What issues do Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool face in January?

NEWCASTLE UNITED

A NEW STRIKER

ASK Newcastle United fans what area of the squad they would like a new addition the most and the answer would tend to be a striker.

Geordies love a front-man and, despite the impact of young Spaniard Ayoze Perez since his breakthrough and the rejuvenation of Papiss Cisse, the squad remains a striker light. Borussia Monchengladbach’s Max Kruse is among those under consideration and the sooner one arrives the better.

The Africa Cup of Nations will cause a problem when Cisse heads off with Senegal, but Newcastle could do with having a different option in attack even if he stayed. Emmanuel Riviere has looked quite strong outside of the box, but has not offered the sort of performance to justify his £6m price-tag so far.

DEFENSIVE COMPETITION

THE return to the side of Steven Taylor in recent weeks has been a welcome boost to a squad that had shipped goals. He has also helped to bring the best out of Fabricio Coloccini.

But the departure of Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa last summer to Roma left a hole which was never filled. Players are under consideration across the English Channel, but nothing is primed to happen at this stage.

Williamson has not been at his best, although Taylor’s displays have helped improve the former when he has been recalled to the side. That, though, does not detract from the need for fresh option to play at centre-back.

WHO WILL BE IN MIDFIELD?

PERHAPS the most uncertainty surrounds the central area of Newcastle’s system.

Arsenal are keen to land Moussa Sissoko next month to bolster their midfield ranks, which could make life difficult for the Newcastle manager if owner Mike Ashley decides to cash in.

Ashley has shown in the past that he is happy to accept offers matching the club’s valuation of players, so it will depend on just how far the Gunners will go to get him.

It is not just Sissoko providing a concern in that area of the field. Newcastle are set to lose Cheik Tiote and Mehdi Abeid to the Africa Cup of Nations, so they will be left with just Vurnon Anita to play alongside Jack Colback in the middle; particularly if Sissoko did move on.

SUNDERLAND

STRIKER LIGHT

ONLY Burnley and Aston Villa have scored fewer goals than Sunderland this season, so it does not take Einstein to work out what area of the pitch needs sorting out over the next four weeks.

Gus Poyet has made no secret of his desire to land a new striker after failing to land Fabio Borini last summer. Borini still keeps being mentioned with a return, but Poyet is determined not to focus on just the one man again like he did last time.

Steven Fletcher looks fitter and sharper than he did last season, but the system played by Poyet does not necessarily suit his style. Connor Wickham is also seen as a centre-forward for the long term, after signing a new deal, but a new forward remains a high priority. The misfiring Jozy Altidore could be moved on amid interest from Germany and France.

WIDER GAINS

DESPITE the arrival of Ricky Alvarez on loan from Inter Milan in August, Sunderland are still on the look-out for a new winger. Mohamed Salah, who has been a peripheral figure at Chelsea, has been mentioned as a possibility and would provide the direct approach required in a lone striker system.

Wickham has performed reasonably well there, while Adam Johnson has started to show some of his best football again, but there is a real need to have another player capable of offering something different.

Emanuele Giaccherini has told Poyet he prefers to play centrally, Alvarez is in and out of the side, so if a new wide-man can be drafted in then it would also provide the option of playing Wickham through the middle.

AN EXTRA DEFENDER

DESPITE the arrivals of Anthony Reveillere and Sebastien Coates, Sunderland could do with a new man at the back. Since the 8-0 hammering at Southampton, the Black Cats have really tightened things up.

But recent injuries to Patrick van Aanholt, Billy Jones and Reveillere have exposed a shortage of full-backs, while Poyet would still like to have another centre-back to consider even if Wes Brown’s injury problems seem to be behind him.

Sporting director Lee Congerton has worked on potential deals for weeks in the hope of expanding the size of a thin squad quickly. A failure to do so could prevent Sunderland from climbing away from trouble.

