What we learned from victory over Verona
WHAT CHRIS WAUGH LEARNED FROM NEWCASTLE’S VICTORY OVER VERONA AT ST JAMES’
NEWCASTLE United strolled to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Hellas Verona in the Magpies’ final pre-season friendly of the summer.
Ayoze Perez and Christian Atsu scored both of United’s goals inside the first 11 minutes at St James’ Park as Rafa Benitez’s men cruised to victory.
Former Newcastle assistant coach Fabio Pecchia, who led Verona to promotion last season, was given a warm reception by Benitez and his backroom team but the Italian’s side were well beaten on Tyneside.
Now, with less than a week until Newcastle host Tottenham Hotspur in their Premier League curtain raiser, here is what Chris Waugh learned from an easy friendly victory.
1. The need for a striker is no longer just pressing, it is now desperate
This was not the news Newcastle fans wanted just before the start of the season.
Do not be hoodwinked too soon by this easy victory.
The lack of a front-line centreforward who is proven in a European top flight still leaves a glaring hole in this United squad.
Dwight Gayle, who scored 23 goals as he fired United to the Championship title last season, was not involved in the Magpies’ match-day squad for this final preseason friendly.
The 26-year-old suffered a minor hamstring niggle in training and Benitez instead opted to try alternative options a week out from the Spurs game.
Aleksandar Mitrovic started up front, despite the striker potentially being available if the right offer arrives, and this highlights just how desperate Newcastle’s search for a striker has become.
Stoke City’s Joselu and Arsenal’s Lucas Perez are both being sought but the fact United are now less than a week from the Premier League opener without having signed a forward – despite Daryl Murphy having departed – is now a serious concern.
Reinforcements up front are desperately needed this week, particularly given Gayle’s repeated hamstring problems over the last 12 months – and the fact Mitrovic simply does not look like a striker capable of delivering 15-plus goals in the top flight.
No wonder Benitez is exasperated by the lack of forward additions. This has to be resolved – and within days, not weeks.
The situation is now critical.
2. Atsu appears to be playing himself into the left-wing berth at the moment
If this line-up was indicative of the XI who will start this Sunday’s opener against Spurs, then Atsu looks like he has a very good chance of beginning the campaign as first-choice left-winger.
Jacob Murphy may have arrived amid much fanfare in a £10million-plus deal last month, while Rolando Aarons may have shown glimpses of his undoubted talent during these friendlies, but Atsu is a player Benitez knows well.
Even though the Ghanaian was not necessarily a regular starter during the first two-thirds of last season, he really impressed during the final few months of the season and earned himself a permanent move to Tyneside.
After a few eye-catching displays in pre-season – and a couple of mediocre ones too, it must be noted – Atsu started against Verona and put in his most accomplished performance of the past few weeks.
A constant menace for Enrico Bearzotti, Atsu regularly got in behind the Verona defenders and