OPINION
The one issue that has failed to disappear this season for Newcastle United is their lack of goals from their front three.
Club-record signing, Joelinton has only scored one goal since arriving in the summer, but Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron have yet to find the back of the net.
The Magpies’ defence has offered them a get out of jail free card in recent weeks, scoring a number of goals including important strikes in the wins against West Ham United and Bournemouth.
That has led to calls for Joelinton to be replaced, especially after he failed to score once again in the 2-0 defeat against Aston Villa on Monday.
Despite that, Steve Bruce has suggested that Newcastle United duo Andy Carroll and Dwight Gayle will have to wait for their chance to start.
“They are going to have to keep working away at it,” he said, as quoted by the Chronicle.
“Every game that goes by you will ask the same question.
“The only thing we need to do is hope that one comes off their backside and they get moving. That’s what happens with a forward player.”
There are no excuses for the struggles of Newcastle’s front three, and it can’t be long before Bruce is forced into making a switch, never mind them having to keep working for it.
Joelinton has been nowhere near good enough when leading the line and has taken an average of four bad touches each game according to WhoScored.
Bruce will be demanding that his striker holds up the ball and brings his teammates into the action in the final third, and Carroll could be ready for a chance next time out.
The summer signing is surely ready to be thrown back into the action, and there couldn’t be a better time. Newcastle are crying out for a striker to add goals and it may be his chance to prove he still has what it takes.
Given the comments of Bruce though, both Carroll and Gayle will have to wait even longer to start games this season, despite the clear struggles of his forwards.
