Eddie Howe reveals why Nick Woltemade & Yoane Wissa can't get a game for Newcastle United
Newcastle United’s £119million striker pair Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa aren’t playing currently.
Eddie Howe has told Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa to earn their place in his Newcastle United starting XI.
The Magpies forked out a combined £119million to sign the two strikers last summer but the pair have found themselves behind Will Osula and Anthony Gordon in the pecking order in recent months.
Woltemade hasn’t started a game at centre forward in over three months after being trialled in central midfield, while Wissa’s last start came in the 3-2 defeat to former club Brentford on February 7.
Wissa was signed as a ready-made replacement for Alexander Isak but didn’t make his debut until December after sustaining a knee injury on international duty with DR Congo just a week after completing his move.
The 29-year-old has scored just three goals in 23 appearances, while just one of Woltemade’s 10 goals have come since Wissa returned.
Why Nick Woltemade & Yoane Wissa aren’t playing
Gordon, a winger by trade, and Osula, who, up until recently, was widely regarded as a fourth-choice striker, have recently led the line while Woltemade and Wissa watch on.
“I know they're both desperate to contribute and both desperate to give to the team and to do well and, of course, our intention of bringing them to the football club was for that as well,” Howe explained.
“For different reasons, totally different reasons, I think it's been difficult for them. Yoane’s through his injury and there are signs and he's trained much better again this week. So we're hopeful that he's on an upward trajectory and he will play a part. I know there's limited time this season, but hopefully he can show his worth for the future.
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“For Nick, slightly different and, of course, it's been difficult for our strikers because the strikers, I feel, have performed in recent weeks and have scored goals, so I can only, with the system that I pick, only play one of them. So that's been a challenge for Nick.
“But like with every player that's not playing, they have to show their worth in the training and I think that's their shop window for me to pick them is how they train, how they commit to the training and how much they're prepared to put individual disappointment to the side for the team to then come back fighting again and it's a gradual process.
“But I believe in both players still. I've got no issue with either of them and I think they've got unique qualities to offer the team but it's got to be on merit and deserved.”
Nick Woltemade & Yoane Wissa backed to come good next season
In turn, Howe hopes this season can act as a learning curve and is confident both players will ‘come good’ next season.
Howe said: “They're both outstanding players. I don't in any way doubt their individual qualities. I think they'll both be better for this season's experience and I always think any signing that we make, regardless of age, a season where they fully understand everything, they get used to the environment, they get used to their teammates, the location that they're living in. It's a big change for the players.
“Next season I think we'll see all the new signings that we integrated this season will be much better for the experience and of course then the intense focus shifts onto someone else we may have signed in the summer and I think that's a healthy thing for them as well because you just go slightly more relaxed and I think when you're more relaxed you play better.
“I believe in all those signings I think they'll come good.”