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Are Almiron’s talents being wasted at Newcastle? Charlie Nicholas has a solution
Newcastle United midfielder Miguel Almiron has shown flashes of brilliance since joining the club for £20 million () in January, but there is feeling that he hasn’t quite hit top gear yet.
Expectation in the attacker is high given his club-record transfer status, but so far Almiron is yet to truly announce himself.
The Paraguay international has made eight Premier League appearances so far and has registered two assists.
Some feel as though Rafa Benitez has been unable to get the most out of Almiron so far, but pundit Charlie Nicholas reckons he knows how the Spaniard can do so.
Nicholas was overseeing the Newcastle-Crystal Palace game on Saturday and believes he can be more influential for the Magpies. He said, : “Almiron, you bring him to the team. You go for a front three who have got something.
“His [Almiron’s] willingness with and without the ball is still there. If I was Rafa I would play him a bit closer to Rondon and let Perez do a bit more of the harder work.
“He is doing too much too deep and if I want him in the team to make a difference, I want him closer to Rondon.”
TBR’s view
Perhaps Nicholas has a point – Almiron is yet to devote himself to the kind of position he played regularly for Atlanta United.
At times, he has played out wide and he also has a tendency to come searching for the ball.
Almiron is most effective playing centrally and high up.
Perhaps Benitez needs to alter the position of Ayoze Perez in order to better incorporate the talented South American.