Almiron is already showing signs he’ll be a huge success
BENITEZ BUOYED BY NEW MAN’S MENTAL APPROACH
MIGUEL Almiron showed he has the “character” and ability to succeed at Newcastle United after his Premier League baptism of fire, believes Rafa Benitez.
The 25-year-old joined from Atlanta United for an initial £16m on transfer-deadline day in January – a fee which could yet rise to become a club-record £21m deal – and became the single most expensive addition of the Mike Ashley era in the process.
After a magnificent home debut against Huddersfield Town last month, and another promising performance against Burnley at St James’ Park, Almiron was less prominent during Newcastle’s disappointing 2-0 defeat at West Ham United on Saturday.
Mark Noble was booked for the Hammers after a late tackle on Almiron midway through the first half, and the Paraguayan’s only real attempt at goal was a shot he curled wide from 22 yards.
Yet there were still some positive signs with regards to his movement and touches, even though it was difficult for Almiron to impose himself on the game due to Newcastle’s inability to find their rhythm in attack.
Given that he left just a fortnight into Atlanta’s pre-season – he won the MLS Cup with the club in December, but they only resumed training for the new campaign in mid-January – Benitez has stressed it will take the playmaker time to reach peak fitness.
For Almiron to have played three top-flight matches inside a week, and show signs of the quality and invention he can bring to the Newcastle team, that has left Benitez (right) relatively content with how the playmaker has settled into life on Tyneside.
“Against West
Ham he was working hard, and it was not easy for him because mentally we killed ourselves at the beginning with the two goals [we conceded],” Benitez replied when asked how he would assess Almiron’s busy week as following the Magpies’ defeat in east London.
“We needed to react, and hopefully you are expecting players to show character, which they did during the second half. “At least we saw this character [from Almiron and the team]; we tried different things, we changed players, we changed shape, and everyone was trying.
“But, against a good team [like West Ham], as soon as you make a mistake and you give the ball away in counter-attacks, they are quite dangerous.
“Still we had the chances. Miguel was trying like the rest of the players and showed he can do it.”
Crucial to Almiron’s early success during Newcastle’s matches at St James’ Park has been his burgeoning relationship with fellow Spanish speakers Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez.
While Almiron is not yet confident when it comes to speaking fluent English, the Paraguayan can communicate with his fellow forwards in Spanish out on the pitch.
If Almiron is to excite the St James’ Park crowd again against Everton on Saturday, then his relationship with Perez and Rondon will likely prove crucial once more.
“They find each other when we are in possession, but against West Ham it was more about the mistakes we made at the beginning so they couldn’t do it as much as they wanted,” Benitez added of the trio.
“They understand each other because they all speak Spanish out on the pitch, which helps.”