Rafael Benitez is rightly gaining applause for organizing the rise of Newcastle in the top half of the Premier League table, but which players have been key to helping them get there?
Newcastle have lost only one of their last eight games, securing wins over Manchester United, Southampton, Coventry and Leicester and move up to 10th place in the table ahead of their super Sunday’s meeting with Arsenal.
From Kennedy to Paul Dummett, we will look at six of the best players for their recent improvement…
Kennedy
Tiny Kennedy Chelsea proved, inspired by the signing of the loan, with sky sources saying Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain has asked Chelsea to be aware of events surrounding his future. This is a measure of how expressive he performed on the left flank of Newcastle.
Goals and assists were Kennedy moments he provided two of each of them in eight matches so far – but Benitez was impressed by his calmness. “He is not afraid on the ball,” he said recently. “Sometimes you are in a hurry or under pressure, or excitement does not allow to think clearly, but with him, you know.”
Kennedy showed tenacity to match his talent and temperament. 22-year-old embraced the non-glamorous aspects of the game and gave Newcastle a much-needed infusion of energy. In a recent victory over Huddersfield, in which he created the winner ayoze Perez, it covers most of the earth (11.2 km) and made the most sprints (79) of any player at Newcastle.
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Ayoze Perez
Perez split opinion on a lot of his time in Newcastle, with many fans feeling that he didn’t quite fulfill the promise shown after his arrival from Tenerife in 2014, but no one disputes its importance in the moment to the side. The Spaniard has started seven of the last eight Premier League games at Newcastle on 10 and his shot was impressive.
His display against Leicester last weekend was his most effective. After laying on the knife Jonjo Shelvey, shiny forehead of Peres for Kasper Schmeichel proved the difference between a draw and a win. The 24-year-old scored Newcastle’s winner against Huddersfield a week earlier, and also assists in recent meetings with Bournemouth and crystal Palace.
“Some people say it’s too easy and he gives the ball but he plays the position where he often has a lot of players around him and he has to do difficult things,” said last week Benitez.
“He has movement and understanding of the game, and when we need something for the player who plays between the lines of defence and midfield, he understands these things. We no longer have such players.”
Martin Dubravka
There was little fanfare when the Slovak goalkeeper Martin Dubravka was sealed secret move from Sparta Prague to Newcastle on the last day of the winter window. 29-year-old goalkeeper was a relative unknown who never participate in one of the strongest leagues of Europe, but its impact on the St James’s Park has led to calls for Newcastle to make the loan permanent.
“His start against the” Manchester United “Roy of the Rovers stuff,” said the former goalkeeper Shay given on sky sports news last week. “Coming to the Premier League, a new country, new language, and he looked like he was there for 10 years. It was a fantastic debut and he gave the club a lift.”
So the man-of-the-match against “Manchester United”, Dubravka helped Newcastle to preserve the extra clean sheets with Southampton and Huddersfield. He commanded his penalty area well and earned applause for his awareness and passing ability too. “I think they would be mad not to tie him to a long-term contract,” added Dan.
Jamal Lascelles
The importance of Jamal Lascelles’ in Newcastle not a secret, but statistics reinforce the point. In seven games, their captain, missed the club this season, they conceded 20 goals and recorded not a single victory.
The 24-year-old is vital to Newcastle and, based on the return of Florian Lejeune aside, he has been particularly impressive in recent weeks. Guide lessells and aerial prowess was a key to clean sheets against “Manchester United”, “Southampton” and “Southampton”. He showed that he belongs at the highest level and shows why Benitez values him so highly.
Newcastle With and without Jamaal Lascelles starting in 2017/18
| Lascelles | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| With | 28 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 30 | 27 | 39% |
| Without | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 20 | 0% |
He was impressed with his attitude too. Lascelles could have a legitimate victim has not received the England call-up, but instead he brought his determination. “I will not allow my head to fall, if this does not happen, because it’s football,” said shields newspaper recently. “It will be a good achievement for me, but primarily I concentrate on the good for Newcastle.”
Jonjo Shelvey
After an unnecessary red card against Tottenham and Everton in the first half of the season, Shelvey refocused and rediscovered his form in the second. The 26-year-old remains an unpredictable figure, but his play in recent games has led to suggestions that, as Lascelles, it must be viewed in England call on the eve of the World Cup.
Watch highlights of Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Leicester
Shelvey passing – both long and short – was outstanding, and after two assists in a 3-0 win over Southampton, he scored his first goal of the Premier League against Leicester. “The main thing is he has talent and he has quality,” said Benitez. “He just needs to calm down a bit, and then he can use his qualities in the game to dictate the pace.”
Shelvey, in turn, thinks that he strokes his inconsistency and ill-discipline in his game, and he also received from MO Diame in midfield. The former “West ham” fought the man in a more advanced role last season, but he has excelled since dropping deeper. His fighting displays saved Mikel Merino from the team and provided a platform for Shelvey to Shine.
Paul Dummett
Paul Dummett is perhaps the most unlikely star of the recent turnover of Newcastle. The defender is a local lad and Academy graduate, but he told Alan Pardew that he never made it into the first team in Newcastle and a few supporters were too concerned when he succumbed to injuries on the opening day of the season.
Only now he is back, his value to the side was clear. In 13 games he has started since his return in December, Manchester city and Liverpool are the only sides to beat Newcastle. His steady performances helped to complete the picture on the back. He was handed a new contract in February and fans who doubted him now, sing his name.
“People don’t realise how important Paul Dummett,” said Benitez in recent times. “He’s the one who knows his business. He’s not bad in the air, he’s not bad with his left foot. People say, ‘he must go into the penalty area and make the crosses’. It doesn’t matter: he can pass, he can defend, he can help you with standards. He is a player that will give you something else. Something we have already.”
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