Nick Woltemade

[Sir Joel Inton]

Much better in the second half I thought. 

[Funtime Frankie]

Just now, Gallowgate Toon said:

I thought he linked play well 

 

 

It helped massively he had players close to him. Elanga and Willock were not stuck out wide but almost like 10s.

 

This is the way we will get the best out of him.

[Keefaz]

Really thought he was unlucky to be subbed as he was just getting to grips with the game. I wish he could head a ball, though.

[Geordie Ahmed]

Thought he was poor first half but much better in the second 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

2 minutes ago, Funtime Frankie said:

It helped massively he had players close to him. Elanga and Willock were not stuck out wide but almost like 10s.

 

This is the way we will get the best out of him.

There’s no reason it can’t work with the wide players we have either, said this since the start.

[Mountain]

6 minutes ago, Funtime Frankie said:

It helped massively he had players close to him. Elanga and Willock were not stuck out wide but almost like 10s.

 

This is the way we will get the best out of him.

 

We need more of that, compact and central.

 

We've been trying the ultra wide style and it's just not led to enough goals it makes us weaker defensively.

[Keefaz]

1 minute ago, Mountain said:

 

We need more of that, compact and central.

 

We've been trying the ultra wide style and it's just not led to enough goals it makes us weaker defensively.

Absolutely this.

[Lush Vlad]

His hold up and link play improved as the game opened up. He started off with the usual heavy touches or too many and losing it. 
 

He won loads of headers. Just wish he could direct them a bit better. 
 

The formation and runners around him seemed to suit him a lot more. 
 

Just needs a goal to get back up and running. I still think he offers more than Wissa overall. Just not sure he fits the usual 4-3-3 as we have been playing it. 

[Mountain]

1 minute ago, Keefaz said:

Absolutely this.

 

Definitely, If we had Shearer in the middle getting on the end of everything it would be great but so many crosses are bad, and the good ones, nobody is attacking.

 

 

[Thumbheed]

Good second half but he is not my cup of tea at all

[Mills and Boon]

Sorry like, I'm still not seeing it with this lad. Slow, lightweight, and the biggest sin is taking seven touches when two would do. If he could link up quickly there's a player there, but he gets caught on it far too often for me. He's got the technical ability to do it, I just hope Howe can get it out of him

[Yorkie]

He drives me up the wall but he played his part tonight, certainly. He troubled their CBs and more often than not helped us get the ball up the pitch I thought. His shimmy to force that chance which eventually fell to Ramsey was quality, and it was really unlucky Hall couldn't quite take it in his stride. 

 

Technically I think I - from my sofa - was closer to converting his header than he was; and I shouldn't have watched the Napoli-Chelsea highlights. What we could've had instead with Joao Pedro... 

[alexf]

Some good and bad but think it was correct to go with him ahead of Wissa for this game. We needed an out ball and despite not always coming off it was still more times we linked through him than we would have had with Wissa. 

 

If he just had abit more pace or strength he would be so much more impactful. 

 

Finally had a shot aswell even though it was blocked. Couldnt remember the last game where he actually took a shot himself without passing it instead.

[LFEE]

Sadly poor again. Wissa no better. Big summer ahead to get these two firing.

[Pata]

21 minutes ago, LFEE said:

Sadly poor again. Wissa no better. Big summer ahead to get these two firing.

 

Poor is very harsh IMO. Started poorly like most but he had a lots of good touches and plays in the end before getting subbed. Even had a decent shot outside the box that was blocked!

[Conjo]

46 minutes ago, alexf said:

 

If he just had abit more pace or strength he would be so much more impactful. 

 

 

Should feed him whatever they are feeding the PSG players.

[LFEE]

13 minutes ago, Pata said:

 

Poor is very harsh IMO. Started poorly like most but he had a lots of good touches and plays in the end before getting subbed. Even had a decent shot outside the box that was blocked!

Did nothing of note all game and the one time he surprisingly shot was the time he should’ve passed. Even the shot lacked power. Wissa’s only notable contribution was to win a FK.

[TheBrownBottle]

I’m no PL football coach, but i reckon telling my centre forward not to close his fucking eyes before going for a header in the six yard box would be advice you’d hope would be listened to.  

[wong989]

5 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

I’m no PL football coach, but i reckon telling my centre forward not to close his fucking eyes before going for a header in the six yard box would be advice you’d hope would be listened to.  

First thing my dad taught me at about 6 years of age, and kept telling me til I never closed em, not even at night

[TheBrownBottle]

Just now, wong989 said:

First thing my dad taught me at about 6 years of age, and kept telling me til I never closed em, not even at night

And I think a sleeping six year old would’ve put their head on that

[wong989]

4 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

And I think a sleeping six year old would’ve put their head on that

Must be his da's having a shit time at work and he's after taking it out on wor Nick, gunna need em to get back to work and put it to bed

[timeEd32]

Thought he had some good moments and agree with a lot in here.

 

The goal stands out to me as an example of his current shortcomings though. He seems oddly positioned from the moment the free kick is taken (though maybe that's his role in it, I don't know), Burn is the one that gets the header which theoretically he could be good at, and then as the ball is played back across there are I think four Newcastle players ahead of him. Willock obviously makes the decisive run, Thiaw also reacts. Woltemade is kind of just standing around by the penalty spot. 

 

I trust Eddie to get a lot out of him, but I don't know how much you can teach the instinct and desire to score that great strikers have. He's definitely missing something in that department.

[Stottie]

If Ramsey plays him in, it was an easy short pass to someone clean through in lots of space, we probably win the game.

[soyt]

1 hour ago, Stottie said:

If Ramsey plays him in, it was an easy short pass to someone clean through in lots of space, we probably win the game.

Dont know, it is very possible that Woltemade would have still tried to pass it even in from there

[Sibierski]

I thought he was quite good. It was a hopeless task to start off with, chasing shadows. Across the half he done his striker role as you want and collectively as a unit, good link up play. 2nd half, started off rusty again by the one touch lay offs not working, but grew back into it again.

 

He’ll get better with his hold up/ where to position his body against defenders over time. He’s still very new at this level (you even see Haaland up to now be awful for it for his size, because it’s something you never need to learn in Germany) so I expect that to improve in time. 

Do feel long term for him to work he needs to be in a 4-4-1-1, so there’s always someone close to him. 
 

Think the way Willock played in particular (Ramsey to less extent as he was deeper at times), it hopefully showed to Howe it can be done. Do think a run of Willock as the 10 off Wolte could be weirdly the secret formula. Perfect player for runs beyond someone centrally.