The Newcastle United argument that is growing tired as Eddie Howe criticised - five things

Newcastle United were once the team no one wanted to play under Eddie Howe. Now you've got the full Premier League queuing up for a turn.

Six defeats in seven, the last three of which have been a near surrender, has seen the Magpies' season unravel - and do so at a remarkably rapid speed.

Here's five key talking points from the Nottingham Forest defeat, in which Chris Wood (yes, that one) scored a hat-trick to compete a remarkable away day win for Premier League strugglers.

Fatigue argument grows tired

It matters. Yes, of course it does. But the argument is growing tired.

Fans have rolled with it, agreed with it often and can see that some are running on empty (ish). But - and this is a HUGE but - Newcastle should have enough to get something against Nottingham Forest on home turf, and also at Luton Town.

The facts show, they didn't even lay a glove on either. Forest could have been a wider margin, and you feel United might not have scored had they had another hour at Kenilworth Road.

Given recent standards, tired or not, this was far from good enough.

Howe got tactics WRONG!

He's been praised to the hilt when he's got it right, so deserves to be criticised when he gets it wrong.

Eddie Howe set his team up to seemingly attack at all costs, neglecting any defensive shape in midfield - Bruno Guimaraes played virtually as a No.10 at times - and left his full-backs woefully exposed against a pacey, on the break Forest attack.

The frustrating part about the game itself from Howe, also, is his inability to change things in-game, when everyone at St James' Park could see the obvious issues, which eventually caused United's downfall.

Howe needs to find a Plan B that works, if Plan A, which isn't working anyway, has to go out the window.

Final third decision-making questionable

The goals have dried up for Newcastle. Where they were aplenty, bar Fulham at home recently, they've gone amiss, and even that game was largely played out v 10 men.

A lot of that is down to decision-making.

Miguel Almiron was to blame for the first goal, plain and simple (not discounting Howe and his gung-ho approach). On the day, he passed when he needed to shot and vice-versa - but this is no new thing.

He got little help from those around him either, with Anthony Gordon poor and only Alexander Isak trying, in vain, to make things happen.

Things to get better before they get worse (?)

The fixture list is far from kind to United over the next few weeks, but they only have themselves to blame for heading into a run of four difficult games in a slump.

Three away games out of four at Liverpool, Sunderland and Aston Villa does not make for great reading. The relief hardly comes from a fixture v Manchester City in the middle.

If things feel like they're unravelling now, there's also a sense things are yet to truly bottom out for the Magpies.

Home form has papered too many cracks

A remarkable home record has kept United's head above water - and when that inevitably faltered, the failings of Howe's team's away form becomes telling.

Quite simply, United need to find some answers to their form away from SJP, or their season will soon become a whole lot more difficult. They cannot rely on beating everyone at home, because it won't happen, as Tuesday proved.