2. How to best utilize Valentino Lazaro?
Valentino Lazaro is a young player who has showcased his quality as a midfielder for Hertha Berlin and the Austrian national team in recent years. Due to a lot of competition in midfield at Inter Milan, Lazaro accepted a loan move to Newcastle United to maintain his form and better prepare for EURO 2020. Lazaro will provide more internal competition for Newcastle United and his ability to play in multiple positions will benefit the Toon.
For Steve Bruce, however, the fact that Lazaro can play in multiple positions raises a dilemma. Where should he play Lazaro to get the best possible output from the loanee? One can make the case for trying Lazaro out in central midfield alongside either Isaac Hayden or Nabil Bentaleb, but the Magpies need more quality at the wing-back position.
DeAndre Yedlin is one of the fastest players in the Premier League, but his passing and crossing abilities are among the worst in the squad. Matt Ritchie is a fan favorite because he is a workhorse and delivers quality balls into the box from out wide, but Newcastle United have shown that they can win games without him. The best possible scenario for Bruce is to play Danny Rose and Valentino Lazaro as wing-backs. This would enable Bruce to have two speedsters who can cover a lot of ground in a matter of seconds, and it should improve the team’s offensive performance down the flanks behind Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin.
3. How to handle the competition in defense?
Competition is a great thing for any team to have, and it is a major reason why the elite clubs in England are successful every season. For a few years now, Newcastle United have been recognized as having one of the best defensive units for teams outside the top six. From their stubborn defending to their ability to score goals, the Magpies truly are blessed with a strong core of defenders.
When the back-line is fully healthy, Bruce seems to favor the following trio in the back: Federico Fernandez, Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark. This has left Fabian Schar and Florian Lejeune on the bench more than they would have hoped. The resurgence of Clark and the consistency of Fernandez should push Schar and Lejeune to be at their best in training, but should Bruce keep them on the bench for most of the remaining games?
It is a tough call for the head coach to make, but the best thing he can do is analyze opposing matchups and select his back three accordingly. Some games will require the presence of more confrontational defenders and others will need defenders who are good with the ball at their feet. I think it is fair to say that Bruce will rotate his back-line a few times in the last four months of the season.