Best and Xisco – The surprise packages of pre-season so far.
Posted on August 2nd, 2010 | 176 Comments |
After all, they are two players who appeared to be following the same career path at Newcastle, and they still might, but what they have both done this pre-season is come back fighting for their lives. Not their real lives, but their lives as Newcastle players.
Now I know that they would only have been sold if the manager, Chris Hughton, didn’t want either at them at the club, but both players had become targets for the boo boys at Newcastle. Since they arrived back for pre-season training, with a hell of a lot to prove I might add, they have both been surprisingly good. We have Leon Best who has now scored two goals in three games, then we have Xisco who definately looked like he had a point to prove against PSV on Saturday when he came on.
Now I’ll hang fire before declaring that all of our Premier League prayers are answered as that would just be silly to suggest, but the fact that both of these players look to be upping their game when it matters could help us in the forthcoming season.
Firstly Leon Best, who couldn’t hit a cows backside with a banjo last season, has looked decidedly clinical upon his return to the team this season. His goal at Carlisle showed a bit of pace and compsure despite the fact it came against ‘weaker’ opposition in the form of Carlisle, and let’s not forget he also set-up Haris Vuckic for his goal at Brunton Park. Then there was the equaliser aginst PSV, where Best did well to get amongst a host of bodies to head the ball into the back of the net. Those goals should breed confidence, now he has to use that to push on to greater things.
Then there is Xisco, who has never been given a chance here. I know he feigned injury to get out of playing, but when you look at the circumstances of the time you can perhaps see why. Anyway, he ended up out on loan at Racing Santander, who didn’t want to buy him at the end of the deal, so now he is back here at Newcastle.
It had been suggested that the former Spanish Under-21 striker would be heading for the exit door over the summer, but the problem with that is the huge wages the lad is on – nobody will match them. So we are stuck with him, and it would have been easy for him to flounce off in a huff again, but he didn’t.
What he has done is declare his commitment to the cause and shown a willingness to play anywhere for the team. He impressed against Norwich, setting up Shola Ameobi for his goal, and impressed against PSV where he was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet himself.
As I said earlier, these two players won’t solve all of our problems, but if they can play their part then it is a case of job done. Personally, I love someone who tries, which is why I get so damn frustrated with Shola Ameobi at times as it appears he doesn’t.
Both Best and Xisco are trying to prove a point, and I like that. If they can prove their point then it will benefit Newcastle. It seems unlikely that we will be adding to our striking options over the summer as Hughton has already been bigging up what we have got, so all we can do is hope what we do have can do the business.
After all, everyone loves a tryer!
NUFCBlog Author: toonsy
toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.
It’s noty easy to get into the Spanish U21 side… so he (Xisco) must have something. I don’t believe he was given any sort of a chance when he arrived, he got caught up in all the Keegangate thing and it went downhill from there. If I remember right, he did score on his debut though??
I believe he should be given a chance to prove himself, and instead of another striker we should get LB cover.
Just my thoughts…