The last time Newcastle United were relegated from the Premier League, they bounced back at the first time of asking. The next season, they came back in and solidly finished in 12th place. From there, they built on it and ended up finishing in fifth place. This time around, the goal has to be the same.
However, signing a player like Robert Snodgrass is not the way to help do that. Snodgrass is a very expensive player for his quality and his age, first. Second, the team he’s played for where he has enjoyed success at have either been bottom dwellers in the Premier League or teams from the Championship.
That is not what Newcastle need to be doing- on either count! They don’t have the money to waste on a player like Snodgrass, and they also need someone with plenty of quality.
If they are going to play with wingers, which we don’t know if they will or not, they need to add true quality or at least the potential for it.
Snodgrass is a known quantity at this point. He will whip in some devilish crosses, he will score a great free kick or two. But that’s about it. He won’t give you great pace or great defense. And that is always a requirement in Rafa Benitez’s team.
No matter how desperate things might look for the Magpies, they don’t need to sign players like this just to sign them.
