Newcastle United were flying high last season and rode the wave of the PIF’s influx of cash, eventually finishing inside the top four which had been the club’s best campaign for more than two decades.
However, the Magpies are now a product of their own success and are starting to feel the pressure of increased expectations mounting on their shoulders. An early exit from the Champions League and back-to-back defeats in the Premier League over the past week certainly haven’t helped to alleviate this burden.
A draw would have secured the Geordie outfit Europa League football heading into the new year but a rather naive game plan from the side saw them throw the kitchen sink at the possibility of qualifying for the UCL knockout phase.
A handful of players froze during the game and looked incapable of handling the pressure, particularly the entire forward line.
Newcastle United’s performance in numbers vs AC Milan
Eddie Howe set his team up in a typical 4-3-3 and deployed Miguel Almiron on the right, with Anthony Gordon positioned on the left flank. Callum Wilson was perhaps the only surprise addition to the side, having made his first start since the beginning of November after suffering from a hamstring problem.
Wilson looked off the pace from the get-go. The England international had four attempts on goal which came to a total xG of 0.42 on the night. Overall, the Magpies registered an xG of 1.78, so Wilson alone had roughly one-quarter of his team’s total xG.
Incidentally, Almiron had a larger share of the xG pizza on Wednesday night. The Paraguay international had three shots at goal and boasted an xG of 0.86 in total, but failed to convert a single opportunity. This number was heightened by a miss in the 20th minute where Almiron refused to go with his right foot to tap the ball into an open goal, allowing Fikayo Tomori to make a huge block.
On the opposite side, Gordon had only one shot, which tallied an xG of 0.03, before being hooked after the hour-mark by the manager.
For Howe, the most worrying aspect of his frontline’s performances will undoubtedly be the lack of service for the striker. Both Almiron and Gordon failed to create a single chance during the game and together didn’t even manage to put a successful cross into the box, according to FotMob.
When Alexander Isak entered the fray, the Swedish centre-forward created one chance which was more than both combined. However, as per FotMob, Newcastle’s top-scorer this season managed to take merely one shot in over 30 minutes on the pitch — a true indictment of the wingers’ performances.
As a result, Newcastle are now being linked with a wide player ahead of the winter window, somebody who can offer a little more creativity than both Gordon and Almiron.
Newcastle United transfer news – Samuel Iling-Junior
According to Corriere Dello Sport, via Sport Witness, Newcastle United are keeping tabs on Samuel Iling-Junior’s situation with Juventus ahead of the January transfer market. The Italian outlet are claiming that the Bianconeri are willing to allow the winger to leave over the coming weeks and have even 'mandated' some agents to potentially complete a deal.
Tottenham Hotspur are another club that have been interested in signing Iling-Junior ever since Juventus made the 20-year-old available for purchase, but now the Magpies could battle it out with last Sunday’s victors for the ex-Chelsea academy star.
Iling-Junior has been tipped with having a £20m price tag as his contract does not expire with the Italian giants until the end of the 2024/25 campaign. However, Newcastle could have an edge in the race to acquire the attacker’s services as Iling-Junior has the same agent as Kieran Trippier.
Despite breaking through the ranks with the Old Lady last season, Iling-Junior hasn’t had much game-time at all this term to showcase his talents, making merely five substitute appearances which comes to 114 minutes of action. Now, a move could be on the cards.
Samuel Iling-Junior’s stats
One of Iling-Junior’s most impressive characteristics is his ability to play on either side of the flank and even as a wingback. This would be a dream for Howe as the young Englishman can cover on both wings in case another injury crisis riddles the team.
Position
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Left-Winger
59
15
15
Left Wingback
23
3
6
Right-Winger
7
3
1
Central Midfielder
1
0
0
Stats via FBref
Furthermore, Iling-Junior’s attacking output is first-rate too. In 113 appearances in all competitions since the start of the 2019/20 season, including at youth level, the winger has bagged 44 goal contributions, including 21 goals and 23 assists. In that same four-and-a-half-year period, Almiron has recorded 39 goal contributions, with 10 assists and 29 goals.
It’s very clear from his statistics that Almiron is more of a goalscoring winger, considering he has almost triple the number of goals as he has assists. However, what Isak and Wilson need right now is someone who can put the ball on a plate for them.
This season alone, Howe’s side have whipped in just 239 balls which is the third-lowest in the Premier League. Only Burnley and Sheffield United have mustered fewer, according to FBref. In addition, Newcastle have scored merely five headed goals from 20 matches.
Since being at Newcastle, Almiron has registered one assist every 18.8 matches on average. Meanwhile, Iling-Junior boasts one assist every five matches in his career. The talent's style of play has even been described as "flamboyant" by football scout Jacek Kulig.
Isak is the future of Newcastle United and Howe needs a wide player who will be able to provide his top goalscorer with excellent balls to tuck away chances and win games. In this respect, Iling-Junior is a clear upgrade on Almiron and the Mags would do well to secure his services for so cheap in January.
