Newcastle United’s Premier League form this season has been a cause for major concern amongst the club’s fan base, but the media’s common focus on the recent failings of Nick Woltemade as the primary reason for their struggles is both unfair and narrow-minded.
While it’s true that the Germans’ recent performances have been far from stellar, singling him out as a scapegoat goes a long way towards overshadowing the various chinks in the Magpies’ current armour.
In his brief time on Tyneside, the 24-year-old has already experienced a productive goal-scoring run to begin his tenure, an overreliance on him playing lots of minutes due to a lack of striker backup, and now faces the challenge of adapting to a completely new position away from his preferred centre-forward role.
With square pegs being forced into round holes in attack, and a defense growing increasingly porous each week, Newcastle’s season is becoming alarmingly reliant on success in the cup competitions.
Eddie Howe needs to address a multitude of far more pressing issues than simply defining Nick Woltemade’s long-term role within the team, a narrative drawing attention away from the more urgent problems.
Form Is Temporary, Class Is Permanent?
Following a breakout season with Stuttgart in the Bundesliga and a prolific performance at the UEFA Under-21 Championships last summer, Nick Woltemade emerged as one of the most sought-after young talents in world football.
With German giants Bayern Munich earmarking him as a long-term successor to Harry Kane, his talent began to garner major attention. But it was Newcastle United who executed a fast-moving heist, sealing a £69 million deal to bring him to Tyneside, a purchase that some critics viewed as a panic buy amidst a summer of upheaval, which resulted in the urgent need to replace Alexander Isak.
The towering 6 ft 6 forward wasted no time in showcasing his widely recognized potential, finding the net on his debut against Wolves and continuing his impressive start by scoring in four of his first five Premier League appearances. It was more than just his goals, though, that made him an instant hit at St James Park, as his remarkable touch for such a tall player and ability to knit the play together became a theme of his early days leading the Magpies line.
Despite a significant drop in his contribution to the team, with no goals since before Christmas, he continues to garner the unwavering support of his national team manager. Speaking to the German media outlet Kicker, Julian Nagelsmann revealed that he has communicated regularly with Woltemade, telling him that he has his full faith.
Is Woltemade’s New Role A Hasty Decision By Eddie Howe?
Over the course of his more than four years in charge, Eddie Howe has gained recognition for his ability to transform players into experts in entirely different roles.
The most memorable example was the transformation of Joelinton, signed as a striker to lead the line into a combative and mobile central midfielder. More recently, facilitated by a shortage at full back, local hero Lewis Miley has proven himself to be an adept right back, nullifying the threat of some of the Premier League’s most technically gifted wingers this season.
In recent games, the 48-year-old has opted to deploy Woltemade in the number 10 role, favoring Anthony Gordon’s more natural mobility as a central striker. It’s a move that has increased the goal-scoring threat of the former Everton man, particularly in Europe, but has seen the German become almost invisible in matches.
It’s surely a fact as old as the game itself that strikers, inevitably, go through periods of fluctuating form. Take Benjamin Sesko, for example, a player currently enjoying a pulsating run of form, after initially failing to hit the ground running upon his arrival in English football. The fortunes of Newcastle’s number 27 have transpired in reverse compared to the Slovenian as both navigate their first season in the Premier League.
The Geordie faithful regularly herald the genius of Howe to uncover hidden qualities in his players, but with striking options at a premium, there is an argument to say that Woltemade should be given a fresh chance in his position of ease.
How The Chasm Between The Lines Is Costing Newcastle
Newcastle’s 3-2 defeat at home to Everton on Saturday cast a harsh light on their glaring vulnerabilities. It was a scarcely believable third successive home defeat for the Magpies, with Aston Villa and Brentford previously taking all three points away from St James Park, a notoriously difficult venue in Howe’s tenure.
It’s become a common view among the Toon Army that Newcastle’s struggles to unlock low-block set-ups are why so many opponents employ that tactic against them. But against the Toffees, the players were able to provide the incisive passes needed to twice equalise against David Moyes rigid side. Ultimately, though, their latest defeat came from a mixture of individual errors, and the glaring space between the midfield trio and the backline, which was merrily punished.
Until they can win a home game without needing to score at least four goals, pressure will continue to mount. Opposing players known for their directness, including Dango Outtara and Illiman Ndiaye, have particularly enjoyed their trips to the North East in recent weeks, wreaking havoc against a disorganised and out-of-sorts Newcastle system.
Costly errors from Nick Pope are becoming increasingly common, yet the manager seems hesitant to replace the 33-year-old goalkeeper. As well as this, a shortage of defenders, coupled with a constant stream of matches, is resulting in a lot of football for the likes of 35-year-old Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn, 33.
As success has brought a greater volume of games, the coaching staff has occasionally needed to adopt a more conservative approach to ensure competitive longevity. While this shift may have been inevitable, the side has lost its surprise element, and opponents are now better prepared for the challenge they pose.
The chase is on to restore a fully functioning Newcastle machine and to instil a degree of cohesion between the whole team to give them more control in matches. In these challenging times at St. James’ Park, a more balanced perspective from everyone involved is needed, rather than sacrificing individuals.
