have the option of fielding new recruit Chancel Mbemba, but McClaren seems to be intent on opting for the old rather than the new at this stage.

TIOTE’S FRAME OF MIND

Cheik Tiote can be considered again. Tiote has missed pre-season due to injury and, despite returning to training this week, he is not ready for the Premier League.

It would also be very harsh on the two holding midfielders that McClaren has preferred. Jack Colback is a certainty to slot into one of the roles in front of the back four, which is the system the head coach is set to begin with.

Colback’s tenacity and drive is reliable, but the man playing alongside him raises the biggest question mark. Vurnon Anita is well liked as a person and as a footballer in the dressing room, but he needs to find greater consistency under McClaren if he is to stay in there ahead of the likes of Tiote (while he is still at the club), Mehdi Abeid or even Moussa Sissoko, who has played further forward.

THE ATTACKING THREAT

Newcastle are looking for another new forward but it is the expensive arrivals of Georginio Wijnaldum and Aleksandar Mitrovic who are providing the greatest optimism on Tyneside.

The duo have cost approaching £30m between them and McClaren is looking for them to improve the team’s goalscoring output, having relied too heavily on Papiss Cisse in recent seasons.

Cisse, who has looked hungry and keen to impress after turning down chances to move away, will be unlucky to start on the bench, but everyone would like to see how Wijnaldum and Mitrovic link up from the off on the Premier League stage.

In theory the link up looks certain to work: the creative playmaker moving around looking for holes in behind the big and powerful centre-forward.

If they Wijnnaldum/Mitrovic develop an understanding quickly – and McClaren has suggested they are getting there – then Newcastle will be more dangerous than they were last season, although that wouldn’t be hard.

But anyone expecting Newcastle to be an overly adventurous side under the new boss will have to think again. McClaren has never been that way and he prefers to counter-attack at speed, while pressing high and with intensity.

That has been one of the key components of the work which the McClaren regime has brought into the training ground over the last six weeks. Now it’s time to put that work into practice.