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High expectations for Islam Slimani at Newcastle United

By Durim Halimi

LEICESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 24: Islam Slimani of Leicester City celebrates scoring his sides second goal during the Caraboa Cup Fourth Round match between Leicester City and Leeds United at The King Power Stadium on October 24, 2017 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
LEICESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 24: Islam Slimani of Leicester City celebrates scoring his sides second goal during the Caraboa Cup Fourth Round match between Leicester City and Leeds United at The King Power Stadium on October 24, 2017 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /
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Newcastle United rest their hopes for Premier League survival on the shoulders of their new striker Islam Slimani.

The loan purchase of Islam Slimani from Leicester City on the final day of the January transfer window provided Rafa Benitez and Newcastle United with some optimism to avoid relegation. In the case of Newcastle, one player cannot serve as the savior of the club, but they can improve the overall performance of the Magpies to gain a sufficient number of points.

Dwight Gayle and Joselu have not lacked scoring opportunities this season, but the attacking duo have not been able to score in double-digit numbers. After 26 matches, Gayle and Joselu have combined for a mere seven goals.

Newcastle’s scoring woes are the very reason for Slimani’s arrival on Tyneside. With that being said, however, the Algerian international striker will have to find a way to cope with the pressure of the club’s high expectation for goals.

Expectations for Slimani

When Leicester City bought Slimani for £29 million, he was expected to come in and maintain a high offensive efficiency rating by being the top goalscorer of the club. Due to the extensive competition on the roster, however, Slimani’s role went into decline.

At Newcastle United, Slimani does not have to be concerned about internal competition for playing time as his striking team-mates have fallen out of favor with Benitez. As the top dog on Newcastle’s front line, Slimani will enjoy receiving the ball from wingers Kenedy, Christian Atsu, Matt Ritchie and Jacob Murphy.

The Magpies do not score many goals, but they do create many chances. With a major upgrade at striker, United expect to see a stronger correlation between scoring opportunities and the number of goals scored.

With 12 matches remaining and a maximum of 36 points up for grabs, the ideal situation would be to score at least two goals in each match going forward. A more realistic analysis would be to expect Slimani to score between seven and nine goals from now until mid-May.

Benitez and the Toon Army have suffered greatly from missed chances, as those wasted opportunities have led to Newcastle United dropping crucial points in important matches. Slimani understands the situation and he acknowledges that he is expected to perform at a high level over the next few months to contribute to the club’s top flight survival.

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It is unfortunate that Slimani’s debut will come against Manchester United on February 11, but the match also allows Newcastle supporters to see how well their striker will perform against a superior opponent that is fighting to secure their place in the Champions League.