Carroll on target in United friendly victory
PRE-SEASON OFF TO FLYING START
NEWCASTLE United got their preseason off to a winning start with a 3-0 victory against Crewe Alexandra.
Steve Bruce’s side have had a productive week training at Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate near York and, ahead of the new campaign, the state-of-the-art facility played host to the Magpies’ first pre-season friendly yesterday afternoon.
Andy Carroll, Christian Atsu and Federico Fernandez were all on the scoresheet against Crewe and the Magpies can now look forward to games against Barnsley and Middlesbrough before the new season gets under way.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
Andy Carroll’s moment of magic
A number of Newcastle players did not have the benefit of a full preseason last summer – and you have to go back seven or eight years for the last time Andy Carroll took part in a full programme.
Having not felt fully fit at any stage last season, because he was playing catch up, the importance of these friendlies cannot be overstated for Carroll - and it was the Newcastle striker who broke the deadlock against Crewe a few minutes before half-time.
Taking up a position between two Crewe defenders, Carroll expertly chested down Jamaal Lascelles’ diagonal before taking two touches and volleying the ball past goalkeeper Dave Richards.
The opposition and intensity of the game have to be taken into account, but it was a timely reminder of the 31-year-old’s unique qualities as he used his chest, head and both feet in a matter of seconds to fire his side in front.
Dwight Gayle limping off merely highlights need for support
Dwight Gayle was only on the field for 18 minutes when he had to limp off in the second half – which was the one negative from Newcastle’s win against Crewe.
Gayle set up Christian Atsu’s second goal before he later had to leave the field and how all parties will hope it is nothing too serious after the striker struggled with calf issues last summer.
The 29-year-old ended last season in fine form, scoring four goals in nine games during the restart, and, tellingly, there has been no talk of the settled striker moving on.
We are still waiting on the full extent of Gayle’s injury and whether he was withdrawn as a precaution but, regardless, Newcastle need more firepower up front to ease the burden.
Fringe players given a chance to shine
Given how Steve Bruce was fielding a different line-up in each half, this friendly offered a number of fringe players the chance to show what they can do.
Mark Gillespie, the club’s first summer signing, was given the nod in goal in the first half and made a great stop to deny Offrande Zanzala from close range early on.
Christian Atsu came on during the break and, following Carroll’s opener, the Ghana international doubled Newcastle’s advantage after slamming the ball into the roof of the net.
Dan Barlaser, who spent last season on loan at Rotherham, also featured. The 23-year-old started the first half before coming back on after the hour mark because of Gayle’s
injury and the midfielder’s brilliant corner was nodded home by Federico Fernandez late on.
Even Henri Saivet, who has not played a competitive game for Newcastle since January, 2018, had a run out in the second half as Bruce looked to get minutes into his squad.
The return of defensive trio
You have to go back to November for the last time Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark and Paul Dummett all played together – but the trio were all back in the starting line-up at Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate.
Lascelles suffered a knee injury in the win against Bournemouth nine months ago and by the time the skipper returned Dummett was sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Clark, meanwhile, went on to suffer an ankle injury in the defeat at Arsenal in February.
Dummett was unable to be added to Newcastle’s 25-man Premier League squad during the restart and, with Clark still out, the Magpies were a little light at the back after Lascelles underwent ankle surgery last month.
However, with Fabian Schar sidelined with a dislocated shoulder, the trio have given Bruce some options at the back - and Clark’s ability to play at left-sided centre-back and Dummett’s versatility at left-back are welcomed.
A productive week
In so many ways this has been a very different pre-season to last summer when Bruce was appointed just 25 days before the new campaign started and the players sweated it out in the Far East.
Newcastle have had a productive week in Yorkshire.
While the facility is only a mere hour and a half down the A1, it has offered a change of scene for the squad and focused minds ahead of the new campaign.
It could yet prove an important week when it comes to Newcastle’s preparations for the new season and there is no doubt it has helped a new signing like Mark Gillespie to settle in.
Newboy Jeff Hendrick also had the chance to at least meet his new team-mates and train with them for the first time.