Despite adding just 5 new players to his squad over the summer transfer window, Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez has managed to turn the Magpies into top 10 contenders.
20 different players have featured in the Premier League for the Saint James’ Park outfit, and it appears there is enough depth within the squad to last until May.
The duo of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Chancel Mbemba haven’t been in contention for starting XI places in the last 3 league games, and Benitez claims it is because he is left to pick from a competitive squad while also looking for balance in each position from the bench.
He said of Mitrovic’s position: “When you do the list, you have to choose your 11 starters. Sometimes you have a doubt or two, and, after, you have to pick players for the bench.
“Then, if you have a problem with a striker, who will you take? Over this time, it had been Dwight Gayle.
“You have seven players (on the bench) – normally six are very clear, a full-back, a midfielder, a keeper, a striker, a winger.
“Then you have another one and you say ‘this one or this one?’.
“It depends how your squad is, how your players are.
“If you have a player with a knock or a little problem, you say ‘maybe I have to bring someone just in case’.
“What has happened for us, in terms of strikers, is that we have Dwight now, who’s not available, so Mitrovic is there. That was the position.”
And of Mbemba’s: “Chancel, we had (Florian) Lejeune coming back, so you have more centre-backs.
“We have full-backs who cam play on both sides – Manquillo can play on both sides, Jesus (Gamez) can play on both sides, so you say ‘why do we need another centre-back? We need a proper full-back’.
“It’s nothing special, it’s just that you have to pick your squad, your team and the players have to understand.”
That Benitez can afford to completely drop some of his best squad players off the bench says a lot of the trust he has in others.
Newcastle have secured 4 wins and 3 draws in 9 games, and are looking every inch like a team bound to finish in the top half of the table.
It’s expected they further bolster the squad during the January transfer window, and from the look of things, only few additions will be made as there is apparently enough in the tank going forward.
