OPINION
Newcastle United’s defeat to Arsenal on Saturday means that the Magpies are winless after five games of the new Premier League season.
Their only point came away at newly promoted Cardiff City last month, meaning that Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace is already a massive fixture for Rafael Benitez’s side.
Despite the team’s poor start to the season, the Spaniard must be bold with his team selection against the Eagles. That means recalling wingers Kenedy and Christian Atsu to the starting line up.
The two men, like most Newcastle players, have started the season poorly. Kenedy has yet to replicate the fine form he showed on loan at the club last season, while Atsu has been indifferent in his three appearances so far this term.
So why bring them back into the starting eleven? There are a number of reasons. The first one is that Benitez isn’t exactly blessed with talented widemen.
Matt Ritchie and Jacob Murphy lined up on the wings at St James’ Park on Saturday but neither man was able to get much done. Ritchie is an excellent crosser of the ball, but his lack of pace means that he might be better suited to a central midfield role.
Murphy, on the other hand, has simply been a perpetual disappointment since joining from Norwich City last summer. He has pace and the ability to get past people, but he never seems to do it. Maybe Benitez is curbing his creative impulses, but he looks scared on the pitch.
Secondly, Kenedy and Atsu are the two most talented wingers on Tyneside. Kenedy, in particular, is a game changer when he’s on form, while Atsu is capable of moments of brilliance.
Newcastle find themselves in a hole early on this season, and Benitez needs to be brave if they are to get out of it. A 4-3-3 formation with Kenedy and Atsu flanking Joselu or Salomon Rondon up front would do the trick.
The pair would be able to utilise their pace to wreak havoc amongst the Palace defence, while supplying regular ammunition to the lone striker.
A midfield three of Ritchie, Jonjo Shelvey and Ki Sung-yeung would provide enough industriousness for Kenedy and Atsu to go and play their own games.
If the midfield and attack was set up in this way it would be the most positive Newcastle have looked all season, and would provide the team with enough firepower to blitz Roy Hodgson’s Eagles.
