Jaf: There are so many long passes in the Premier League, I am more familiar with four defenders, but there is no problem with three defenders

Sports 7:02pm, 23 September 2025 193

German defender Jaf left AC Milan to join Newcastle this summer, with a transfer fee of 35 million euros. In an interview, Jaf talked about the differences between English football and how he adapted.

In the 0-0 draw with Bournemouth, Jaf partnered with Botman and Dan Bourne in the five-back formation, and the team also had Russells, Craft and others in this position. Jaf said: "As a player, I came here for the sake of the game. I trust the coach very much. The first thing I have to adapt to is the team's tactics and the Premier League. I also know that we can continue to improve.

"I am very used to the four-guard system, but the three-guard has no problem with me. I am very flexible. I'm a very good player, so I can adapt very smoothly. There were a lot of long passes in the game against Liverpool and Bournemouth. Such a contest is not easy and can be said to be very difficult.

"I was told before the game that it was always a bad time to play Bournemouth away, so I think the results of the game were in line with our expectations. There were a lot of second-drop penalty kicks and long passes in this game, but everyone responded well. We defended well and did not concede."

Newcastle only won one game in the Premier League so far this season, but Jaf was not worried about the team's performance: "Of course our goal is to win every game, but we should not be frustrated. The team played very well against Bournemouth, but we must always aim for the best performance.

"We can win games like this, but it requires us to pay more attention to details. I think the team will make huge progress in the future, and it's just the beginning. ”