Newcastle United earned their second consecutive victory on Saturday after defeating Bournemouth at St. James’ Park.
Nerves are fading on Tyneside as Newcastle United continued their gradual climb in the table with a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth on Saturday. The Magpies were viewed as underdogs in this match, but collective effort and focus enabled them upset the Cherries in front of the Toon Army.
It was an open and competitive match from start to finish, but Salomon Rondon’s ability to be clinical in front of goal is what sealed the deal for the home side. There is much to analyze from yesterday’s victory, but here are three main takeaways.
Rondon Means Business
Everyone knows that Salomon Rondon is a talented striker, but Rafa Benitez has anxiously been waiting for his main summer signing to showcase his skills. That day finally came as the Venezuelan striker scored two goals to secure Newcastle’s victory against Bournemouth.
Entering yesterday’s match, Rondon only had one assist and one shot on target linked to his name. Against Bournemouth, however, Rondon showed that he can be a reliable striker who can be clinical in front of goal multiple times in a match. The Newcastle faithful finally have a striker to be optimistic about going forward.
Composure in Midfield
Although this match was a little too open for Benitez’s liking, the Spaniard should be quite pleased with the way his midfielders spread the ball around and managed the game. Newcastle did not miss a beat with Jonjo Shelvey out of action thanks to Ki Sung-yueng’s ability to control the tempo of the match when he was on the ball.
Moreover, Kenedy and Matt Ritchie both put in fantastic performances which forced Bournemouth to dedicate more attention on the wings. Overall, Newcastle’s midfielders picked up where they left off in the second half against Watford and this consistency is an encouraging sign.
Defending Set Pieces
Newcastle’s greatest weakness this season has been defending set pieces and it was a problem again yesterday. Bournemouth looked dangerous on almost every set piece, primarily corner kicks, due to the Magpies’ inability to close in on some players. Newcastle’s defenders have experienced a revival over the last few weeks, but they must improve when it comes to marking players in the penalty area over the next few matches.