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- The Longstaff Debate: Does He Really Make the Winning Difference? š¤
The Longstaff Debate: Does He Really Make the Winning Difference? š¤
MATCH PREVIEW: Everything you need to know before we take on the Gunners šÆ
š All arguments aside, these are the factsā¦ Sean Longstaff has made only six starts this season and Newcastle have been unbeaten in all of them.
In this week's NUFC Pitch Notes š
š¤ Could Sean Longstaff really be making the winning difference?
šŖ How we outplayed Chelsea with only 34% possession.
š¹ Aiming for back-to-back home wins against Arsenal.
šļø ON THIS DAY
On this day in 2023 Newcastle knocked Manchester United out of the League Cup with a 3-0 win at Old Trafford!
Goals from Miguel AlmirĆ³n, Lewis Hall, and Joe Willock sent the Magpies into the quarter-finals for the second year running.
š¢ THE TALKING POINT
The Longstaff Debate: Does He Really Make the Winning Difference? š¤
Sean Longstaff has made only six starts this season and itās becoming pretty hard to overlook the fact that we are unbeaten in all of them - five of them being wins.
Thereās been plenty of debate about this topic over the last few weeks, with some disappointed to see his name on the team sheet and others calling for Bruno to be benched.
And while he is clearly not the most glamorous player in the squad, Longstaff does seem to brings a balance to our midfield that weāre just not seeing with GuimarĆ£es, Joelinton and Tonali.
Longstaff's box-to-box style allows other attacking players the freedom to press high up the pitch while ensuring that we still have some defensive cover.
And his defensive stats demonstrate this too - with nearly 80% of his tackles won, heās outperforming every other Newcastle midfielder in that area.
Perhaps itās Longstaffās ādirty workā that allows the more technical and creative skills of Bruno and Tonali to shine.
However, as Iām sure many will be quick to point out, while Longstaff does seem to provide some defensive stability, his attacking stats leave a lot to be desired.
The problem is, with no real alternative in the squad, and until weāre in a better position to spend on an upgrade, he might just be our best bet.
So the question is, if anyone, who do we leave out to accommodate him?
š¤ WHO AM I?
I joined Newcastle United in 2008 and became a fan favourite with my fearless defending and iconic curly hair. After a few years, I was named club captain and went on to make 248 appearances for the club before leaving in 2016.