Alan Pardew travels to Old Trafford on Boxing Day hoping Newcastle United can disguise the fact they are a “striker light”.Although his side have beaten Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool this season, Sunday’s home defeat by Sunderland highlighted their shortage of attacking artillery.
“We need another striker in January if we can get one,” said their manager, who is concerned about Papiss Cissé’s continuing knee problems in the wake of the Senegal forward undergoing surgery last April. “Papiss is still not right,” said Pardew, currently restricted to using Cissé in brief cameo appearances from the bench. “You can see that in the way he moves and that’s something we need to look at. I don’t think he needs more surgery on his knee but he’s not quite right.”
With Facundo Ferreyra having failed to impress since arriving on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk, Newcastle have been overdependent on Ayoze Pérez, a former Tenerife striker originally destined for Peter Beardsley’s development squad. Instead the £1.5m import has been a revelation, scoring four Premier League goals in 16 largely impressive appearances. “We have been absolutely reliant on Ayoze Pérez,” said Pardew. “I said at the start of the season we were a striker light and we really needed someone to come through and help us. Ayoze has done that. He was already technically accomplished when he arrived but his physical improvement has been immense. He did a couple of tricks against Sunderland I don’t think anybody on the pitch could have produced. He’s got a wiry strength and his feet are so fast he’s been a real asset.”
Regardless of whether or not another forward arrives to ease the burden on Pérez, the end of January should see the return of Siem de Jong following a thigh operation. The former Ajax playmaker, a classic No10, was Pardew’s marquee £6m summer signing, not to mention a proven goalscorer, and he has been much missed.
“I looked at Siem with adoring eyes this morning because, in those games with packed defences, with him and Pérez in the team we’ll unlock anyone,” said Newcastle’s manager. “But we’ve still got big hurdles to overcome with Siem, his first training session, his first hit on the thigh but he’s running and his progress is good. He feels good. The surgeon says the signs are very good.
“I think we’re looking at the end of January for having Siem back in that No10 role which is massively important in the Premier League. It’s a position that can dictate the game. Yohan Cabaye used to do that for us from the No10 position and, although Moussa Sissoko can impact games from it, Siem is more like Cabaye and will help us control games.”
Pardew will be further boosted by Tim Krul’s expected return on 10 January from injury, ahead of schedule, at Chelsea, thereby relieving the pressure on Jak Alnwick, Newcastle’s inexperienced third-choice goalkeeper. With both Krul and his deputy Rob Elliot currently injured, Alnwick has been hurled in at the deep end and must contend with Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and company at Old Trafford.
