22Feb

High-flying Magpies need stronger wings to maintain European dreams

by Alex Ferguson

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The signing of Papiss Cisse by Newcastle United took most people by surprise in January, not least the fervent members of the Toon Army. It was a pleasant, welcome surprise after the club failed to sign a striker to partner Cisse’s compatriot Demba Ba in the summer transfer window, before claiming in December that the vacant number 9 shirt would remain unfilled beyond the January transfer window.

Whilst the signing of Cisse has been universally welcomed by Newcastle fans and the positive aspects of his arrival are numerous, there is also a downside – albeit a small one. With Ba currently occupying 3^rd place in the Premier League’s golden boot race and new number 9 Cisse having announced his arrival with a thunderous, match-winning half-volley against Aston Villa, both will now expect – and be expected – to start every match.

This sounds good in theory – comparisons have already been made with the much celebrated, if short-lived, buccaneering partnership of Shearer and Ferdinand that terrorised defences in the mid-nineties.

However, in reality it poses a problem. With Ba & Cisse now virtually guaranteed to start every game, it limits Newcastle’s tactical variety in terms of formation. The playing styles of the Senegalese duo seem to favour the use of an orthodox 4-4-2.

Playing an attack-minded 4-4-2 away from home poses its own problems, as was evident in last week’s 5-0 mauling at the hands of a well-oiled Emmanuel Adebayor-inspired Spurs machine. However, perhaps of more pressing concern is the production line required to supply Ba & Cisse with ammunition, or rather the lack of one.

In a successful 4-4-2, the wingers are of vast importance, both offensively and defensively. On the left wing, Newcastle have Jonas Gutierrez, the tireless Argentine winger. Nicknamed El Galgo (The Greyhound) in his homeland because of his unorthodox running style, Gutierrez’s commitment cannot be faulted. His defensive cover of stand-in left back Ryan Taylor in Newcastle’s 3-1 victory at The Britannia in October prompted Skysports pundit Gary Neville to award him man of the match, despite Ba scoring all three of Newcastle’s goals that night.

Gutierrez’s defensive work is not in question. It is going forward and creating chances where Spiderman, as he is affectionately known, consistently fails to deliver. Gutierrez has started all but one of Newcastle’s 25 league games this season yet he has just one goal and two assists from open play to show for it, a rather woeful return for such a regular starter in his position.

A total of just two open-play assists in 2,135 minutes of football is simply not good enough for a winger at any club, let alone one challenging for the league’s last Champions League place.

The statistics for the Argentine’s right-wing counterpart do not make for good reading either. The fleet-footed Gabriel Obertan has started 18 games in the right wing berth, also contributing just one goal and two assists from open play – both players each claim one assist from direct free-kicks that have been scored this season.

Contrast the fortunes of Newcastle’s wide players with those of other top 6 teams that operate in a 4-4-2. At Tottenham, Gareth Bale has chipped in with ten goals & eight assists and while a player of his quality could be considered an exception, on the opposite wing Aaron Lennon has started just twelve games, scoring three goals and providing four assists. At Man United, Nani has six and eight respectively.

Further down the table at Stoke, Etherington has two goals, five assists. Along the road at Sunderland, Sebastian Larsson has five goals – including three free kicks – and four assists.

All of which shows that offensively, Newcastle are lacking vital contribution from the wide areas. Whether that changes now Cisse is there to help finish chances remains to be seen but if Newcastle, playing a 4-4-2, want to remain in the hunt for European football this season and beyond, the wingers either need to start producing assists or be replaced by others who can.

Posted by Newcastle United fan Alex Ferguson.

Follow Alex on Twitter @tartoonarmy