These Yoane Wissa snap judgements are ridiculous

As we all know, the Alexander Isak and Yoane Wissa summer transfer sagas kind of ran side by side.

Only in the very final hours of deadline day at the start of September 2025, did the pair get the moves they had been desperate to make.

Alexander Isak making 20 appearances for Liverpool and scoring three goals, only to pick up an injury that will keep him out for months.

Yoane Wissa doing the opposite, so unlucky to pick up a bad injury before he could even make his Newcastle United debut, this after having missed only three Premier League games through injury across the last three of his four seasons at Brentford.

Yoane Wissa eventually making his debut, coming on as a sub for the final 16 minutes in the 2-1 home win over Burnley on 6 December, making his first start in the Carabao Cup quarter-final victory over Fulham on 17 December

Back on Friday 24 October 2025, Sky Sports reported: ‘Eddie Howe says Yoane Wissa is going to need a 6-week “pre-season” training regime when he returns from his knee injury. Howe says that doesn’t mean he won’t play during that time but patience is going to be required with the forward.’

I now see so many crazy snap judgements on Yoane Wissa, from certain media and some NUFC fans.

I find it incredible, people happy to ignore the whole back story of what is the reality.

Yoane Wissa had zero pre-season with his new teammates, picked up a really bad injury before he could play for Newcastle United and had to wait almost four months before he made his first start for NUFC, with Eddie Howe broadcasting loud and clear how we would all have to allow the former Brentford time to get back up to speed.

So many people are writing him off, claiming Yoane Wissa won’t be able to deliver what Newcastle United need, how he is a failed signing etc etc.

You have to laugh, we are actually only now at the point where Yoane Wissa has had six weeks back playing football, starting with that sub appearance against Burnley on 6 December 2025.

Yoane Wissa has so far made five starts for Newcastle United and scored two goals.

At Brentford, Yoane Wissa played four Premier League seasons, he played 8,315 PL minutes and scored 45 PL goals in that time, at an average of a goal every 184 minutes.

So Yoane Wissa averaged a goal every two Premier League matches worth of minutes AND his games for Brentford were almost exactly split between playing as a winger and as a centre-forward. Plus he didn’t take penalties for Brentford!

I know this might be a radical concept for some people but…just maybe it might be worth giving Yoane Wissa a chance, before you write him off.

Speaking of which…

I have to also say, similar with Nick Woltemade.

Although the public barometer has been wildly switching between sublime and useless with him.

People saying he hasn’t scored a goal in X many games, yet choosing to ignore the stunning assists he produced for Harvey Barnes to score against Leeds and Bournemouth.

For those whose barometer has now swung to useless where Nick Woltemade is concerned, the facts are that he has so far started 23 matches for Newcastle United and has 13 direct goal involvements, scoring nine and getting four assists.

I think Big Nick is currently a bit of a rough diamond for Newcastle United and both he and his teammates (and Eddie Howe) are still looking for the best way to utilise him.

Compare the Germany international to other strikers who joined Premier League clubs in the summer.

Gyokeres with the might of Arsenal behind him, has scored eight and got one assist in all competitions.

Alexander Isak has scored three and got one assist.

Joao Pedro eight goals and four assists.

Benjamin Sesko six goals and one assist.

Nick Woltemade had played far less football at a high level than these other strikers signed this summer by Premier League clubs. He’d only started 32 Bundesliga matches in his career before moving to Newcastle United and stepping up to the Premier League.

Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade are going to score plenty (and create, especially in Big Nick’s case) of goals for Newcastle United, just give them time before judging.