Newcastle United have had a strong pre-season going unbeaten throughout but there’s still a feeling that Eddie Howe needs a couple of extra players to ensure they can compete next season and Alan Shearer has shared his thoughts on the matter.
If you ask any fan right now what Newcastle need heading into the new season, nine out of ten times you’d hear “left-back”. That’s in no way meant as any disrespect to Dan Burn who was phenomenal in that role last season, or Matt Targett who couldn’t win his spot back after Burn took it.
The feeling is that another roaming left-back to balance Kieran Trippier on the right flank is sorely missing. Kieran Tierney was hotly tipped to be that signing this summer but it now looks like he’s forcing his way back into Mikel Areta‘s plans at Arsenal.
Alan Shearer wants more more more at Newcastle
Now Alan Shearer has joined in with the call for a new left-sided full-back speaking on his new podcast, The Rest Is Football with Gary Lineker and Micah Richards, Shearer said: “Yeah, I’m confident again. It’s going to be very difficult for Newcastle to go again and finish in the top four. I know they have signed a quality young midfielder in [Sandro] Tonali.
“I think they will have another very good season. In terms of doing what they did last season I think it will be very difficult for them unless in the last 10 days of the transfer window, if they go and get another two big hitters.”
He was then asked by Richards: “What do they need?”
“They may need another centre-forward and a left-back, that would be something,” said Shearer. “And if we are being greedy another centre-half but in the rest of the positions I feel they are pretty strong.”
Is a forward more important than a new centre-half?
I think most fans would put a centre-half ahead of another forward given we have Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak to chop and change up front, with Anthony Gordon and Joelinton capable of filling that role if we’re really stuck.
At centre-back, if Fabian Schar is injured we’re left with Jamaal Lascelles to cover him. Or if Sven Botman picks up a knock we can play Dan Burn instead, but then behind him it’s Paul Dummett or the youngster Alex Murphy.
We desperately lack pace in our defence and that has been exploited a few times already in pre-season, so I’d say that’s a position we need to deal with before looking at another forward, sorry Alan.
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