Not much has changed at Newcastle United since last season, with a quiet transfer window under the Saudi PIF notably bringing in Lloyd Kelly, Odysseas Vlachodimos and William Osula, none of whom are regular starters.
lloyd-kelly
Things are shuffling in the right direction but the PIF project is not quite moving apace. Newcastle aren't at their tactical zenith, and the club's 2023/24 Player of the Season, Anthony Gordon, hasn't quite found last season's level. Yet.
Newcastle's attack not quite thriving
Newcastle shouldered the burden of so many injuries last season, but Gordon proved a constant throughout, with his pace and potency providing Newcastle with a new attacking hero to complement goalscorer Alexander Isak.
Premier League Stats - Anthony Gordon
Match Stats*
Matches (starts)
Goals
Assists
Shots (on target)*
Touches*
Pass completion
Big chances created
Dribbles*
Ball recoveries*
Tackles + interceptions*
Total duels (won)*
Stats via Sofascore (* = per game)
The England international's prolificness is not the only part to decrease this year, with his data across most further metrics pointing toward a regression of sorts - especially since he is seeing roughly the same amount of the ball each match.
Newcastle's attacking fluency has simply taken a hit, with the Magpies finishing joint-second in the Premier League last season for big chances created (97) but have conjured up just 15 so far this term, placing them joint-15th with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Newcastle striker Alexander Isak
Gordon will be aware that he needs to raise his game like Isak has done in recent weeks, with the pairing regarded as Newcastle's foremost forwards and two of the highest-paid members besides.
However, perhaps the same can't be said for Kieran Trippier, who is getting on a bit and no longer justifying his large earnings with high-level performances on the field.
Why PIF must axe Kieran Trippier
Trippier is currently playing out the penultimate year of his Magpies contract, and while his experience and leadership are aspects that must be taken into consideration, so too must his exorbitant wage packet.
Kieran-Trippier
Harking back to Gordon and Isak, the former's new contract has lifted his salary to £150k-per-week, behind only Bruno Guimaraes now, while Isak pockets deserved £120k-per-week earnings, the same as Trippier.
Given that Trippier's future looked to be away from Tyneside this summer, albeit with any potential transfers failing to reach completion, it's difficult to claim that he should see out his contract until the end of next season, having already lost his place in the first team to Tino Livramento, more robust and youthful.
He still has a staunch fan in manager Eddie Howe, who said back in September that the 34-year-old was still "such an important part" of the club despite his reduced role, but after a summer of stagnancy, Newcastle need to spur themselves onward, into a new chapter.
His qualities still remain, ranking among the top 6% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists and progressive passes and the top 4% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref. There are suitors out there who would snap him up.
Criticised for some "disastrous" defensive displays for Newcastle last season by journalist Harry de Cosemo, it feels like the time is right for PIF to allow Trippier to move on. Howe's side, it would seem, already have.
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