The club aim for improvement with the Premier League opener on the horizon.
One of the important, if not the most important, priorities for pre-season friendlies is to get players at an optimal fitness level ahead of the league campaign. This element will begin to stand out this week for Newcastle United, as they prepare to face Bradford City on Wednesday evening.
It will be the Magpies’ second in match in five days, and will be followed by a trip to Germany to play again just three days later. Kick-off at Valley Parade is set for 7:30 PM local time.
The Bantams enter after a strong showing in League One last term, finishing fifth to earn a place in the promotion play-offs. Bradford lost 1-0 to Milwall in the final and narrowly missed out on Championship football.
Their players will be ready to test themselves against a first-division side, and should make for a competitive atmosphere. Newcastle are coming off a 1-1 draw at Preston North End on Saturday.
A possible change for the squad
Considering the way Newcastle’s final pre-season fixtures are arranged, Wednesday may see manager Rafa Benitez change the way he has approached his line-up throughout these early matches.
The first two friendlies featured two very different teams for each half, with only a few individuals playing a full 90 minutes. With their game against Mainz 05 this coming Saturday, Benitez has a wonderful opportunity to utilise his players for longer periods, and see how they respond.
One player that should be more involved will be new signing Javier Manquillo, who played less than 20 minutes at Preston. The defender certainly needed time to acclimate to his new club, but should see a significant amount of time on the pitch against Bradford.
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Newcastle United and Rafa Benitez are only 20 days from beginning their Premier League journey this season, and time is running out on making the necessary adjustments for success. Wednesday should provide a step toward finding the next piece in the process at Bradford City.