Dúbravka continues his fantastic form for Newcastle United vs Chelsea

Newcastle United have been bolstered by excellent performances from the January loanee.

When the news arrived that Newcastle United had solved their goalkeeping woes on the final day of the January transfer window, few could’ve imagined that a relatively unknown goalkeeper from the Czech First League would’ve made such an impact.

But he did.

Rafa Benitez secured the loan signing of Martin Dúbravka from Sparta Prague much to the curiosity of fans – expectant that Benitez knew what he was doing, but also doubtful that the loanee would do anything but compete perhaps unsuccessfully for a starting spot with young keeper Karl Darlow.

There was no pressure then on the 29 year old Slovakian, as whilst Darlow was anything but convincing during his Premier League tenure, had he not earned the right to step up to the plate with newfound competition behind him?

Wrong. In a move that could’ve backfired massively for Rafa Benitez, he handed Dúbravka his first Premier League start against Manchester United of all opposition, a side that lined up with Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sánchez, Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba opposite the blue toned jersey of the Toon goalkeeper.

The Slovakian responded brilliantly to the challenge, first making a smart stop 1 on 1 with Anthony Martial, and making a handful more stops before the best of the bunch right at the death – a difficult reaction save low to his left from inside the box that could’ve ended what was a dramatic 1-0 victory for Newcastle United.

The rest is history for Dúbravka, as he has shown every ounce of experience from his 10 international caps. He is a commandeering figure in the box, with great ability and authority in claiming crosses as well as showing little trepidation in shouting at his defenders to get them organised. Yes the Magpies have had a good defensive record all season, but there’s no doubt Lascelles and Lejeune especially are far more confident figures knowing Dúbravka is between the sticks.

The double save from Troy Deeney’s penalty last Saturday was another example of the Slovakian’s qualities, as he has quick feet and is able to scramble off his line with little trouble. Unfortunately he was caught out by a looping cross in that fixture resulting in Watford’s second goal, but that might be the only error he has made in his time for the Toon, and in truth it was exacerbated by poor defending at the far post.

The Chelsea Match

The 3-0 victory over Chelsea was an unusual fixture for Dúbravka, as contrary to most Toon games against the top six, Newcastle were in control for vast periods of the match and the Slovakian could’ve been forgiven for a bit of complacency on the final day of the season. But he stayed alert, and in a game where Chelsea had only 2 shots on target, Dúbravka produced two stunning saves that might have soured what was a memorable finish to a miraculous season on Tyneside.

The first came in the 52nd minute with the score only 1-0, as Ross Barkley played a smart early cross from the right flank that bounced invitingly for Olivier Giroud who had fashioned half a yard of space from Jamaal Lascelles. The Chelsea forward certainly has an eye for the spectacular, and he looked to have caught Dúbravka off guard with a clever spinning half-volleyed lob that looped cleverly to the far corner of the Newcastle goal. With only a split-second to react, the Newcastle keeper adjusted his feet well and at full stretch got a strong left glove on the ball, sending it over the bar to the rapture of the Toon army.

The second came not even ten minutes later, as in the 61st minute Eden Hazard found space on the right flank and played a driven low cross across the Newcastle penalty area. The cross wrong-footed two Toon defenders who fell comically to the ground, with the ball falling to the feet of Barkley on the edge of the six-yard box.

Dúbravka once again had little time to react, presumably expecting his defenders to clear the danger with little trouble. Yet when Barkley was presented with this golden opportunity to get Chelsea back into the game, Dúbravka made himself big and made an unbelievably instinctual stop, as despite committing to the wrong direction he was still able to adjust and save the ball with his feet.

The Future

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Those who tune in to watch Match of the Day on the BBC will recall how, following the Manchester United match, Magpie legend Alan Shearer stated Dúbravka had already earned the €4 million that it would reportedly cost Newcastle United to make the loan deal permanent.

A few months later and you would be hard-pressed to find anyone on the planet who could disagree with that assessment. Both Rafa Benitez and Dúbravka have expressed their wishes to make the deal happen, and in what has only been 12 appearances for the Slovakian he has already fashioned himself as a fan favourite.

There were echoes of discontent following the loan signing, as many fans understandably felt other areas of the team should’ve taken priority, but the difference between Dúbravka and Darlow has been night and day, and let no one tell you the goalkeeper isn’t a vital part of a winning side.

With some crazy fees being circulated around other available goalkeepers, such as relegated Stoke City no. 1 Jack Butland, Rafa Benitez should be looking to lock down Dúbravka as soon as possible. Premier League quality goalkeepers don’t grow on trees, and even though it’s a small sample size, Dúbravka absolutely looks the part.