JOHNGIBSON
GO to it, Joselu my son. Make your point. You deserve the chance. The striker deemed surplus to requirements by Mark Hughes at Stoke and sold on the cheap for £5m is within a month having to face his old club at St James’ Park tomorrow. Meanwhile, Hughes will be parading the player brought in as a golden replacement Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who scored two precious goals to halt the Manchester United bandwagon. However, Joselu has not been at all shabby himself and has won over the hearts of Geordies always open to positives. He is a clever line-leader with a good touch and a brain which can punish those standing in his way. Now comes a great chance to prove it once and for all, not only because he is playing in front of the dismissive Hughes but also because he is leading a refreshing surge by written-off nohopers Newcastle. I too wondered what we might be getting when a striker supposed to be good enough to play regularly in the top flight comes so cheaply and, having learned to be cautious over many long years of disappointment, I am withholding my final verdict because two games are not enough to offer up sound judgement - but I am pleasantly surprised. Surprise me again tomorrow, lad!
Joselu – or Jose Luis Sanmartin to give him his full moniker – has so far shared a field with illustrious forwards like Javier Hernandez, Manuel Lanzini, Wilfried Bony, Jordan Ayew and Rafa’s first pick Tammy Abraham but has not lived in their shadow on the day.
He has also overtaken last season’s goal ace Dwight Gayle on home territory, which is just as significant. They are different players, of course – touch and physical attributes compared to pace and playing off the shoulder.
Opportunity, it is said, rarely knocks more than once. Not so. For United it is almost a permanent companion this new term.
After Premier League runners-up Spurs visited our city on the opening weekend Newcastle have been presented with a run of five successive matches where points are more than available.
They started badly, losing to Tottenham and Huddersfield, but have then won two on the bounce without conceding a goal against West Ham and Swansea. Now we have Stoke at home tomorrow and Brighton away a week later. What an opportunity by PL standards but to take advantage the Magpies must show ruthless determination knowing a honeymoon period is inevitably followed by a dose of reality when the points total is evened out against the sternest of opposition. United have to go about their business the right way. High tempo, concentration, organisation, collective will to succeed. The onus is always upon the home side to set a pattern and keep their foot on the gas. It will not be easy. United are not good enough to cruise in the top division and only an hour and a half of graft allied to moments of magic can produce three points. Stoke are no pushovers even if they offer opportunity and they will punish any perceived flaws. Yet the idea must be to welcome back the returning Benitez with a victory parade.