Lewis Hall threw his arms in the air in frustration as Fabian Schar’s backpass rolled 50 yards towards Newcastle United goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek.It was not a terrible pass. It was not even necessarily the wrong decision. But coming fewer than three seconds after an incisive line-breaking ball against Championship opposition, it felt like a backwards step. Newcastle’s attack felt like a unit more preoccupied with making the ‘correct decision’ than forcing their way on goal.For 81 minutes of Newcastle’s 1-0 win at Millwall, it felt like the summation of the visitors’ night. This Carabao Cup third-round tie was one of the first opportunities to see Matthias Jaissle’s promised brand of “vertical football” in a match where Newcastle were expected to dominate possession. For all his achievements at the club, this was one area of the game that Jaissle’s predecessor Eddie Howe never quite managed to crack.On first returns, Jaissle may face similar problems — a near full-strength side stymied by a Millwall side featuring only four to five first-choice players, and whose next available back-up striker was a 15-year-old debutant.Make no mistake, Newcastle were largely in control of the game — but having taken 10 shots after 30 minutes, none of which constituted a clear-cut chance, it was a sign that Millwall had not been broken down. Their best two early opportunities came from set pieces.“Newcastle are very much a transitional team,” Millwall manager Alex Neil said post-match. On this evidence, he was right.On Tuesday evening, there was a lack of players who felt comfortable playing on the half-turn, so one vertical pass was rarely followed by another. Yoane Wissa was largely peripheral while Joe Willock’s profile does not quite appear to fit the No 10 role he has been tasked with.In the first half, 63 per cent of Newcastle’s attacks were channelled down the left flank, the vast majority through Lewis Hall. As good as the England international is, appearing on his 22nd birthday, a left-back cannot be an elite team’s creative fulcrum.So at the end of his first transfer window, how can Jaissle evolve this squad next? In his first five games, save for the first half against Bournemouth, Newcastle have played competent, solid, and proficient football. What they have failed to do is intimidate.Two seasons ago, Newcastle’s front six was predictable — but also fear-inducing. Howe’s team sheet could largely be forecast from week to week: Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Sandro Tonali; Jacob Murphy, Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon.