Left-footed centre-half adds balance

Newcastle’s most pressing need in January was to sign a centre-back, preferably two. They missed out on Lille’s Sven Botman and Seville’s Diego Carlos before settling on former Brighton defender Dan Burn.

It may have been a fall-back option but Howe wanted him badly. Burn is not only a Geordie and a boyhood Newcastle fan, who will add another local voice to the dressing room and the extra effort that comes from having a player with this background, he is left-footed.

“It is just about balance,” explained Howe. “I don’t think it’s an absolute requirement, I’ve seen two right-footed centre-halves playing together many times in my career, but ideally you want that balance and it gives you the ability to get out and play down that left-hand side far more easily.”

And playing out from the back is something Newcastle want to do more of. Burn is far better on the ball than Newcastle’s old centre-backs and will add variation to their game for the reasons Howe mentioned. In short, Newcastle can spread play to either wing making them far less predictable, which will stretch defensive systems.

There is also the height factor. Burn is a giant at 6ft 7in. His presence alone at set pieces makes Newcastle far more threatening when crosses are sent into the opposition box and more secure in their own. 

Teams will probably have to double-mark him, which leaves others with more space to operate in. It is a pragmatic signing but could be the most important of the lot in their relegation battle.

The workhorse up front

Chris Wood had scored three goals this season for Burnley before his £25m move and has, in his two appearances so far, not looked like adding to that total in a Newcastle shirt. In fact, he has looked a little cumbersome and hesitant in front of goal.

But there was still a good reason why Howe eventually made him his first choice striker target. Wood has played the full 90 minutes in both games against Watford and Leeds and has not stopped running in either. 

He has occupied the two centre-backs with his physical presence and has shown flashes of some excellent hold-up play.

He is the player Newcastle will build their attacks around with long balls forward and offers an aerial threat from crosses which will hopefully increase in number given the upgrade in full-backs.

But it is the role Wood will fill for the team as well as his goals that Howe wanted. When you have an instinctive attacking player like Saint-Maximin, with flair and skill, you have to accept that he will not always stick to a team structure. Tracking back does not come naturally to him and Howe accepts that. In fact, he wants to keep Saint-Maximin in the area of the pitch where he can do the most damage. 

This could leave Newcastle exposed and has in the past, with teams looking to attack down the left and expose an isolated full-back. Against Leeds, Wood would do the tracking back for the Frenchman, dropping into midfield when he needed to, starting the defensive operation at the top of the pitch. It is unseen, ugly work that will not win him many plaudits or headlines, but it is vital in a relegation battle in tight games.

It is about the team rather than the individual – one of Howe’s mantras – and of all the January signings, Wood epitomised that the most.