Swansea v Newcastle - Preview

Newcastle travel to the Liberty Stadium on Saturday to take on Swansea City in their first away game of the season.

Other than one of the ‘big five’ sides, it is difficult to imagine a tougher opening trip. The Swans, having finished eighth last season, have strengthened well during the summer, with the addition of five players, most notably of which is former Newcastle target, Andre Ayew on a free (who was bizarrely considered not value for money by Lee Charnley).

Swansea had a good home record in the Premier League last term losing just five games, all of which were against sides that finished above them in the top 7.

Consistency was the key for Garry Monk’s side. At no point during the whole season were they outside the top eight, and they managed to achieve that playing attractive football, something all Newcastle fans will be hoping their club can emulate under Steve McClaren.

The signs were promising on Sunday for Newcastle. It is hard to remember a game under Alan Pardew or John Carver where Newcastle lumped the ball forward from back to front less than they did last weekend (of course this may be in some part down to the fact that Mike Williamson was not playing).

However, Newcastle’s failure to pick up all three points was down to something fans have become all too familiar with seeing – an inability to defend crosses. This flaw was to blame for 22% (14/63) of our goals conceded in the Premier League last season, and is an issue that needs to be addressed both on the training pitch and in the transfer market.

Chancel Mbemba looks like he will prove to be an outstanding acquisition. He barely missed a tackle, and looks deceptively strong, which was proved during the second half of Sunday’s game where he held off a Southampton forward with a shoulder charge that saw the striker bounce off him like a ball-bearing in a pinball machine. However, at only 5’ 11”, he is hardly likely to be the dominating aerial powerhouse of a centre-half that Newcastle fans were hoping for.

The defence is likely to face an even tougher test on Saturday, and it will be important for them to perform at their very best if we are to take anything from the game. Unfortunately, if the fans can see their failings, you can bet your life that Monk, and other Premier League managers can see it too, and they will be hoping to exploit it week after week.

Further up the field, the signs were a lot more promising. Our passing was slicker, and movement off the ball was visibly better, most blatantly when looking at our second goal. Georginio Wijnaldum’s movement is on a different level to anything we have seen for a long time, and he looks like a steal at £14 million.

However, his movement will be even more important on Saturday, when Newcastle will be defending for long periods of the game, and hoping to hit the hosts on the counter-attack.

Remy Cabella and Paul Dummett returned to full training this week, but it is difficult to see how either will be fit enough to figure from the start on Saturday.

In fact, it is hard to envisage many, if any, changes from Sunday’s starting XI, but the one that I, and many others, will be hoping to see is Rolando Aarons starting in place of Gabriel Obertan.

Obertan’s cross for Wijnaldum’s goal on Sunday was brilliant. Having watched it many times, he looks up before deliberately, and superbly crossing it perfectly for the oncoming midfielder. Whether that, along with a solid, if not spectacular, performance is enough for him to keep his place remains to be seen.

However, it still seems that Aarons would be the player more likely to influence a game. His energy and enthusiasm could be just what Newcastle need on Saturday. On top of that, add his trickery, and eye for goal that he showed in pre-season, then the youngster, if given the chance, could prove to be a match winner.

Prediction: Swansea City 3 -1 Newcastle United

Key Match-Up:

Andre Ayew vs Massadio Haidara

The Newcastle left back struggled on Sunday and will be in for a sterner test on Saturday against a quality player. More than just a winger, Ayew will look to get inside and into the box at every opportunity, and it will be vital that Haidara is able to stay with his man, and not give him those opportunities.

It will be a massive examination of Haidara’s ability to cement a place in the Newcastle line-up this season.

Having been unlucky with injuries in the past, Haidara has now had plenty of opportunities and experience playing in the Premier League, and should he not start producing some quality performances, you wonder how many more chances he will be given.

Predicted starting XI vs My Preferred XI:

Predicted XI

Krul

Janmaat Mbemba Coloccini Haidara

Anita/Tiote

Sissoko Colback Obertan

Wijnaldum

Cisse

My Preferred XI

Krul

Janmaat Mbemba Coloccini Haidara

Colback