There has been some turmoil in the Newcastle United managerial department over the past year, but Ross Wilson has a good working relationship with Eddie Howe and the pair are looking to improve at St James’ Park.
Last year, Howe and his team defied much adversity to win the Carabao Cup and regain Champions League qualification. Everything clicked into place, and although things almost derailed this summer with the sale of talismanic Alexander Isak, United have made progress in recent weeks with the emergence of a new hero.
Bruno Guimarães remains the Magpies’ all-around inspiring leader, but Malik Thiaw has risen to the occasion since arriving in the Premier League this year and has become a different kind of driving force for the Tynesiders.
Newcastle’s new leaders led by Howe
Isak was never the vocal talisman for Howe’s Newcastle team, but he led by example on the field before the summer transfer window, scoring 27 goals in all competitions last season and featuring in the Carabao Cup final.
But Newcastle paid a record amount for his contract and Guimarães has only improved this term, both technically and in terms of leadership.
Although the new forward core has yet to properly establish itself, Thiau has performed well in the Premier League, with Bruno actually saying the intimidating German defender is “the future of this club”.
The fact that he joined from AC Milan for around £35 million and quickly rose above Sven Botman speaks volumes about his personality and technical qualities. According to Sofascore, the 24-year-old Thiau has won 74% of his aerial duels in the Premier League, completed 88% of his passes and is yet to make an error.
He is a part of the mix, as is Bruno, but United may actually have a young member of the team who is topping the form rankings in the English game and he is starting to prove he can be selected.
Newcastle signed Bruno to a better deal than Thiau
When Newcastle signed Lewis Hall from Chelsea for £28m (once on a season-long loan through the 2023/24 season), they knew they were getting a bargain for a young full-back with a wealth of potential.
However, since this move took hold, injuries have hurt the 21-year-old’s chances of establishing fluency, and it will be interesting to see him play well in recent weeks and develop into the elite player he can and should eventually become.
Described by reporter Andy Sixsmith as “the best player on the field” after his incredible performance against Tottenham, Hall has overcome his injury problems and is now reminding the Premier League that he is one of the best players in the business. In fact, if there are more performances like this, it will be more than just a case for Thune to board the Three Lions plane across the pond next summer.
Lewis Hall vs Tottenham | |
|---|---|
match statistics | # |
Play time (minutes) | 90 minutes |
touch | 75 |
Number of shots (on target) | 3 (0) |
exact path | 36/43 (84%) |
An opportunity has arisen | 0 |
dribble | 2/2 |
collect | 6 |
tackle win | 4/4 |
intercept | 2 |
clearance | 4 |
won a duel | 8/15 |
Data via Sofascore | |
According to FBref, Hall has actually ranked in the top 7% of full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for assists, top 11% for progressive passes, and top 5% for through balls and tackles won over the past year.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the completed pass into the opponent’s goal or into the penalty area.
This is a formidably well-rounded player who has carved out a career as a central midfielder and developed a dynamic skill set to propel him to the top. If the England international can maintain his fitness levels, he could go from strength to strength on Tyneside and even become Howe’s main man.
In this regard, he could become one of the best players of the PIF era. It’s already clear that his name is in such conversations, but Hall needs consistency now. Perhaps he can rise to a higher position than the likes of Bruno and Thiau.
There is also the issue of the Cobham side’s Academy Player of the Year award-winner arriving from Chelsea. Hall, who was put in a pinch by his direct rival, is developing into a player who could rival the likes of Marc Cucurella for the left-back title in the future.
There’s still a lot of room for growth, and there’s a good chance Hall will be Howe’s mainstay in the not-too-distant future.
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