Coloccini admits history is repeating at Newcastle

That game pits Newcastle against Watford at St James’ Park on Saturday, and having benefited from some strong support from the stands in the opening weeks of the season, Coloccini is urging his side’s supporters to continue to stick with their new-look team.

Performance levels have varied, from impressive – as they were against Manchester United – to dire – as they were against West Ham this week – but the constant has remained – points are not easy to pick up.

Florian Thauvin and Moussa Sissoko are likely to get the nod in the wide positions, but McClaren must decide whether to stick with Georginio Wijnaldum in the “number ten” role or hand Siem de Jong his first league start of the season. It was hard to take any positives out of it but we have to forget about it as quickly as we can.

“We didn’t do the things that we’ve been doing for the last four games”.

“But I’m a bit disappointed (about the game), because we didn’t play well”.

Coloccini says that the team “can’t afford to have our heads down”, yet in an interview with fellow defender Massadio Haidara yesterday, he said that this was exactly what happened to the players when the Hammers scored their second goal.

And he hopes Newcastle can repay them on Saturday against newly-promoted Watford.

“I try to get forward when I can, but collectively we have to offer a much bigger goalscoring threat”, said the 2014 summer signing.

“It’s important we get that first win under the belt and Saturday is the opportunity to do that”.

“It’s a big game (against Watford) now”.

“We have to score more goals”.

Monday night’s game did bear many of the hallmarks of last season’s relegation struggles, as poor defending was combined with an almost total lack of ideas and goal threat at the other end of the pitch.