Last season, Newcastle United encountered hurdles, and some proved to be insurmountable. After failing to qualify for Europe, Eddie Howe’s side could find solace in their creativity, their cause.
The honed and concerted attacking approach bore fruits and placed the St. James’ Park squad among the most productive playmaking sides in the Premier League. That, this season, has evaporated, with goals coming at a splutter rather than a cascade.
1.
Liverpool
102
2.
Manchester City
97
2=
Newcastle United
97
4.
Tottenham Hotspur
90
5.
Arsenal
87
5=
Chelsea
87
With just 19 big chances created this season, the Magpies are failing to take flight. Bottom-placed Southampton, for contextualisation, have created the fewest big chances with 16.
Newcastle are struggling to hit that fluent stride of 2022/23. There were flashes last year, but injuries precluded the same lofty heights from being scaled. Now, players need to step up, rise to that level once again. Anthony Gordon, certainly, needs to quickly recapture his giddy form.
Why Newcastle need to replace Anthony Gordon
Obviously, Newcastle shouldn’t get rid of their 2023/24 Player of the Season. Their £45m starboy from Everton, poster of 12 goals and 11 assists last season.
But he’s “regressed” this season and that’s the truth, with reporter Charlie Bennett saying as such. Against West Ham most recently, for example, Gordon was hooked before 70 minutes were clocked after earlier missing a great chance and altogether failing to inspire his side’s attacking success.
Two goals and an assist from 11 matches isn’t terrible, especially with some neat underlying data suggesting that the fine form will return at some stage, but he’s struggling, especially when playing out on the right.
Left winger
49
12
8
Right winger
11
1
4
Centre-forward
7
2
0
Gordon is much better on his left, much more confident in his movements, his passing, his striking. His tactical flexibility is a fantastic asset, but he’s regularly shoehorned on the alternate flank due to a lack of options.
Greater regularity in his favoured deployment can only be a good thing for this talent and the overall fluency of Howe’s set-up. With January approaching, Newcastle need to act.
Newcastle looking at attacking recruit
Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo is right at the top of Newcastle’s Christmas wishlist, although it won’t be easy to sign one of the Premier League’s finest forwards this season, with a fee upward of £50m sure to be required.
United are curious to explore options from overseas, and appear to be intrigued by the prospect of signing Johan Bakayoko, with Belgian outlet Footnews confirming the Magpies’ interest over the weekend.
Having considered a move for some time, Newcastle are now ready to strengthen and will target the winger this January, though PSV Eindhoven would expect to find an offer reaching €60m (£51m) at their doorstep.
What Johan Bakayoko would bring to Newcastle
Bakayoko, aged 21, has emerged as one of the Netherlands’ finest talents in recent years, winning the Dutch top-flight title last term and posting 14 goals and 14 assists apiece across all competitions.
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Analyst Ben Mattinson has hailed the winger for his “insane” quality and the stars appear to be aligning for this one, whose performances speak of a successful future in a top division such as the Premier League. With Miguel Almiron struggling to earn minutes, this is surely a deal to forge ahead with.
The Paraguayan winger’s long-gone purple patch doesn’t look like it will be recovered on English soil, a sentiment that Howe seems to agree with, for the 30-year-old has played just 103 minutes of Premier League football this season across five matches, starting once.
That starting berth, during the 2-1 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, prompted the Chronicle Live to chalk Almiron off with a 4/10 match rating, criticising the ‘disappointing outing.’
Almiron’s paucity of minutes and steady decline mean that he will be sold for a fee below £10m, according to reporter Craig Hope. This must be accepted by the Toon bosses, who need to recoup what they can this winter and turn their transfer cannon toward Holland.
Interestingly, Bakayoko slightly outperformed Yankuba Minteh while he was on loan at Feyenoord last season. Newcastle sold the Gambian talent to Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal worth £30m this summer to placate PSR, and he has shown promise on the South Coast.
You’d think Bakayoko, though inexperienced, would bring more to the table than Almiron, who can’t even find a seat. After all, PSV’s wunderkind has continued to impress in the Eredivisie and the Champions League this season, and a move to a top suitors feels a matter simply of time.
Liverpool appeared to hold an interest in the Belgium international this summer but opted against a move, instead bolstering their stocked frontline with Federico Chiesa. Even so, the scouting reports spoke loudly: this is a rising star with a ceiling fit for a cathedral.
Just look at the data. As per FBref, Bakayoko ranks among the top 8% of positional peers in the Dutch Eredivisie for goals scored and shot-creating actions, the top 1% for progressive carries and passes attempted and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90.
A successful take-on is recorded when a player beats their opponent by directly carrying the ball past them while retaining possession.
Raw athleticism meets fast-developing technical quality. Bakayoko would surely dovetail right into the Newcastle system, allowing Gordon to feature in his favoured role and Almiron to complete a move away.
It’s for the good of the squad. Howe just needs to ensure it happens.
Newcastle must regret losing academy ace who's outperforming Gordon in PL
Newcastle lost an academy talent who’s now outperforming Gordon in the Premier League.
ByAngus Sinclair Nov 23, 2024
