SUPER

AS A centre-forward who was privileged to play for Newcastle United as well as Arsenal and England, I have watched Salomon Rondon in my old No 9 shirt with growing concern.

Quite frankly I would not like his job in the current Magpie team.

When you are up there on your own it is a real physical slog, especially in an average team when you do not have a partner and the midfield don’t get up quickly in support.

Rondon is left on his own multimarked – one central defender goes tight on him and another sits off just a little bit so if he emerges with the ball he runs straight into a second opponent. Then there is a third lying in wait just in case!

United’s midfield was slow against Wolves – no one runs beyond Rondon and stretches things.

There is not a Terry McDermott making lung-bursting surges into the box in support.

When I played for Newcastle John Tudor and I dovetailed beautifully.

One would go short, the other long, and we did a succession of cross-overs. We pulled defenders all over the place and left gaps for Terry Hibbitt to exploit with his ability on the ball.