Since arriving in the summer of 2012 from Ajax, for a reported fee of £6m, Vurnon Anita hasn’t been a firm fan favourite for Newcastle United. His workman-like approach and tenacity in the tackle that attracted the attention of Chief Scout, Graham Carr, hadn’t quite translated to the Premier League, until recently, that is.
Under the ‘stewardship’ of Alan Pardew and John Carver, Anita failed to thrive and was never given a string of appearances in the first team to demonstrate his abilities. Often the understudy to Yohan Cabaye and Cheick Tioté, the Dutchman’s opportunities were limited. Questions began to arise over his size, whether he was a match-made Premier League midfielder, who is renowned for being fast-paced and much more physical compared to many other European leagues. It is a well-known fact that Anita struggled to make his mark on the team, adding very little in terms of goals and lacking creativity, often thwarted by his superiors, demanding him to play a role of which he was simply not suited.
However, since the beginning of the 2015/16 season, Anita has been one of Newcastle’s stand-out performers in their three opening fixtures against Southampton, Swansea City and Manchester United; three games of which many Newcastle fans would have anticipated the 5ft 6in midfielder to capitulate in under the pressure. In the opening game of the season, Anita was faced with a monstrous task, reducing the effectiveness of Sadio Mané, an explosive, versatile forward player with frightening pace. Vurnon Anita’s work went under the radar on the opening day until his forced substitution, where Tioté replaced him. It was only then that spectators could realise the stellar performance the Dutchman had put in, stopping the advancements of the rapid Mané. Tioté looked off the pace and failed to track the runs of the man who Anita had kept out of the game. Following the substitution, Mané had the freedom of the final third and squandered two chances late on as he burst forward from midfield.
Anita had been tightly marking Mané for the entire game, which allowed him to get to the ball first and spread the play, distributing possession to his teammates instead of reverting back to his 2014 form, and opting to pass backwards to the centre-backs once there had been a turnover in possession.
Similarly, against Manchester United, Anita was vital in securing a valuable point in a 0-0 draw, putting in yet another classy defensive performance, partly leading to the early substitution of Bastian Schweinsteiger. The World Cup-winning German failed to get any joy with the tenacious Anita constantly nipping at his heels.
Vurnon Anita’s terrier-like start to the season can be attributed to a tactical overhaul. Under the previous regime of the infamous Pardew and Carver, Anita was deployed purely as a pawn in the centre of midfield, not particularly creative but similarly not too effective in his defensive duties, often being out-muscled and shoved off the ball by more imposing opponents. His role would change week-to-week; he would be required to fill in as a playmaker when Cabaye was injured or as a brutal enforcer when Tioté was unavailable. The lack of continuity was confusing for Anita and fans alike.
Now, under the more tactically-astute Steve McClaren, Ian Cathro and Paul Simpson, Anita’s role is suited to him, and similar to his position in the Ajax team that McClaren’s FC Twente side faced many times in the Eredivisie. Alongside Jack Colback, he remains a holding midfield player, but, instead of backing off and letting the opposition’s midfielders dictate play, acting as a final buffer before the reaching the defensive line, Anita is an abrasive, but creative entity, meeting the ball, playing forward or out to the advancing full-backs on the wings. Here, his tenacity and willingness to tackle isn’t wasted, and, with added momentum of meeting the ball as it is played into the opposition, size is no longer such an issue.
McClaren clearly admires the Dutchman’s talents and recognises they were wasted during his first three years at the club, hopefully signalling resurgence in Vurnon Anita’s career as an effective defensive midfielder, but also as a player who is no longer fearful to play out from the back. Freedom of expression is key to Anita’s style; that is what McClaren and his coaching staff are trying to tap into to reap the benefits of what was originally seen during his developmental years at Ajax.
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