Currently propping up the rest of the Premier League without a victory to their name, Newcastle United sit in a highly perilous position, with only neighbours Sunderland and Aston Villa for comfort as the rest of the league starts to move away.
Although it's still early on in the campaign it seems as if the only route to safety for Newcastle this season will be to find three teams worse than themselves in the division. At the moment, few on Tyneside will be holding their breath.
Blame lies with one individual
Where the blame lies for this season's dire beginnings is difficult to tell, but there is one name that is notable by its absence in the line of fire, one which would ordinarily be the first on the lips of any dissident supporter. Michael Ashley.
At the end of last season Mike made a promise to Newcastle United fans that he'd invest sufficiently in the club to ensure that this season would not be another spent scrambling about at the bottom of the league, and invest he did.
On instruction from the board Mike, having now taken a back seat, dipped his hands into his pockets and shelled out £50m in an attempt to bring a better era of football to Tyneside. However, it seems as if he has been somewhat ripped off with the rot currently showing no signs of stopping.
Underachieving newcomers
To say the newcomers have underachieved would be verging on kind. Thus far they have unequivocally failed to live up to the demands of the Premier League and, whilst one can remain hopeful that they will acclimatise in the future, there is the pressing issue of the club's present shortcomings.
Some may suggest this is harsh criticism and point out decent showings against Chelsea, Southampton and the first half against Manchester City as beacons of hope. However, in all three of those games Newcastle had the lead and let it slip. Failing to see games out from advantageous positions is unforgivable in the Premier League and demonstrates that so far, Newcastle's best efforts are still far from good enough.
Ashley needs new way of fixing things
What Mike Ashley needs to learn from this is that patching up the club bit by bit is not the way to fix its problems. For too long the club has been trying to float upon dead wood, whilst perpetually running the risk of sinking and what is desperately needed is a complete top-down overhaul.
However, Mike Ashley as Newcastle know him is unlikely to try this approach. If anything, Ashley is likely to use this season to support his approach to investment. If putting money into the club produces the same results as not putting money into it, Mike's thrifty nature is likely to tighten the grip on the purse strings once again.
Up to current crop
It is up to the current crop of players to ensure such an attitude to spending does not take place in the owner's mind, which is going to take some hard work. Whether the squad as it is is capable of such endeavour is debatable, but based on the opening eight games of the campaign, fans could be forgiven for being pessimistic about their chances.
This is also an opportunity for Steve McClaren and the rest of the board to demonstrate that they are more than the puppets for the Ashley regime many are accusing them of being. A transformation on the pitch, coupled with some pressure from the board could force Ashley into further investment in the January transfer window, something which needs to happen to once again remain in the top flight.
Last season's reluctance to pick up necessary reinforcements during the winter shopping month almost cost Newcastle dearly and if McClaren can begin to show Ashley the benefit of investment prior to the turn of the year, Mike could have his mind made up for him.
However, even if Ashley does become the free-spending owner the fans would like him to be, a few cogs in the Newcastle United machine would still need some greasing in order to maintain healthy functionality at the club.
All of the above points are perfectly valid and fairly easily recognised by all at Newcastle, or indeed anyone with a keen interest in football, but it's no good simply portioning blame between players, manager and owner. When stripped down to the bare bones, a simple route of success exists at any football club.
Need the right players
Firstly a club needs the right players. In order to get those players, scouts are required to go all over the world and find the best people for the job at the best price. Once those players have been identified, the owner then must stump up the required funds to pay any necessary costs. Then, following their recruitment, it is up to the management and coaching staff to make sure that those players are both personally happy and tactically in tune with one another. If not, they are surplus to requirements and someone better must be brought in. The cycle repeats itself.
This basic chain needs to be in place before any club can succeed and at Newcastle, there are faults all the way along the production line. The players being brought in don't seem to be tactically on the same wave length. Is that their own fault, or the manager's for trying inoperable systems? Or do we look at the wider picture? Is Ashley not paying enough money for the right players? For example, why did he sign an unproven Aleksander Mitrovic for £13m when for just £2m more, he could have snapped up Charlie Austin, a proven Premier League goalscorer reaching the prime of his career? Is this a fault of his own, or was it insistence from chief scout Graham Carr that cheaper options were just as viable?
Wrong to say it is just one person that caused the problems
Pinpointing the exact cause of Newcastle's problems would take much deeper analysis, but on face value the fact that it's difficult to choose just one person responsible for the current situation at the club shows that fans have every right to be worried.
One thing that is glaringly apparent is eight games into the season without a victory is relegation form personified. The only thing in Newcastle's favour at the moment is time, but they need to act fast before that too slips from their grasp.