The £69m problem, a misfiring midfield and the issue Eddie Howe must take responsibility for: CRAIG HOPE analyses the big questions facing Newcastle as 3-1 defeat by Brentford sees away-day ills continue

Newcastle finally rid their squad of a nasty bug last week, yet their travel sickness pervades - there is no sign of a cure, either. 

Mitigation for last Sunday's defeat at West Ham and at Brighton the time prior was offered by a virus that impacted the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Kieran Trippier. That trio were fit and healthy here, but the chronic away-day ills remain. That is nine without a win in the Premier League stretching back to April.

What they are riddled with away from home is a fragility of body and mind. Even with a lead, like they also had at West Ham, they crumble. And, just like seven days previous across London, they eventually lost 3-1. After three goalless draws on the road to start the season, they are getting worse, not better.

For Eddie Howe, the answers are a mystery, but the questions feel increasingly obvious…

Like, how can they be a threat on the road with a player of Nick Woltemade's profile at centre-forward?

Newcastle went ahead with their only shot on target through Harvey Barnes in the first half but never looked like adding a second. It was a surprise they got one, really.

Woltemade made the goal for Barnes with a clever flick but that was his first touch in the penalty area after 28 minutes. There would be only three more. This is not a criticism of the German, who has scored six goals since arriving for £69million from Stuttgart, but it is a reality of the problem facing Newcastle - he does not play high enough up the pitch and his team-mates are failing to get beyond him.

In four years of developing a style under Howe that was built on energy and aggression from the front - 'intensity is our identity' - they are going back over, literally and metaphorically. In turn, it has affected their rhythm and belief away from St James' Park. They look like a team who no longer recognise themselves.

Why is the midfield malfunctioning?

Even allowing for a loss of identity and focus, Newcastle still have enough good players to protect a lead, or so you'd think. Woltemade's deep-lying style is not to blame for a midfield that offer no control on the ball and little resistance without it.

Woltemade waved his arms in frustration at one misplaced pass in the first half, and both Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali were sloppy and slow. Their midfield ordinarily sets the tone, but they were out-thought and out-fought by Jordan Henderson, the 35-year-old who had the last laugh after jibes from the away end given his Sunderland allegiance. On the subject of which, Newcastle's supporters would shake on a draw now for the Wear-Tyne derby on December 14. If they were to play the fixture tomorrow, there would be only one winner, and they wouldn't be wearing black and white.

And what about the defence?

In their defence, they dealt with Brentford's set-piece threat well in the first half. But when Michael Kayode loaded a long throw into the area in the 56th minute, Sven Botman headed away from Nick Pope's attempt at a punch and, between them, they allowed Kevin Schade to nod an equaliser.

Four minutes later and Dan Burn survived a penalty scare when he scraped the toes of Dango Ouattara, who went down and was harshly booked for diving. With Burn on a yellow already, that felt like warning served for him and Howe. But on the left back stayed and, 10 minutes later, he was off, a second booking for a swipe in almost identical circumstance on Ouattara, who had made up a three-yard deficit to beat Burn in a foot race.

Igor Thiago scored from the penalty but not before more calamity for Newcastle, who were forced to replace Pope with Aaron Ramsdale in the seconds before the kick after realising their goalkeeper was suffering from concussion. He had landed awkwardly several minutes earlier and should have been taken off at the time.

Does Howe himself have questions to answer?

By the time Brentford scored a third, Thiago helping himself to a second after a mistake by Botman in the 96th minute, Howe's side were long since beaten. Remarkably, the head coach said they became 'weaker' for taking the lead, like at West Ham. For all the technical inspection around Woltemade's positioning, Howe's comment points at a fault more ingrained in mentality, and for that he is ultimately responsible.

He says the hard work starts now to find a solution. But had the hard work started after Barnes scored his fine goal, you suspect there would not be so many questions to answer.