Revealed! Newcastle’s XI for their Premier League ’14/15 opener
Published:It may have escaped your attention, with the World Cup/Tour de France/Open Championship and all that, but Newcastle have been quietly travelling around Europe hoovering up hotly-tipped footballers.
Their most provocative capture so far this summer – former Sunderland stalwart Jack Colback – doesn’t quite make it into our brave new Geordie world, which is striking for its additions in attack.
The only change to the backline is significant as Dutch World Cup semi-finalist Daryl Janmaat – who was linked with Manchester Utd – joins international teammate Tim Krul at St James’ Park, with Mathieu Debuchy leaving for Arsenal.
Steven Taylor featured 10 times post-New Year’s Day, having missed most of the first half of the campaign, and the local boy will hope for a better start to 2014/15 against Manchester City after being sent-off at the Etihad in their Premier League opener last term.
Moussa Sissoko and Cheick Tiote featured prominently for France and Ivory Coast respectively at the World Cup and will expect to start the season in the midfield two of a 4-2-3-1, with Siem de Jong – who scored on his friendly debut recently, having arrived from Ajax – likely to take up the number 10 pitch.
At Montpellier last term, Remy Cabella played at number 10 more times than in any other position, but the Les Bleus World Cup squad man can play anywhere in the attack and often lines up on the left, where he’s likely to prove a better option than frustratingly inconsistent countryman Yoan Gouffran.
Ayoze Perez has never played at a higher level than the Segunda Liga, but Barcelona were reportedly in for the 20-year-old’s signature so Alan Pardew may have unearthed a future member of La Seleccion
Emmanuel Riviere came close to matching former teammate Radamel Falcao in the Monaco scoring stakes before the Colombian’s January injury, with seven in his first 13 Ligue 1 matches, so much is expected from the ninth Frenchman currently active in the Magpies’ seniors.
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