Newcastle need a 'proper' goalscorer

17 August 2015 09:36

The story of Newcastle last season would be Hollywood worthy if it was played backwards. John Carver comes in, claims he is the best manager in the league, has a string of poor results, gets sacked and in comes Pardew who takes them on to bigger and better things.

Sadly for Newcastle fans that's not how it turned out and they survived by the skin of their teeth.

Unpopular owner, Mike Ashley, is determined not to sell off the club until they win a trophy or qualify for Europe so it's even more important for Newcastle to succeed this season.

However after two games in the 15/16 Premier League season they have picked up just one point.

Their singular point game in the opening day of the season in a 2-2 draw against Southampton and at one point were 2-1 up.

On Saturday they traveled to South Wales to face Swansea at the Liberty Stadium has were completely out classed. They were lucky to keep the score to 2-0.

Now, it's easy to look at these too games and say that the weak link is Newcastle's defense, Janmaat and Coloccini have been particularly poor, but from what I've seen where Newcastle really need to strengthen is up front.

At the moment Steve McClaren has used two strikers, Cisse and Mitrovic, with Cisse starting both games and scoring against Southampton. However judging solely on the first two games of the season, they aren't good enough.

It may be a bit early and little harsh to say that about Mitrovic but he hasn't shown me anything to make me say that he can do a job this season. He looks like he can't go 90 minutes without getting sent off. He broke the record for the fasted booking after making a Premier League debut, in under 30 seconds. He is, however, showing signs of improvement by making it 90 seconds before getting book after coming on against Swansea.

The 21 year old Serbian international joined Newcastle from Belgian side Anderlecht from £13 million in the summer and is a massive threat in the air but his discipline is appalling to say the least.

Both of Newcastle's goals so far this season have come from crosses so I can see why Mitrovic was a high priority target of McClaren's but he has to be in the pitch to score and with the inevitable suspensions that are coming his way, hues not the kind of player you can rely on for goals.

Cisse in the other hand has actually been a consistent goalscorer over the last few season but so far, and especially against Swansea, he looked a shell of his former self. When he has to chase the ball he's to slow and when he has to hold up the ball he's too weak.

He may get you ten goals a season but they are almost always tap-ins and never seems to 'wow' anyone with his talent, which is what I believe is what Newcastle need right now.

The Baggies have been heavily linked with Queen's Park Rangers striker Charlie Austin, who's 18 goals last season weren't enough to keep them up but helped them fight until the end.

He has already got off the mark in the Championship, netting a goal against Cardiff on Saturday night in a 2-2 draw. Although that goal was nothing special he showed last season that he is clinical in almost anywhere within 20 yards of the goals and available for just £15 million.

Newcastle seem reluctant to pay anymore that £12 million for the England international but after buying Mitrovic for only £2 million less, you'd think that the money could have been every spent elsewhere.

I'm not saying that Charlie Austin is the be all and end all but I feel that Newcastle need to buy a proven Premier League goalscorer soon rather than later as to not tempt fate with relegation yet again.

Source: DSG