Newcastle United

Alan Pardew's Newcastle United are on a dreadful run of form.

The Magpies have lost their last four matches without scoring, conceding 12. At home in the league in 2014, Sunderland have found the net more often than Pardew's men (three to two).

The 1-0 defeat to Stoke was a far cry from their peak on Boxing Day when they beat the same opposition 5-1 and were three points behind fourth-placed Liverpool. The difference in those two teams' form in the second half of the season has been staggering.

So what has gone wrong at Newcastle? The most obvious factor is the sale of influential midfielder Yohan Cabaye to Paris St-Germain in January.

Cabaye was the key to Newcastle's play. Whether he was spraying passes from in front of the back four, or threading a through ball in the final third, his creativity and goals were at the heart of Newcastle's promising first half of the season.

Pardew's failure to replace Cabaye led to the loss of team morale and direction on the field. Perhaps as important has also been the continued absence of forward Loic Remy, who served a three-match suspension followed by more than a month on the sidelines with injury.

With Remy hoping to return on Saturday against Swansea, it is time for Pardew to change his formation. For the last two seasons, he has favoured a 4-5-1 which can evolve into a 4-4-2 if the team has sustained periods of possession.

However, in the absence of Cabaye and Moussa Sissoko, Pardew should revert to the system that brought him so much success when Newcastle finished fifth two years ago: 4-3-3.

Without these two sources of creativity and assists, when he returns from injury a place in the team must be found for talented but enigmatic Frenchman Hatem Ben Arfa.

In 2012, Ben Arfa excelled when playing on the right wing, providing crosses for Papiss Cisse and often finding the net himself. The 3-1 away victory against West Brom two years ago was the pinnacle of that system. After the match, Pardew eulogised his front three of Ben Arfa, Cisse and Demba Ba.

Although Ben Arfa will miss the visit of Swansea through injury, 4-3-3 could still be used to good effect if Sammy Ameobi is fit to play. This system would also allow Remy to operate in his favoured position, cutting in from the left.

Newcastle have nothing to lose in the final four games of the season, so should try and get the fans back on side by playing an adventurous style of football. Returning to an old formation cannot prove worse than the current tactics, and 4-3-3 would at least be a sign of attacking intent from Pardew.

After a frustrating season that promised a top-six challenge but fizzled away quickly after Christmas, Toon fans are desperately in need of something to shout about. As a result, Alan Pardew should attack with purpose against Swansea with a 4-3-3.

For the last six years, Fabricio Coloccini has been an exemplary servant in the Newcastle United first team. But amidst mounting speculation that the defender is looking to make a move back to his home country, there are plenty of reasons why a return to Argentina could be his best option. 

The rumours are nothing new. Towards the end of last year, Coloccini left himself open to the possibility of moving back to the Primera Division. His top priority, as stated in an interview to Ole covered by The Guardian's Louise Taylor, would be a return to former club and current Argentine champions San Lorenzo: 

You never know what can happen in football

I have to speak the truth; I would like to return as soon as possible. In January we did all we could for a possible return to San Lorenzo but I always made it clear that Newcastle would have the last word. The club have invested a lot in me and I must show respect towards them.

The truth is I don't want to get my hopes up. Hopefully it will be as soon as possible though.

The Albiceleste international of course stayed put at St. James Park following those declarations, electing to fight through what has been a difficult season for the North-east giants. But Magpies officials are already preparing themselves for another battle to keep their influential star in the next transfer window. 

“I’m not worried about it at this stage, but obviously it is a conversation that I will have with Colo and we will pick the right decision for the club," manager Alan Pardew admitted in a recent interview, covered by Simon Bird of The Mirror. The boss' words hardly bode well for Coloccini's continuity, even though he expressed a wish for his defensive star to stay. 

“What might be right for him might not be right for the club, but I am hoping we both make the same decision because I want him to stay. He is an essential part of this team, one of my most important players."

At 32, the advantages of a possible homecoming are clear to see. Plenty of ageing European stars have made a successful transition back to Argentina, prolonging their careers and enjoying the acclaim of local crowds as they lead clubs to glory. 

Creative geniuses Juan Roman Riquelme and Juan Sebastian Veron are perhaps the best-known examples in recent years. Riquelme moved back to Boca Juniors after a mixed spell in Spain in 2007, and was almost instantly rewarded. 

A new title in that year's Copa Libertadores proved that the playmaker was right to try his hand once more in the Bombonera, and still playing seven years later Roman is well-established as one of the club's greatest players in history. 

Veron, who starred with the likes of Lazio, Sampdoria, Manchester United and Chelsea in Europe, made possible an even greater impact. His emotional return to Estudiantes, the La Plata club touched both by himself and father Juan Ramon in difference spells, has coincided with two league titles and a Copa Libertadores as the Pincha re-established themselves as one of Argentina's premier institutions. 

Now 39 and still featuring for the first team after one abortive attempt at retirement, La Brujita flies the flag for the homecomers. But there are plenty more examples: Gabriel Heinze has revitalised the Newell's defence since going back to Rosario, while Maxi Rodriguez's form with the Lepra has pushed him into an almost inevitable World Cup place at the ripe old age of 33. 

The lesson for Coloccini could not be clearer: Give your best in local football, and the national team is still well within reach. A series of injuries has led to a cooling of interest from coach Alejandro Sabella, after muscling his way into the squad for the last World Cup qualifier against Uruguay. 

The door, however, is far from being shut on the Cordoba native. 

The defender still has some of his best years ahead. At 32 he is not particularly old for a centre-back, and it is his intelligence and perception that makes him such a tricky customer for forwards rather than his outstanding physical attributes. 

From Riquelme to Heinze, and from Veron to Maxi, countless Argentine stars have seen their careers enter an Indian summer thanks to their decision to head back home. If Coloccini can secure a place in a San Lorenzo side consistently fighting for the top places in the Primera Division, the defender could still have a bright future both in local and international football.