The loss yesterday highlighted a couple of areas where Newcastle lack depth. Those are a creative force in the middle of the pitch and another dynamic player on the wing.
Having Isaac Hayden try to fill Jonjo Shelvey’s role, and Joelinton on the wing for Allan Saint-Maximin just did not fill the voids left by those two absentees.
These are two areas, at least positionally, that are often stressed in terms of January targets. It was reported over the past few months that Steve wanted to add a central midfielder with names like Granit Xhaka and Strasbourg’s Ibrahima Sissoko being mentioned.
The Xhaka chances are almost certainly gone, though Sissoko still comes up as a possible target. However, he’s more a Mo Diame replacement than someone who could step in for Jonjo Shelvey.
As far as out wide, Jarrod Bowen is the name that comes up most often as being a target of Newcastle’s. There’s also Rony Lopes of Sevilla, who is still struggling to get a game in La Liga.
We think Bowen would be perfect because he can also play through the middle as a striker or a second striker when we transition to a 4-4-2 late in games as we push for a goal.
Newcastle are in desperate need of a striker who can put the ball in the back of the net, though we do have depth in that department. However, our strikers are just not converting their chances, as was also highlighted yesterday.
Last week Steve Bruce talked about the potential of bringing in some loans if the right players became available.
With just £20m reportedly available for the next window, this is an avenue the club should seriously consider pursuing. They’ll need to offload a couple of players to accomplish that.
Yesterday exposed how much we missed the trio of Jonjo Shelvey, Allan Saint-Maximin, and Miguel Almiron. While we may have fared better with just one or two out, losing all three was a hard thing to witness.
Who Was Newcastle's Best Player In Defeat At Burnley?
- Javier Manquillo (34%, 257 )
- Andy Carroll (29%, 217 )
- Martin Dubravka (14%, 107 )
- Federico Fernandez (6%, 43 )
- Joelinton (4%, 31 )
- Fabian Schar (3%, 26 )
- Isaac Hayden (3%, 25 )
- Paul Dummett (3%, 19 )
- Jetro Willems (2%, 13 )
- Sean Longstaff (1%, 9 )
- Christian Atsu (1%, 8 )
Total Voters: 755
18 comments so far
ronaldo aarons
Dec 15, 2019 at 12:15 PM
Comment #1Joelinton is still obviously adjusting to the league. He took time to adjust in Germany too. Just because there are no instant ‘£40m’ performances doesn’t mean he’s useless as some suggest. Clearly he’s not a hold up striker but that’s been known before he even started a game for us. Yesterday was his first game on the wing and people now already saying he can’t play there? After 1 game. In a team lacking pace, passing and creativity.
Bare in mind that on the wing in this formation means doing the defensive duties too and often getting the ball deeper than a winger at many other clubs would normally do.
ronaldo aarons
Dec 15, 2019 at 12:19 PM
Comment #2You’d have thought though after the past few weeks of people complaining about meaningless possession stats that they would now be happy. 52% yesterday.
cyprus
Dec 15, 2019 at 12:26 PM
Comment #3For the wing position, Wolves have a super player who doesn’t get much playtime. Forget his name, no. 7. With the number crossed, European style. Wonder why.
geordietom
Dec 15, 2019 at 12:28 PM
Comment #4Ronaldo …
scrappy wins dont make no difference to me a wins a win …
we had more possession than Burnley and lost . so wheres the people who wanted us to have more possession ? …
i’ll take 33 per cent possession if it means we win games all day long mate …
geordietom
Dec 15, 2019 at 12:30 PM
Comment #5Pedro Neto CYPRUS is it this guy ?…
cyprus
Dec 15, 2019 at 12:30 PM
Comment #6Agreed Ronaldo,
But at 40 million you sure expect a player to hit the ground running. I don’t buy the conspiracy theories (an evil plot by MA to cheat the geordies), but surely 40 mil will buy you a ready to fire CF.
The investment is so gigantic that we MUST give him a chance.
geordietom
Dec 15, 2019 at 12:31 PM
Comment #7https://www.google.co.uk/search?client=opera&q=wolves+player+with+the+number+7+shirt&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
cyprus
Dec 15, 2019 at 12:31 PM
Comment #8Yes Geordietom. Wily little player.
Ketsbaia9
Dec 15, 2019 at 12:32 PM
Comment #9We must sign Jarrod Bowen. Even if it costs £20m. Got to get him signed. Future England player. Will be worth £200m in a few years. Can play on the wing or up front. Scores in nearly every game.
We also need to snap up Ibrahima Sissoko. Rony Lopes would be a bonus.
Would like us to sign Mateta and another fast striker.
geordietom
Dec 15, 2019 at 12:33 PM
Comment #10Cyprus …
never seen him play to be honest . he’s only 19 might be worth a punt mate …
geordietom
Dec 15, 2019 at 12:35 PM
Comment #11kets …
i was reading earlier about Rony Lopes he’s not getting any game time at his club. and Sissoko is linked with us again …
cyprus
Dec 15, 2019 at 12:38 PM
Comment #12I think we’re alright at 9, despite the stats. It is Andy, he’s still ring Rusty but definitely a handful. And he knows how to score.
He needs a pacy little guy nearby, because he easily wins the flick ons. Bellamy style. Is that Gayle? No idea. Almiron or ASM? No idea. Don’t think it’s Shelvey, even though they did combine. That’s not what I have in mind.
We need a top winger and a top MF, as first priorities. Doubt one can find a free scoring CF in January.
Rotonda heights
Dec 15, 2019 at 12:41 PM
Comment #13Ronaldo
Its in the dna to support nufc. Not a damn thing you can do about it.
Sadly when you go down the route of hiring a cheap brit journeyman after not learning the lessons of pardew, allardyce, mclaren etc this is the type of fare you’re going to get.
Some numpty on here regularly slags off kk but at nearly 60 I now think those were the best footballing days of my life. No need for free ticket giveaways then.
Mindshaft
Dec 15, 2019 at 12:48 PM
Comment #14We’re on track to survive , we hopefully won’t run out of the luck we’ve had so far and defenders will keep scoring – I doubt our ‘strikers’ will get 8 goals between them for the rest of season.
Cheer up Stevie Bruce , oh what could it mean , to a sad mackem b’tard and a shit football team …. Oh dear, forgot he’s our manager now :'(
Mindshaft
Dec 15, 2019 at 12:50 PM
Comment #15Rotunda – agreed , if you’re born in the north east it’s bred into you – we’ve not had much to cheer about other than kk and sbr years and still some people skate them – unbelievable
Unused Substitute
Dec 15, 2019 at 1:23 PM
Comment #16Both Lejeune and Schär have helped in speeding up attack via long and through passes. In fact, after their induction, Shelvey saw his game time curtailed. Lejeune is being saved for later and that’s fair enough. But I doubt whether there’s been any interest to use Schär to take care of Shelvey’s absence as much as possible. The argument that we hobbled because of Shelvey’s absence is therefore doesn’t make sense.
Ketsbaia9
Dec 15, 2019 at 1:35 PM
Comment #17If we get Bowen and Sissoko in in Januay, then Almiron can move more central. We could sign Rony Lopes in the summer.
Unused Substitute
Dec 15, 2019 at 1:41 PM
Comment #18Oh and on the spin being given on session stats, people made noise when we only managed ~25% possession during the first half at home against a team that is stuck almost permanently in the relegation zone this year.