Florian Lejeune continued his comeback in the FA Cup, playing the full game against Blackburn.
This was the next chapter in the Frenchman’s incredible recovery. The final step will be getting him back playing in the Premier League.
With Chelsea up next for the Magpies, the 27-year-old should be fast-tracked back into the side.
Newcastle need Lejeune
With the Magpies’ current situation, we need all of our best players on the pitch.
Rafa Benitez will almost certainly opt for a back five again at Stamford Bridge, a formation that has given Newcastle some solidity, albeit restricting our attacking imputes. But then again, with such little attacking talent available to begin with…
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Last season, Benitez used a back four and Lejeune was a key player. He very rarely played in a back five, so will need time to adapt. The game against Chelsea should be used as a baptism of fire for the former Eibar defender.
There is no doubt that he is one of the best defenders in our squad. He’s certainly more talented than Fabian Schar, who should drop to the bench in place of Lejeune.
Hopefully Benitez opts with a centre-back trio of Federico Fernandez, Jamaal Lascelles and Lejeune. That would be the perfect blend of the options Benitez has available.
The game on January 19th against Cardiff is the big one, and we can’t afford to throw Lejeune in at the deep end. Play him against Chelsea and see how ready he is for Premier League football. It’s certainly worth the risk, it’s not like we’re favourites to win…
