With Saturday’s game at St. James Park poised for a stalemate between Newcastle United and West Browmwich Albion, Steve Bruce had decisions to make. His second-half substitutes proved to be the difference, with both Jacob Murphy and Dwight Gayle combining for the winner. Gayle, in particular, has had a torrid spell in the Premier League with Newcastle.
Unfavoured under Rafa Benítez, a loan spell at Saturday’s opponents West Brom proved he still had bags of ability. Yet, his finest form always came in England’s second tier, scoring 47 goals in his two previous spells there. Now, with attack proving once again to be the Achilles heel at Newcastle, Dwight Gayle can force his way into Bruce’s plans yet again.
Dwight Gayle Still Has Future at Newcastle United
A Gap in the Market
Since their return to the Premier League in 2017, Newcastle have struggled season after season to score goals. They lacked a traditional number nine until the loan signing of Salomón Rondón, whose stay was too shortlived for Magpies fans. Now, with Callum Wilson arriving in the summer, their goalscoring woes look to have been allayed. Wilson has managed seven goals in just ten Premier League games, and he could at long last provide that 20-goal striker the Toon Army have craved.
That said, it is when you look past their main man that options become rather thin. Andy Carroll hasn’t scored a competitive goal in nearly two years, his last coming for West Ham United in January 2019. Meanwhile, Joelinton has endured a well-documented nightmare at St. James Park so far but looks to be growing in confidence in his deeper role.
Dwight Gayle, then, stands out as the most suitable option as Wilson’s understudy at Newcastle. He is a striker of the most similar ilk; a man who always finds himself in the right place, with a true poacher’s instinct. Add to that his deadly pace, which will be crucial to turning defences around. His inclusion seems to be a no-brainer.
Aiding the Evolution
Throughout his time on Tyneside, Steve Bruce has always claimed Newcastle are a side in evolution. He adds that adapting to his desired style of play is a process still underway. Their signings over the past two summer transfer windows would point towards pace being crucial. Last summer, Allan Saint-Maximin arrived, a player whose pace and trickery are a nightmare on his day. This year, Wilson and Ryan Fraser both joined from Bournemouth, bolstering their pacey attacking options. Jamal Lewis at left-back is another recent arrival with similar athleticism.
Now, with all the business they have done, Bruce has an abundance of pace at his disposal, which has to be utilised to full effect. Gayle, especially, is a player who wants the ball played in behind the defender, for him to run onto. Having him on the pitch could encourage more positive play from the midfield.
This season Newcastle have scored a large proportion of their goals in the late stages of matches. Saturday was no different, with Gayle’s header arriving in the 80th minute. If Newcastle struggle to put teams to bed early in their encounters, introducing Dwight Gayle could yet be a bright spark.
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