After successive defeats, it was important that Matthias Jaissle avoided losing against Fulham ahead of the international break. Newcastle United picked up a point in the Premier League, and perhaps that could be a springboard going forward.
Deep into the second half at Craven Cottage, Jacob Murphy scored to give Newcastle a momentous lead. They needed that, but Rodrigo Muniz equalised only 179 seconds later, salvaging a draw for Fulham.
It’s time for the senior players at St. James’ Park to step up and help this outfit back onto their feet. So many superstars were yanked away this summer, so it’s looking like Lewis Hall has become a talismanic figure on Tyneside.
Why Lewis Hall is becoming a leader for Newcastle
Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon. Eddie Howe. Gone, gone, gone and gone. Is it any wonder Newcastle are up against it this season?
Hall remains, though. Manchester United wanted him this summer, but Newcastle fought back, resisting one more major sale which might have rocked the boat too hard.
|
Youngest Squads in the Premier League (26/27) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Team |
Players Used |
Average Age |
|
Liverpool |
20 |
25.1 |
|
Newcastle |
23 |
25.1 |
|
Man City |
23 |
24.7 |
|
Brighton |
24 |
24.7 |
|
Chelsea |
26 |
24.6 |
With Newcastle having adopted a youthful transfer strategy at the start of a new chapter under PIF, there can be no question that Hall, 22 years old, has become something of a role model, one of the more experienced and trustworthy members of the team.
There can be no denying the England international’s quality. There can be no denying his first-class ability on the ball, his defensive awareness and tireless energy up and down the left channel.
“He has got all the attributes to be one of the best left-backs in the world,” Kieran Trippier said of his former Magpies teammate after Hall produced a masterclass to subdue Lamine Yamal in the Champions League last season.
Moreover, he’s a leader, one who does their talking on the field. Hall didn’t make the fastest of starts on Tyneside, but he’s now a superstar, and it’s an example of patience which must now be applied to a newbie who hasn’t got going yet but is undoubtedly immensely talented.
Newcastle must unleash their new Lewis Hall
Hall is a fully-fledged superstar on Tyneside, but when first joining Newcastle from Chelsea in a £35m deal in 2024, he had spent the 2023/24 season on loan at the club, featuring 22 times, scoring twice, but starting only eight times in the Premier League, ebbing and flowing.
Now, it looks like Howe might have repeated the same trick when signing Aladji Bamba from Monaco this summer, shortly before drawing down the curtain on his time with the club.
It’s not Bamba’s fault that he cost around £35m to bring over from Monaco this summer, but the fact remains that he cost £35m, and thus far is being treated as a raw academy player who lacks the skillset to make a positive impression in the Premier League.
In this, the 20-year-old represents the deterioration in transfer strategy which has marred the Newcastle project in recent years. He last featured on September 19th, and has played only 27 minutes in the Premier League, yet to start a game.
There has been opportunity for Jaissle to give him a shot, but the German coach continues to resist the temptation. Perhaps he is not tempted at all, completely unconvinced by the Frenchman.
The thing is, though, Bamba has shown he has quality. With Monaco last year, he rose to prominence across 18 Ligue 1 appearances (ten starts), creating four big chances, completing 70% of his dribbles and winning 4.6 duels and 1.8 tackles per game.
Newcastle do not plan to loan the young midfielder out this January. The plan is for him to remain on Tyneside. Surely this points toward more minutes in the future? Perhaps, in this, he can emulate Hall, making similar gains after a slow start as the left-back did.
It should be noted that Jaissle has been resistant about giving Sean Steur match action in the top flight this season, and the young Dutchman has been one of the club’s best players.
Bamba’s time will come, but he needs to start playing more of a role for an outfit who teeter on the edge of more malaise. If Jaissle wants to succeed in the Premier League, he needs to cultivate an outfit capable of embracing every facet.
Like Hall before him, Bamba might just need a bit of time to bed in. He has the physical and athletic attributes to succeed in the Premier League. Now, Jaissle must make it happen.
