OPINION
The international break can go one of two ways. If a player can get a decent run out for their country, remain injury free, and make a positive impact, then it can be a timely confidence booster that can help them kick on when they return to their club for domestic duties.
If it goes wrong, however, it can be a real blow that has a player questioning himself and dropping off in form when his side need him most.
Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron stands on the cusp of a potential crisis of confidence for that exact reason.
The 24-year-old was dismissed for a shocking challenge in Paraguay’s 4-2 defeat to Mexico last week, and has received a fair amount of criticism for his actions back in his home country.
He has had to wait until today to put that game behind him, with the Magpies travelling to face Arsenal on Monday evening, and it will be a real test of just how strong the playmaker is.
On the face of it, this is a game that won’t matter too much to the Magpies. A result would be nice, but this isn’t a match that Rafael Benitez will have earmarked as a must win by any stretch.
Now, however, it will become an interesting opportunity to scrutinise just what Almiron is made of.
According to his manager, the South American is ready to play after his international horror show, but he’s bound to say that.
As quoted in the Chronicle, he said: “[On Friday] morning, when I saw him in the gym, he said he was fine. I asked him again during the training session; I asked him if he was OK, and he said ‘yes’.”
Whether that proves to be true or not remains to be seen, but suddenly a throwaway trip to the capital might just have taken on new significance for the Toon favourite.
