The German media were full of praise for Newcastle United star Nick Woltemade after arguably his best goal yet for the club.
Sadly for Woltemade, his genius flick on Saturday will not long be remembered because Newcastle United lost 2-1 to Brighton in the Premier League.
The German was largely starved of service on the south coast before he brilliantly backheeled Lewis Miley’s ball across the face of the goal into the back of the net.
It was a fantastic piece of skill and briefly gave Eddie Howe’s side hope until Danny Welbeck’s second goal of the game confirmed their first away defeat of the season.
It’s tempting to feel sorry for Woltemade despite his fine start to life in England. Newcastle United’s club-record signing is scoring even the half-chances offered to him but they do not come often enough.
A striker is often only as good as his service and Woltemade is doing his part. Indeed, the German media were particularly impressed with his goal on Saturday.
Nick Woltemade celebrates with his teammates after scoring for Newcastle United against Brighton.
Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Such was the ingenuity of the goal, it’s worth looking at what the media in Woltemade’s native Germany has been saying, particularly given the digs he’s had to deal with from various prominent Bayern Munich legends since his move to England.
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BILD hailed Woltemade’s strike, writing: “Striker Nick Woltemade (23) recently scored his first goal for the German national team, firing Nagelsmann’s team to a crucial victory against Northern Ireland. And Woltemade continues to make waves in the Premier League as well!
“In Newcastle United’s match against Brighton, Woltemade (who signed from Stuttgart for €85million) scored his fourth league goal in five games. And what a goal!
“England marvels at a magical goal from BIG NICK!”
Kicker, meanwhile, added: “The former Stuttgart player underlined his top form by brilliantly backheeling a cross in the penalty area into the far corner – an absolute dream goal (76′). For Woltemade, who hasn’t failed to score in a German national team shirt since Monday, it was his fourth goal in five league appearances, and his first away goal.
“However, it wasn’t enough to secure a point. Welbeck, to whom the ball had bounced after Dan Burns’s actually strong save, scored a brace in the 84th minute. Newcastle coach Eddie Howe was accordingly “disappointed” afterward, but once again had words of praise for his new striker, who has so far made Alexander Isak forgettable.”
Nick Woltemade “really happy” at Newcastle United
Howe instantly thought that Woltemade could succeed at Newcastle and that has proven to be the case.
Only three players have scored more than his four Premier League goals this season, while the Newcastle forward has also netted in the Champions League.
He’s made a better start than anyone would have predicted and is doing all this in a team who just aren’t functioning in any meaningful attacking sense outside of his contribution.
Speaking after the game, Woltemade said he was “really happy” with life at the club.
“I’m really happy to be here. Really happy to come back always to Newcastle and the coach, the manager and my teammates just give me a really good feeling on the pitch,” he told the club’s in-house media channel.
“I guess you can see it. So yeah, I’m really, really, really happy to be here.”
Hopefully, his teammates do their bit to support him soon.