Newcastle United news: Nick Woltemade could make his Newcastle United debut on Saturday when Eddie Howe’s side face Wolves.
Nick Woltemade could make his Newcastle United debut on Saturday when they host Wolves at St James’ Park. Woltemade was forced to watch on from the Elland Road terraces before the international break as he was not registered in time to join his new teammates in their clash against Leeds United.
After heading on international duty with Germany following that match, Woltemade returned to Tyneside earlier this week for his first training sessions under Eddie Howe. Woltemade, alongside fellow new arrival Yoane Wissa, will now be tasked with adding goals to a forward line that has looked blunt so far this season.
Of course, the lack of recognised striker has played a major role in their profligacy up front and both Wissa and Woltemade will come into the team to address that hole. Wolves at the weekend offer both players a perfect opportunity to get their name on the scoresheet and prove to Howe why they should be in his starting sides going forward.
The perfect opportunity it may be, but there is only one perfect response for Woltemade to any fears that he lacks the experience required to lead the line for Newcastle United.
That is simply to score goals.
If he can do that, then the German will immediately cement himself in the hearts of his new fans and banish the bad and lingering memories of the way his predecessor, Alexander Isak, ended his three-year spell on Tyneside.
Les Ferdinand on Nick Woltemade
A man who knows a thing or two about scoring goals for Newcastle United is Les Ferdinand. ‘Sir Les’ scored 50 goals in 84 appearances in all competitions for the Magpies and remains one of the greatest ever strikers to play for the club.
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Speaking to Sky Sports, Ferdinand admitted that signing Woltemade was a risk for his former club and that he has a ‘tough ask’ to live up to the goalscoring antics of the man he replaces at St James’ Park: “He’s untried in the Premier League,” Ferdinand said about the German international. “It’s going to be a tough test for him.
“It was important that they brought Wissa in because that will take a little bit of the pressure off Woltemade. Again it remains to be seen [if he will succeed].
“Players sometimes come to the Premier League and it takes a while for them to get used to it. He’s not what I’d call a traditional type of centre forward who plays through the middle. He likes to come off the wing a little bit.
“I suppose the modern centre forward nowadays wants to play off that left side and cut in and use their right foot and score goals coming in from the side - that’s what he has more traditionally done where he’s been. It will be interesting to see how he fits in the Premier League.
“A tough ask to fill Isak’s boots but give him time and hopefully he can do the job that Newcastle fans would like him to do.”
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