The final week of the summer transfer window turned into one of Newcastle United’s most hectic and crucial in recent memory.
The arrival of Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart paved the way for the long awaited exit of Alexander Isak. But not before Yoane Wissa was also on his way to St James Park.
The eyes of the watching world are set to rest on the Magpies and Liverpool, to see how all three strikers fare at their new clubs. Newcastle banked £125 million from the sale of the Swede, but also parted with upward of £120 million to secure the services of their two new heroes.
In their attempts to fill the Isak-shaped void, Newcastle has acquired two prolific attackers with differing qualities to lead their line on various fronts this season. With big boots to fill and a lot of money spent, the Newcastle hierarchy needs their team to hit the ground running as soon as possible.
This article explores the individual strengths of the duo, as well as potential synergies which would enable Eddie Howe to play them together.
Wissa A Potential Mentor For Woltemade
Nick Woltemade is a young man who comes with vast amounts of billing. However, his Newcastle club record price tag may have raised a few eyebrows considering his lack of Premier League experience.
Similarly, the money spent to bring in Yoane Wissa also divided opinion, in reference to his being 29 years old. This begs the question: Does the ideal risk-free transfer even exist?
With experience and potential now in their ranks, exciting times are ahead at St James Park. Woltemade raised his already considerable stock at this summer’s UEFA Under-21 Championships for Germany following a strong season in the Bundesliga. He also started both matches for Julian Nagelsmann’s senior side during the recent international break.
The weight of expectation threatens to greet him as he embarks on his first overseas move, but Newcastle’s recent recruitment has borne many success stories from which to take inspiration.
Ready to help him along on the ride is his new teammate Yoane Wissa. The Democratic Republic of Congo striker bagged himself 19 Premier League goals last term, arriving as the ideal like-for-like replacement for Isak.
He established himself as a fan favourite during his stint at Brentford, until his fractious exit. He played a fundamental role in the Bees’ establishment in the top-flight under Thomas Frank.
Wissa is certainly no stranger to forging devastating partnerships at the top of the pitch either. The understanding he developed with Bryan Mbeumo in West London made Brentford one of the most feared attacking forces in the division.
The Geordie faithful will hope the Congolese man can draw upon his experience to instill his knowledge of Premier League defences into Woltemade.
In the Magpies’ current preferred system, Eddie Howe is likely to lead the line with just one of the new forward arrivals. But with the common phrase on Tyneside being “In Eddie we trust”, the Geordie faithful can surely rely on their boss to bring the very best out of both.
Contrasting Styles, Shared Goal
The success of Newcastle’s revamped strike force centres on the dynamic formed between Wissa and Woltemade.
Despite their differing stature, as well as their playing style, they share the same ultimate goal: to regularly find the back of the net. Understanding their separate nuances could be the difference between a good season for Newcastle and a great one.
It almost feels inevitable that the pair will eventually adopt the nicknames Little and Large, or something to that effect. At 6’5”, German brings a commanding presence to Eddie Howe’s attacking armoury. While Wissa appears more diminutive alongside the man already dubbed “Big Nick” by some Geordies.
Woltemade is much more than a fearsome target man, however, having become known for his intelligent link-up play too. His selfless runs are set to bring about many goal chances for himself, but also create more room for his teammates to operate.
It’s that subtle combination of power and technicality that has seen him talked about as a rising star of European football.
Avid Premier League watchers will be well aware of the tireless work that Wissa gets through game after game. The trademark of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle is their relentless pressing. For that reason alone, the installation of him as their number nine just makes sense.
His versatility undoubtedly piqued the interest of Newcastle, too, having been deployed on the wing and through the middle during his time at the GTEC Community Stadium. He’s a player that fits the Eddie Howe bill, not to mention the profile of a possible legend on Tyneside.
The Blueprint For A Potent Alliance at Newcastle United
As already touched on, Newcastle United’s immediate future will focus on the synergy between Wissa and Woltemade.
The challenge for the coaching staff, is to get them both regular minutes, whilst tailoring their best attributes in line with Newcastle’s tactical plans.
The likes of Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes, Anthony Elanga, and Jacob Murphy are likely to rotate in the wide areas. This makes it unlikely that we will see both strikers in the same starting lineup in Newcastle’s current preferred setup.
The presence of the new strike force, however, allows scope for diversity in formation for Eddie Howe.
Wissa has demonstrated his effortless ability to lead the press during his time in England. He regularly turns possession over high up the pitch with his aggressive hustling, a weapon capable of creating chances for his waiting teammates.
An alternative route to goal should Newcastle adopt a more direct angle of attack, would be to utilise Woltemade’s aerial prowess. With Wissa an expert at timing his forward run, the German’s flick-ons could wreak havoc in Premier League defences this season.
If the opportunity arises, the 47-year-old could explore formations that accommodate two forwards, so that he can assess their chemistry directly as a pair.
Now that the challenging character has officially left the building, Newcastle United can look to the future. Woltemade and Wissa have joined the popular and charismatic Will Osula in the Newcastle ranks, and the Geordie supporters have a set of goal-scorers to worship once again.