There were not many star performers in Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup win over Wimbledon.
Eddie Howe’s side were largely underwhelming, but did enough to book their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. Newcastle United will take on Chelsea at St James’ Park in the next round of the competition.
They will need to play much better to keep their Wembley dream alive, with Newcastle struggling to break down a stubborn Wimbledon side. Offensively, the Magpies were not up to much.
That has been a common problem for Newcastle. They find it difficult to get through resolute defences, especially when they are dominating possession.
Newcastle need to become better on the ball. In the meantime, they are lucky that they have Fabian Schar.
Fabian Schar proved once again why he is pivotal to this Newcastle United team
For most teams, it would be a major concern if a centre-back was their most creative player. At Newcastle United, it is a testament to just how good Fabian Schar is on the ball.
The £3million man started the Carabao Cup game as captain, and was an inspirational figure as the Magpies advanced to the next round. He scored the winner, netting a first half penalty after Miguel Almiron was fouled in the box.
Newcastle struggled to create chances against the League Two side, and their best hope was when Schar played his trademark balls over the top. He created some great openings for his teammates, with the 32-year-old proving to be a major offensive weapon as well as a reliable defender.
His passing range is absolutely pivotal to the way that Newcastle attack. They manipulate the ball to get him into dangerous positions, with runners always emerging when he gets possession.
In that respect, Schar is arguably Newcastle’s most important player right now. That was evident earlier in the season, when Newcastle really struggled on the ball during his three-match suspension.
But Schar is back now, and excelling in black and white.
He was probably the man of the match on Tuesday night, boasting a pass accuracy of 91%. Even more impressively, he completed 17 out of 20 attempted long passes.
Huge pressure on whoever replaces Schar after Marc Guehi interest
Schar’s performances come on the back of a summer transfer window that saw Newcastle try to sign his long-term replacement.
Marc Guehi was the Magpies’ top target, but Newcastle failed to agree a deal with Crystal Palace and the move collapsed.
While Guehi would have been a great signing, Schar has proven how difficult it will be to replace him. His passing range is one of Newcastle’s most dangerous weapons, and it is an attribute that not many defenders have.
Schar is unique, and that is why there will be huge pressure on whoever comes into the Newcastle United team when it is time for the Swiss centre-back to be replaced.
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