MIDDLESBROUGH

KEEPING THE SAME FORWARDS

THE biggest deal Boro are likely to do next month is extend the loan of Patrick Bamford from Chelsea. He is due to return to Stamford Bridge after this month and his eight goals have given Aitor Karanka’s side the perfect promotion boost.

The only slight concern is that there is interest in him from other clubs, so a £2m offer from elsewhere could prove problematic. Maybe Middlesbrough should test the water themselves by trying for a permanent deal.

GOALKEEPERS’ UNION

ANOTHER man due to return to West London is young goalkeeper Jamal Blackman and it is difficult to imagine why he or the club would look to extend the current agreement.

His appearance against Liverpool in the Capital One Cup on September 23 remains his only appearance for the Teessiders and Dimi Konstantopoulos has performed confidently to suggest he will still be between the posts for the rest of the campaign.

The bigger picture on that front is that Karanka could do with having a clearer picture for the future. Konstantopoulos is out of contract in the summer and will have no shortage of suitors, but Tomas Mejias’ nervy start to life in England means a new shot-stopper will be on the radar.

MIDDLE MAN

THE third and final member of the squad who Karanka must make a decision on is young Tottenham man Milos Veljkovic. The Serbian made his first start at Blackburn after just two previous substitute outings at Millwall and Ipswich.

He can play centre-back and centre-midfield, but with Rhys Williams and Jonathan Woodgate available it is the central midfield area which would have to be the concern.

Grant Leadbitter, provided there are no big January offers for his services following his excellent 11-goal start to the season, and Adam Clayton are strong together, with Dean Whitehead a capable deputy. If Veljkovic’s wish to stay was not granted, however, there would be a hole to fill even if Karanka has suggested he is not looking to strengthen next month.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED

A LACK OF PACE

Ronnie Moore likes his teams to play with energy and legs - two factors this squad doesn't possess. He has Jonathan Franks, Jack Compton and Sidney Schmeltz available and, while they all can be fleet of foot, they lack a real ability to burn past full-backs. Franks, busy always, is let down by his delivery, Compton has been a model of disappointing inconsistency throughout his time at Victoria Park, while Schmeltz has done little apart from an impressive debut cameo. The Dutchman’s short-term deal runs out this week and he is likely to depart.

LEADERS AT THE BACK

MATTHEW Bates has been a captain in the Premier League with Middlesbrough, but he’s been nothing like a leader this season at Pools. There’s no dominant defender at the back and, while Bates and Neil Austin have been regulars and the most experienced defenders, both have been desperately disappointing. Austin’s game has fallen apart over the last 18 months.

In the first-half of last season, Pools had Christian Burgess and Jack Baldwin at the back – two class acts. Look at what Moore, and before him, Paul Murray have been left with.

Moore wants at least two new defenders (he was in talks with one yesterday and Sunderland’s Scott Harrison remains a probable) the sort who can dominate the opposition and be vocal. There’s a lack of a general, anyone willing to take responsibility for himself or others throughout the squad, but at the back – when Pools have been under so much pressure and shipped goals at a constant rate and with alarming ease for the opposition – it’s vital that he addresses the issue. Pools have a goal difference of minus 26 having conceded a shambolic 42 times in League Two.

STRENGTH UP FRONT

EVERY team needs a goalscorer and Pools have scored a paltry 16 goals in 23 games. Marlon Harewood, while he’s not going to get into double figures, was badly missed against Morecambe even for his presence. Pools had to field Joe Ironside and Scott Fenwick up front in his absence and their inexperience showed. They both struggled and neither looked like scoring.

Luke James was Pools’ last regular scorer, but his goals had dried up long before Pools raked in £500,000 from Peterborough – a price which they could never have sold him for now.

There’s no-one in the squad capable of scoring and, once Pools go behind, then it’s game over. There’s not one player available capable of making runs from midfield to support the forwards, leaving them isolated - Bradley Walker was supposed to get forward to help the front men on Sunday, and it’s another job he didn’t manage.

It’s not just a goalscorer Moore needs, but someone clever enough to make the sort of runs every striker should be making in and around the area to drag the opposition defenders about.