It could be argued that Miguel Almiron hasn’t lived up to the hype at Newcastle United.
The Paraguayan arrived with a lot of fanfare in January 2019, breaking the club’s transfer record with a £21million move.
Almiron impressed immediately. His first performance at St James’ Park against Huddersfield was absolutely sensational.
His pace in and out of possession transformed the side, and he nearly scored the best goal of the Rafa Benitez era, only to be denied by the post.
Injury ended his season early. By the time he returned, Benitez was gone and replaced by Steve Bruce.
And while he did actually managed to score and assist under Bruce unlike Benitez, his performances sometimes left a lot to be desired.
But was it all his fault? Or could the departure of Bruce allow Almiron to thrive at St James’ Park once again?
Steve Bruce couldn’t get the best out of Miguel Almiron
Throughout his tenure, Bruce insisted on playing the 27-year-old out of position.
When he first arrived at Newcastle, Miggy played on the left of a front three and shone alongside Ayoze Perez and Salomon Rondon. While in the MLS he was usually used in an attacking midfield role.
During Bruce’s time as manager, Almiron played 89 times for Newcastle. In 31 appearances he was used on the right wing. We’ve also seen him play in a deeper role as a centre-midfielder.
Particularly on the right he struggled. While he was just as positive with his pace, everything was suddenly slowed down by his need to cut inside and get on his stronger left foot.
He was much less impactful, which has seen his influence wane in a black and white shirt.
Bruce chopped and changed his system during his time as Newcastle manager. There were only a couple of occasions where his desired formation suited Almiron.
Whoever comes in to replace Bruce needs to find a system that suits Almiron. Whether that’s on the left or behind the striker, we need to get more out of the South American star.
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