Nick Woltemade (left) and Newcastle United striker Alan Shearerplaceholder image
Nick Woltemade (left) and Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer | Getty Images
Nick Woltemade has played as a midfielder for Newcastle United in recent weeks.
Alan Shearer has suggested Nick Woltemade is becoming an “issue” for Newcastle United.
In a public criticism of the German, the Toon icon also claimed nobody won in the Alexander Isak saga. Eddie Howe has tweaked Woltemade’s position in recent weeks to combat his dip in form.
Signed as a £69million striker, he has been used as a midfielder in Newcastle’s past three fixtures. Anthony Gordon - a winger - has led the line up front, raising questions about Woltemade’s potential future.
‘Clearly an issue’ - Alan Shearer
Shearer believes Woltemade is now a problem for Newcastle and Howe. He told Premier League Productions: “Clearly Woltemade is an issue for Newcastle. The money they spent on him, near enough £70million, then deciding to play Gordon as a centre-forward, tells you he’s not quite been what they thought he could be in that position.
"They’re trying to work out what’s best for him. Is he a No.10? Probably not. They try and play him in more of a midfield role… you see he can’t press, because he hasn’t got the legs, he hasn’t got the energy to do what Eddie Howe’s teams have done which have made Newcastle successful over the years.
"You saw that with the second Manchester City goal, when he went to press he was beaten far too easily. He is an issue for Newcastle. It was always going to be a difficult situation because of the Alexander Isak situation, because of what he did and what happened. It hasn’t worked well for anyone.”
Read More
Nobody won in Alexander Isak saga
Addressing Newcastle’s attacking problems further, Shearer added: "It hasn’t worked well for Isak, it certainly hasn’t worked for Liverpool with him and from my point of view and from Newcastle’s point of view, it certainly didn’t help them because they were forced into paying, I think, far too much money for two forwards in Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, roughly around £125million on those two.
"They are still working out and figuring out how to get the best of Woltemade because his game, his stature, his pace of play is not suited to what Newcastle have done in being successful under Eddie Howe with the energy.
"When Newcastle were at their very best, Newcastle were going after teams and pressing and not giving them any time to play whatsoever, but he can’t do that. That tells you they're playing a winger in a centre-forward position that he has an issue in there."
Continue Reading