Last
season English North East club Newcastle United faced a striker problem. After
the signing of Emmanuel Rivière from Monaco to partner Perez Ayoze and Papis
Cisse, Newcastle thought they were fortified in the striking department. Ayoze
blew hot and cold and
hence ended up with a mere seven goals in 36 league games and so did Papis Cisse, coupled with his poor disciplinary record after incurring a six match ban in an unsporting behaviour following a spitting incident with Jonny Evans of Manchester United in March 2015.
Newcastle have a had a tradition and presence of great strikers in their team and the list includes Alan Shearer, Les Ferdinand, Andy Cole, Demba Ba and more recently Loic Remy. It only comes as a surprise that last season all their strikers were toothless. It took a Mousa Sissoko and Jonas Gutierrez goal in the last match of the season against East London side (West Ham United) to secure their participation in the English top flight this season.
hence ended up with a mere seven goals in 36 league games and so did Papis Cisse, coupled with his poor disciplinary record after incurring a six match ban in an unsporting behaviour following a spitting incident with Jonny Evans of Manchester United in March 2015.
Newcastle have a had a tradition and presence of great strikers in their team and the list includes Alan Shearer, Les Ferdinand, Andy Cole, Demba Ba and more recently Loic Remy. It only comes as a surprise that last season all their strikers were toothless. It took a Mousa Sissoko and Jonas Gutierrez goal in the last match of the season against East London side (West Ham United) to secure their participation in the English top flight this season.
A
lot of changes have been made at The SportsDirect Arena which saw the
appointment of seasoned coach Steve McLaren as manager replacing John Carver
who was made permanent manager on January 26, 2015 till season end , following
the exit of Alan Pardew to Crystal Palace. Carver nearly took the
club down to the championship after losing a club record eight successive games
till May 2, 2015. After securing the services of Aleksander Mitrovic from
Anderlecht and Georgino Wijnaldum (PSV Captain), Newcastle are in pole position
to sign highly rated Uruguayan striker Diego Rolan. Rolan is no stranger to
French football fans and had his breakthrough at the 2013 South American Youth
Championship, where he dazzled spectators before signing for Ligue 1 side FC
Girondins de Bordeaux in February 2013.
Last
season, Rolan played a league total of 36 games and scored 15 goals with three
assists and 32 chances in an average Bordeaux side that's boasts only famous
average stars like Julien Faubert and Diego Contento. Rolan's last season pass
accuracy is also a high 81%, also Rolan is one that is in tune with the
physical nature of football, after winning an average duel of 46% last season.
It is in the area of shooting that Rolan has to improve after his 48% accuracy.
In a rejuvenated Newcastle side under McLaren, Rolan will only get
better. At a tender age of 22, and having already established himself in the
French Ligue 1, there is no better choice than Rolan for Newcastle United.
Boasting high profile South American and club captain Fabricio Colocini and ,
and also French footballers like Mousa Sissoko, Yoan Gouffran and Massadio
Haidara adapting to Newcastle would be the least of problems for Rolan.
His participation at the just concluded 2015 Copa America ended in disappointment
mainly because he was not given a chance in attack as coach Oscar Tabarez
preferred playing Edison Cavani in attack which did not yield much dividend.
Rolan rightly fits into the Newcastle philosophy of signing young dedicated
players with a high resell value and potential. It is not yet clear if the
transfer will go through but if it does then Newcastle have acquired a gem in
Uruguayan Diego Rolan. After the debacle of last season, it is only wise
Newcastle United fortifies itself in attack this season.
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