As Newcastle United players prepare to get back in the swing of things at club level, we assess the positives and negatives of the international break for five stars.
There has been plenty to sink our teeth into when looking at the progress of Newcastle’s international players this past fortnight.
With World Cup qualification on the line for many, it was a crucial period of action, but we can’t all be winners, can we?
Some Newcastle United players led their country to glory and booked a place at the World Cup, while others suffered injuries and defeats that will cost them dearly.
Who had a successful international break?
Nick Woltemade
With three goals in two games for Germany, Nick Woltemade is the ultimate winner of this international break when it comes to Newcastle’s representatives.
The German media were delighted with Woltemade, and rightly so. His goals fired Germany to World Cup qualification, and Woltemade’s poacher’s instinct proves he’s exactly the striker Newcastle need.
It now seems likely Woltemade will be part of the Germany squad for the tournament next summer, and the confidence flowing through him right now can only be a good thing for the Magpies, too.
Lewis Hall
Given his recent absence through injury, most Newcastle fans would have been wary to see Lewis Hall joining up with the England Under-21 squad at all. But, we’ve seen a really patient and sensible approach from Lee Carsley when it comes to using the full-back during this international break.
Hall built up his sharpness for England with a 70-minute outing against Ireland, which also saw him bag an assist. Another 29 minutes from the bench on Tuesday night against Slovakia will have done wonders for Hall’s fitness, without overdoing it, and he should be ready to play against Man City this weekend.
Dan Burn
Dan Burn continued to establish himself in the England squad this month. He may have missed the game against Serbia, but he played the full 90 minutes in the win over Albania and helped maintain England’s incredible clean sheet record.
It’s not going to be easy, but Burn has done his chances no harm when it comes to making Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad. The only downside is that the national press criticised Burn’s ability on the ball, but in fairness, that’s not necessarily what he’s there for.
- READ MORE: Dan Burn’s performance for England vs Albania has Newcastle United fans in complete agreement now
A bad break for two Newcastle United players
Anthony Elanga
On a very individualistic level, Anthony Elanga can be happy with his contribution for Sweden this month. But, his country did lose 4-1 to Switzerland, which killed their hopes of automatic World Cup qualification.
Elanga then had to withdraw from international duty for what was described as “private reasons”, which is disappointing, seeing as he put in a decent performance in the first game. He’ll be back for Newcastle this weekend, but Elanga is still unable to find that momentum he’s been seeking.
Sandro Tonali
Like Sweden, Italy had a tough international break, and are also now facing the prospect of missing out on yet another World Cup. Sandro Tonali was restricted during the win over Moldova and got a less than positive review from the Italian press.
Tonali was then sent home from the Italian squad due to fitness concerns and missed the 4-1 defeat to Norway. The good news for Newcastle is that Tonali is back at the club and should be available for the Man City game, but the concern is this is yet another disruption to the midfielder’s rhythm that he really could have done without.
Receive a digest of our best Newcastle content each week direct to your mailbox
