Newcastle United’s march to the Championship title hit a snag a few days ago at St. James’ Park when they came up against a good Sheffield Wednesday side. Truth be told, the bad performance was more than just Shelvey’s absence as the Newcastle players were way below the high standards they have so far set.
Rafa Benitez has a pretty good squad at his disposal but there are areas which can be improved. Another experienced midfielder to provide back up to Shelvey could strengthen the team. Latest rumours reveal that the club are after Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson.
Now, scoring goals hasn’t been a problem for the Magpies as they have plundered 45 goals in 23 games, the highest in the League. However, you can’t blame Rafa for thinking about the future.
While Dwight Gayle has done exceedingly well in the Championship, he might not play at the same level if Newcastle get promoted to the top flight. Gayle did pretty well at Crystal Palace considering the game time he was given by the various Palace managers. With Aleksandar Mitrovic’s future in doubt (although Rafa doesn’t want to sell anyone in January), signing another striker in January could become a shrewd decision eventually.
Wilson burst onto the scene with Bournemouth and had a pretty good run in the Championship where he mustered 20 goals and 13 assists. His start in the Premier League was pretty good as he managed five goals in seven games until he ruptured his cruciate ligament and missed 25 games. This season, he’s been lucky in terms of injuries but his goal return hasn’t been the best. In 16 leagues games, he’s managed five goals, two of which came against Arsenal and Liverpool. Needless to say, with better players behind him, he could thrive.
He’s a pretty similar player to Dwight Gayle. With an incredible burst of pace, he can outpace most defenders and likes playing off the last man as it enables him to outpace his opponents. His passing can improve, as he has an accuracy of 72.4%. At 24, he has his best years ahead of him.
If Newcastle go after the lad in January and are able to sign him, he could be a hit in the Championship. But is he the ideal option to have in the Premier League? Perhaps not. He’s too similar a player to Gayle and Rafa should focus on getting better players out there.
