Magpies getting survival sorted
REJUVENATED SQUAD HAS BACKBONE AT LAST
YOU have to have backbone when your very life is in grave danger - and Newcastle have come up with that in spades.
The spine of Rafa Benitez’s team is what has sparked a sustained survival act.
Three at the back – and the right trio in Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles and Florian Lejeune – has locked up the defence while still producing a launchpad to counter.
A centre-midfield pairing of Sean Longstaff (below) and Isaac Hayden has been stumbled upon by default to great effect.
The three up top have combined the muscle of Salomon Rondon with two fleet-of-foot outriders in Miguel Almiron and Ayoze Perez, who have great inventiveness and clever touch.
It all comes together to give United a real chance as they shape up for a terrific run-in to what could have been a tumultuous season.
On they go, secure once more at home after four successive victories have swept aside the clouds of doom and not too shabby away either.
Facts are facts and it is a fact as Newcastle head for West Ham tomorrow teatime they are a difficult side to beat on their travels.
Only four top clubs out of the Premier League’s 20 have lost fewer games on the road than United’s five. Only the cream have defeated Newcastle even on their own patch - Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs - and only the reds of Merseyside have dismantled them, so there is no reason why the Mags cannot go to West Ham with a quiet confidence. Why are we suddenly looking at life through rose-tinted specs instead of through a haze of confusion?
Sim- ply because the key components of the team are now sorted. Benitez has gone from a flat back four to three central defenders home as well as away and found the right three. Federico Fernandez, so impressive when first signed, has missed out long-term, allowing Lascelles, who initially disliked playing in a three, to become the sitter in the centre with Schar and Lejeune either side of him able to step out with the ball and spark attacks through their ability to pass long and short.
Schar, the scorer of spectacular goals to boot as we witnessed again in midweek, was completely ignored early doors, making only one start in United’s first 11 PL games, while Lejeune was badly injured which meant he did not return to the first team until January.
In front of them Longstaff has been a revelation no-one, including Benitez, could ever have expected to emerge so quickly and with such consistency. At his shoulder Hayden has not been too far behind him in terms of unexpected impact.
Jonjo Shelvey, who started the campaign as United’s only playmaker, Mo Diame, who was the only outfield ever-present before injury, and Ki, who was lauded when standing in for Shelvey, have been left twiddling their thumbs.
Up top, Rondon has needed support and Almiron has provided it in abundance.
He gives Newcastle something different with his ability to run behind, his lightning pace and his impish ability. He has not only helped Rondon but given Perez a huge fillip. Where earlier he was regularly criticised by the fans, he is now accepted and even appreciated for his footballing brain.
Hasn’t life changed for individuals – for good and for bad – and hasn’t it changed for the team?
There is still work to be done and as long as the squad realise that all will be fine.
The Hammers will take advantage of any posing, of any smug belief United have only to go through the motions to gain a reward.
However, I cannot believe Benitez and Lascelles will allow that to happen. Life has been too traumatic to forget it quickly.
Last season’s great revival has to be the target again.