da bet7： This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
da dobrowin： Newcastle have struggled going forward this season with new signing Joelinton still finding his feet and provide the level of ammunition you’d expect from a £40m striker, but the recall of Dwight Gayle to the side could provide a solution to their problems.
On the chalkboard
Steve Bruce has had a tough start to managerial life at Newcastle and a big reason for his return of only two wins from eight games is the fact his side have scored five times.
Their lack of success in front of goal is a consequence of a handful of intertwining factors, but Joelinton’s relatively slow start – with only one goal to boast from eight league games so far – is clearly a factor.
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The Magpies have pace in the squad with Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin on the flanks, but too often there are a lack of bodies in central areas and so the attack breaks down, as reflected by the fact both players are yet to complete a cross this campaign.
Whilst Joelinton is certainly a strong target to aim for due to his aerial presence, he is better suited to knocking the ball down to teammates and linking up play, as his average of 1.1 key passes this season and 1.5 key passes last term indicates.
Perhaps all he needs is a strike partner to get the best out of him.
Renewed chance
Newcastle’s goal threat looks devoid of quality with Yoshinori Muto, Andy Carroll and Joelinton scoring just two goals between them this season, but Dwight Gayle has proved his poaching instinct throughout his career and is deserving of another role of the dice.
Newcastle stood firm on their asking price of £20m in the summer, having impressed last year in a loan spell at West Brom in which he bagged 24 goals.
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In his season at the Baggies he built up a strong partnership with Jay Rodriguez, with the duo teaming up to score on eight occasions, and it is possible Gayle could do the same with Joelinton.
Joelinton, meanwhile, provided five assists last term but could have had many more due to the number of chances he creates, as evidenced above, helping his strike partner Andrej Kramaric on the way to 22 goals for Hoffenheim in 2018/19, with the pair playing with each other on 31 occasions.
Gayle should work well with him also, as he would be well-suited to playing just off the tall striker, pouncing on his knock-downs in and around the area to score in his classic poaching style.
Joelinton has been praised for his ability to hold the ball up and bring teammates into play, and with a strike partner to feed off in Gayle he might just begin to justify why the club broke their transfer record to secure his signature.