Newcastle United have already signed £10m ‘massive player’ & Eddie Howe is ready to unleash him.
Will Osula may not have scored, but he certainly stole the show for Newcastle United against Birmingham City on Saturday.
The 21-year-old made only his third start for Newcastle since his £10 million summer transfer from Sheffield United. Osula’s return to the team was much anticipated, especially after scoring in his previous start against Bromley in the FA Cup third round.
Due to an injury to Calum Wilson, Osula was switched to the right flank for the encounter against St Andrews. After losing Miguel Almiron to Atlanta United, Newcastle’s head coach Eddie Howe suggested Osula as a possible replacement.
Without a natural right-hander to replace Jacob Murphy, Newcastle’s manager was forced to look within. On Saturday, the solution arrived in the form of Osula.
The 21-year-old winger shown his speed, strength, and excitement during an FA Cup encounter against League One opponents, making him a great candidate for the post.
After falling down early on, Newcastle needed a spark to get back in the game. Osula supplied the spark, recording two assists in five minutes to turn things around for United.
His first assist was a controlled pull-back for Joe Willock, who converted, according to the linesman. His second should have been his goal, but he managed to kick the ball off his own leg, unintentionally setting up Callum Wilson to make it 2-1.
Given his muscular profile and dubious calmness inside the box, Osula’s on-field demeanor resembles Joelinton and an early Shola Ameobi – which is not a bad thing.
He’s raw, crazy, and thrilling, which is sometimes just what a team requires. Barring an injury crisis, he won’t start many games between now and the end of the season, but his recent performances and apparent development in limited minutes this season position him to be a valuable impact substitute.
“I agree with that,” Howe remarked about Osula’s influence in Birmingham. “I thought he was an outlet for us; his pace, strength, and directness were important in the first half and in getting us back into the game.”
“He’s still got some areas of his game that needs development, but he’s certainly moving in the right direction and he’s unlucky not to score, I think.”
What is Will Osula’s ideal position?
Newcastle signed Osula as a forward and backup to Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson. Following Wilson’s departure, he moved into the center striker position on Saturday, but his danger in the encounter faded as he had less freedom to roam.
Realistically, Osula is unlikely to displace probably the finest striker in global football this season, or even Callum Wilson if he stays fit – but there are possibilities for him out wide.
Osula has just played 44 minutes of Premier League football this season, but Howe believes the young Dane is’very, very close’ to starting.
“I think he’s a versatile player, I think he can play any of the front three positions,” the coach stated. “I believe that everything that emphasizes his speed is his strongest advantage.
“You saw that today with his direct running, he’s got goals in him, I think he’s a natural goalscorer, there’s a few rough edges that we need to improve, keep working and developing, but he’s a massive player for us now, he’s very, very close to playing, with the squad size that we have, he’s a valuable squad player, he’s also got a great attitude, he’s committed to his work, he’s training every day to improve, delighted that he’s got some reward.”
Leave a Reply