Much-needed muscle from the big striker

TWO-GOAL HERO SUPPLIED SOME VITAL PHYSICALITY

WITH a rip-roaring performance Salomon Rondon, the great hope of Newcastle who had only occasionally walked amongst us, went from no Premier League goals to joint top scorer in 33 exhilarating minutes. From zero to hero, literally!

In a land where goals are a rare and precious commodity, this was indeed a gigantic leap.

How United needed back-to-back victories going into a fortnight’s international break, and how they delivered in a game of classic counter-punching.

Rondon, built like a heavyweight boxer, battered Bournemouth’s defensive line to score twice in the firsthalf and lift himself level with United’s latest striker in hibernation, Joselu, at the top of the scorers’ list.

If Rondon required two bites at the ball to notch his PL opener after only seven minutes his second was a classic centre-forward’s finish with a powerful header at the end of a magnificent move worthy of winning a see-saw match.

His first saw Mo Diame play in DeAndre Yedlin knowing his pace would get him beyond his marker. A pull back dropped perfectly for Rondon whose snap shot Asmir Begovic beat out only for United’s No.9 to lash home the rebound.

Cue relief all round with an early breakthrough settling nerves and establishing a positive mood on the terraces.

What was to follow was top drawer.

Ki, classy on the ball, whipped a first-time pass across field to Kenedy hugging the left touchline. The Brazilian’s first touch saw the ball bounce head high in front of him, but his second was a delicious cross delivered with pace inviting someone to attack it and there is nobody better at that than the muscled Rondon, who threw himself forward like Desperate Dan on take-off to power a header that almost broke the netting.

It reminded me of watching Les Ferdinand in the days of wall-towall entertainment.

Incredibly Rondon’s opener was United’s first goal scored with the boot at home this season and his second was the fifth header out of six bullseyes in their opening seven matches at SJP.

However Rondon, who could easily have claimed a hat-trick, was about so much more than his two match-winning goals.

He led the line with a physicality United have lacked all season occupying two central defenders and holding the ball up while others got round him.

Now if he can avoid niggling injuries which have plagued him since arriving on Tyneside and improve his match sharpness which must come with minutes on the pitch then United may well have a saviour on their hands. It has been a long time in coming and we have despaired at times.

Rondon wasn’t the only hero in Geordie colours of course.

Ki and Fabian Schar were substitute game-changers against Watford and here they were just as impressive over 90 minutes. Both have certainly made their point to Rafa. Indeed Schar and Federico Ferdandez look an exceptional partnership combining a real dominating presence with good ability on the ball.

They now present a genuine challenge to skipper Jamaal Lascelles upon his return from injury unless Rafa decides to go with three central defenders.

Equally Ki, motivated by his absence whereas Swansea fans accused him of complacency, has ruffled feathers where once Jonjo Shelvey and Diame were shoo-ins when both fit.

The game was exciting, pulsating at times, with Bournemouth playing a full part in a fine advert for PL soccer.

It was an hour and a half of counter-attacking first from one side and then the other.

Gone was the sterile approach United had shown in earlier matches with the ball moved quicker and confidence at a much higher level.

Maybe Benitez, steeped in organised thou-shall-not-pass doctrine, wouldn’t have appreciated some of the exciting second-half chaos but as a spectacle it was a most welcome release and it resulted in three points delivered aka Kevin Keegan’s nineties management.

The break has suddenly become a much more pleasant prospect.

Rondon, who could easily have claimed a hat-trick, was about so much more than his two match-winning goals

NEWCASTLE manager Rafa Benitez has praised the reaction of the players who won first-team recalls after they carved out a 2-1 win over Bournemouth.

The Toon boss had a trio of enforced changes in his starting XI due to injuries to Jamaal Lascelles, Jonjo Shelvey and Yoshinori Muto.

However, he was delighted with the performances of Fabian Schar, Ki and Ayoze Perez after they were named in his starting line-up – not to mention contributions from the bench from Isaac Hayden, Christian Atsu and Ciaran Clark, who Benitez insists played a crucial part in the win.

It all means Benitez could have some tough decisions to make after the international break for their next game, at Burnley, when some of his first-team squad return from the treatment room.

When asked if he knew what his strongest side was, Benitez said: “Yes, more or less we know, but for example we had to change players because of the injuries, but still the players who were on the pitch did well.

“Then we had to change players during the game because they had some knocks and problems and still the players coming from the bench did well.

“I am really pleased with the reaction of the players, especially – and I want again to give credit to them – the players who were not playing before and they have come in now and are making a great contribution for the team.”

Benitez also had praise for the fans after they stuck by his players through the club’s run of 10 games without a Premier League win.

He said: “They know this league is very difficult, they know the problems we had during pre-season and they know how difficult the fixtures we had at the beginning were.

“As I have said so many times in the last years.

“They appreciate the commitment of these players and that is the key for me.

“If we keep united, we will be stronger.”