The p and glo SAINT-MAXIMIN A FACE OFF IN PACE
IT’S the showdown of the Wo
lightning-quick tricky wingers hadW
who are game-changers for their middle-ranking clubs. Tra
French star Allan Saint-Maximin and and Spanish muscle-man Adama Bor Traore are on opposite sides when tou Newcastle travel to Wolves today. tack
But they are out of the same S mould – powerful, pacy dribblers alland a defender’s nightmare on their infl day. into
For their respective fan bases, the both Saint-Maximin and Traore are B the shining lights who can turn on go b the style and lift their team out of the “ordinary. tho
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has do challenged his star man Saint“Maximin to match the consistency The and all-round play that Traore has Cha discovered under Wanderers’ coach
Nuno Espirito Santo. to.
And he reckons s Traore is one of the top-class ss gems
Wolves have brought rought t ogether to t urn themselves into an outfit capable of consecutive top- seven finishes.
Bruce said:
“The pair of them are very similar – explosive pace, outstanding pace.
“Traore has matured over the last two to three years. He has matured his final pass, his delivery, his all-round consistency. You can see the development.
“That has got to be the same with Allan, too.
“They are both very, very exciting to watch and on the day are matchwinners. We have all seen his development.”
So who is better? Saint-Maximin has a goal and an assist in the league so far this season, while Traore is yet to get off the mark but was key
fo r
RESPECT: Bruce (left) praised Shelvey (right) for playing through the pain barrier
olves last season. They’ve both d three shots.
When it comes to team play aore is ahead with 83 passes to 67, d 30 of them forward. The former ro man also leads 197 to 140 in uches, 17-6 in crosses and 8-3 in kles. Saint-Maximin will have to up his -round game to get to Traore’s fluential level and drag Newcastle o the top 10, which Bruce says is e aim.
Bruce said: “I look at Wolves and back to the Championship. “How they had four or five of ose players in the Championship I not know.
“They were absolutely incredible. e best team I had seen in the ampionship for donkey’s years.
Fair play to them how they have done it and got the players they have got. You can only ask them how.
“Certainly we aspire to be up and around where Wolves have been for two to three years. The difficulty always is to sustain it.
“They have got really good players and keep investing in good players. Whoever is in the top 10 we aspire to get there. That is our aim.”
Jonjo Shelvey is facing a lay-off and medical treatment for his persistent groin injury.
Bruce said: “He has been carrying a bit of an injury. He puts himself out there when maybe he shouldn’t.
“He has had a sore groin and he has played but it has come to the stage when he is not going to be able to.
“I have nothing but the hugest respect for him. Most players would not be playing with the injury he has played with.
“We will address that over the next three weeks.”