Newcastle United fell to their third Premier League defeat of the season this afternoon, with Danny Welbeck’s double securing a 2-1 win for Brighton & Hove Albion.
Eddie Howe’s side must have thought they secured a point after Nick Woltemade netted his fourth goal in just five league outings after his summer arrival from Stuttgart.
However, it wasn’t meant to be, as the aforementioned star’s effort was in vain after Welbeck’s goal secured Fabian Hurzeler’s side all three points at the AMEX.
The Magpies now sit in the bottom half of the table at present, with just two wins to their name – needing a huge reaction in the coming games to get their campaign back on track.
Such a result will likely leave the manager bitterly disappointed, but more so, the failure to impress of numerous players who were handed chances to impress from the off.
Newcastle’s disappointing performers against Brighton
Despite being under fire for his lack of impact of late, Howe decided to stick with Brazilian international Joelinton as part of his three-man midfield.
However, his showing against the Seagulls was a hugely disappointing one, with the 29-year-old subsequently being withdrawn from the contest at the break.
He failed to create any chances for his teammates despite completing 21 passes, whilst also losing 100% of the aerial battles that he entered on the South Coast.
Joelinton wasn’t alone in failing to deliver against Hurzeler’s men, with full-back Dan Burn unable to help the Magpies secure all three points against his former employers.
The 33-year-old only managed to win four of the 14 duels he entered during his 90-minute performance, subsequently being dribbled past twice by former Newcastle star Yankuba Minteh.
Despite the showings from the aforementioned duo, one other first-team member produced an afternoon to forget, with Howe desperately needing to take action.
The Newcastle star who needs to be dropped after Brighton
After the sale of Alexander Isak during the summer window, it was vital Newcastle invested well into the squad to avoid a drop off in the Premier League standings.
As previously mentioned, Woltemade has hit the ground running for the Magpies, already looking like the club’s most threatening option within the final third.
The opposite end of the pitch also received hefty investment, with Malick Thiaw joining in a £40m deal from AC Milan – subsequently cementing his place in the starting eleven in recent weeks.
However, fellow summer addition Anthony Elanga has struggled to produce the type of displays that saw the hierarchy fork out a fee in the region of £55m for his services.
The Swede has failed to score or assist in any of his ten outings across all competitions, with his showing against the Seagulls highlighting his lack of impact to date.
He was named in the starting eleven for the clash against Hurzeler’s men this afternoon, but once again failed to match the faith shown in him by his manager, Howe.
Like Joelinton, Elanga was hooked at half-time due to his lack of impact, with his underlying figures showcasing how dismal he was during the Magpies’ latest defeat.
Anthony Elanga – stats against Brighton
Statistics
Tally
Minutes played
45
Touches
20
Passes completed
12
Crosses completed
0
Dribbles completed
0
Duels won
50%
Dribbled past
1
Match rating
4/10
Stats via FotMob
He failed to complete any of the dribbles or crosses that he attempted, with only one of his attempted passes being made into the final third of the pitch.
Elanga also came out on top in just 50% of all the duels he contested, even being unable to create any chances for his teammates during his 45-minute outing.
To further highlight his lack of impact, he only achieved a total of 20 touches, a tally lower than that of goalkeeper Nick Pope, who achieved a total of 40.
As a result of his performance, Elanga was handed a measly 4/10 match rating by Newcastle World journalist Jordan Cronin – further showcasing his lack of impact.
Given his display, Howe desperately needs to get the winger firing, which should see the 23-year-old being dropped to the substitutes’ bench in the coming matches.
His mammoth price tag has certainly increased the pressure on his shoulders, but time needs to be handed his way to allow the attacker to adapt to the demands in the North East.
