Newcastle United will need collective effort to win against Chelsea, but they also need three key players to perform at a high level.
Newcastle United will begin their toughest stretch of the season today when they host Chelsea at St. James’ Park in a few hours. Newcastle have had a mediocre start to the season as they have failed, for the sixth straight season in the Top Flight, to secure a victory in their first two matches. Chelsea, on the other end, is off to a magnificent start and they will look to maintain their good run of form.
Newcastle will be the underdogs in this match and will be heavily dependent on collective effort in order to attain a positive result. However, in addition to maximum team effort, there are three players who must play flawless football to give the Magpies a chance to win.
Jamaal Lascelles
The captain must live up to his status on the team sheet this afternoon against Chelsea if his side truly aim to earn three crucial points at home. As an individual, Jamaal Lascelles has played well in the first two matches of the season, but he needs to reinforce his attributes as a vocal leader.
Newcastle have done well defensively by only conceding two goals in two matches and by earning a clean sheet on the road. However, Benitez’s men have been shaky in the back and have created many unforced errors.
There is no doubt that Lascelles will be physically ready for this match, but he must step up and do a better job of organizing his colleagues on the back-line. Chelsea will be ready to attack today and Lascelles must do his best to instill a sense of composure and readiness among the defensive unit.
Jonjo Shelvey
Unlike last season, Jonjo Shelvey has been playing stellar football in midfield for Newcastle to begin the 2018-19 Premier League campaign. Despite the Magpies struggling to develop a passing rhythm after only completing a total of 692 passes in two matches, Shelvey has found ways to work his magic from midfield.
Shelvey has maintained his reputation as an offensive coordinator and Newcastle will need his passing accuracy to break down Chelsea’s stern defense. Assuming that Rafa Benitez will finally start Salomon Rondon up top, Shelvey will have a primary target in mind and will need to execute his passes to the front-line with precision.
Martin Dubravka
A few names came to mind when thinking of a third player who needs to have a big game, but ultimately Martin Dubravka was selected. As the goalkeeper, Dubravka cannot take the blame for most of the scoring opportunities that are created by opponents. However, he must be ready to bail his defense out later today.
The back-line can only do so much to obstruct Chelsea’s attacking plays and slow down their pace on the wings, so Dubravka must put his athleticism between the posts on display. The defense might be more solid than most people assume today, but Dubravka cannot work with assumptions and must prepare himself to make some big saves.