Newcastle United did something unorthodox in their first Championship outing this season, and that was utilize five new players in their starting lineup. Did it hurt them?
Yeah, I do think that it hurt the club. Maybe not to the point where the loss is blamed on them, but to the point where it gives me frustration that these guys were chosen over other players. Among the new players starting were:
Grant Hanley, Isaac Hayden, Matz Sels, Dwight Gayle, and Matt Ritchie. Together, we’re going to look at how these players performed in their first time in a Newcastle United shirt.
The club lost 1-0 to Fulham, and the loss doesn’t bother me as much as how the club played. It wasn’t the greatest match to behold. Football was a bit clunky, passing was less than best, and Fulham didn’t even have their best striker because they sold him.
But in the end, this list is not to criticize the newcomers. Oh no. One match is by no means a way to analyze a player’s upcoming season. But these players all have things to work on, and because they’re new, they’ll come under fire first.
Let’s get this party started.
Next: Grant Hanley