Newcastle United’s beginning of a new era on Sunday looked very much like the old one as Tottenham outplayed the newly bought Tyneside club in Steve Bruce’s 1000th game as a manager.
The chasm of class between these two sides – and let us not forget Spurs aren’t exactly flying right now – highlighted just how big a job Newcastle’s new Saudi owners have on their hands.
The 3-2 defeat was a sharpened pin inserted into the overinflated balloon of optimism that has surrounded the club since Mike Ashley’s exit. It is evident that success will have to wait some time at least.
Newcastle are unlikely to hang around when it comes to signing new talent but the owners have already outlined their ambition to develop the club strategically, rather than be competing for titles within a year.
Unlike Chelsea in 2004, when the lack of Financial Fair Play (FFP) restrictions meant Claudio Ranieri could spend as much as he liked, and Manchester City a few years later, Newcastle won’t be parting with more than a few hundred million pounds next summer – mere chicken feed for the Public Investment Fund (PIF).
But the club will certainly invest. Marquee signings are always the ambition of regime-backed ownership models – just look at Robinho at City, or Neymar at PSG.
So we can well expect some sparkle to arrive on Tyneside perhaps as early as January.
In the long run it’s likely the team that started against Spurs on Sunday will be totally overhauled. Yet there were some individuals who will hope to remain part of the Toon Revolution well into coming seasons.
Here, i looks at the players who could feasibly hang on to their jobs once PIF get to work, and how they fared on Sunday afternoon…
Allan Saint-Maximin – 7/10
By a decent distance Newcastle’s best player, had Allan Saint-Maximin not been around the past year Bruce would probably have lost his job by now. The Frenchman is an exceptional talent and gets Newcastle fans off their seats whenever he gets the ball.
Saint-Maximin would fit into the attacking unit of practically every Premier League team. He is under contract until 2025 and Newcastle obviously now don’t need to sell him.
On Sunday he was the only real figure who pushed forward with any conviction. He held the ball up well, ran at defenders and always had Callum Wilson in his sights. Saint-Maximin is probably the sort of player the Saudis would be looking to sign were he not already here.
Callum Wilson – 7/10
Scoring just two minutes into the new era is certainly going to raise your stock with the owners, and St James’ Park was bouncing after Wilson’s quick dart and header in front of the Leazes Stand.
But at 29 and with just three goals to his name this season, will Wilson be able to fend off the competition once the signings begin?
Rich owners like these will want a marquee striker straight away; they may not get one in January but the summer transfer window will be awash with rumour as to who Newcastle could sign.
Wilson was a relatively cheap £20m acquisition from Bournemouth last year and he will have to dramatically up his goal rate from the 12 scored in 2020-21 if he is to remain first choice up front.
Jamaal Lascelles – 6/10
New regimes need stability when they begin big squad overhauls and centre-back Lascelles certainly gives Newcastle this, even though the team’s defensive record under Bruce has been woeful. Whoever eventually replaces the boss would be foolish to cut the 27-year-old from his squad.
Much like Vincent Kompany when Roberto Mancini was appointed City boss, or John Terry under Jose Mourinho, having a reliable centre-back as captain helps to create a bridge between the existing players and the new regime.
Lascelles has already explained how he received a phone call from Amanda Staveley 30 minutes before the takeover was announced. It appears as though the new owners respect the position of captain – and it is likely that Lascelles will remain in his position.
On Sunday Newcastle’s defence was poorly protected and suffered from it. Lascelles neither shone nor struggled.
Joe Willock – 6/10
Many Arsenal fans still don’t understand how Joe Willock was allowed to leave London for £25m after his impressive loan spell in Newcastle last season proved that he can hack it in the Premier League.
Willock never really got his chance at Arsenal and the 22-year-old has settled in well on Tyneside. He is certainly considered one for the future and, now that Newcastle don’t need to make money off players, there’s little chance of them cashing in on him.
Willock offers a spark in midfield that Newcastle struggle to otherwise find. It’s fair to assume that a squad littered with better players than what Bruce is currently dealing with would help raise Willock’s game. And centring the midfield around him could pay off in the future.
