Ex-NUFC boss makes bizarre Saint-Maximin claim – & weighs in on the Almiron debate

John Carver has had his say on Miguel Almiron, and like most things to come out of his mouth, it’s certain to raise eyebrows.

Not only that the former Newcastle coach has also suggested it may be time Allan Saint-Maximin was taken out of the side – a comment which doesn’t make any sense considering he’s been our biggest and most consistent threat in attack over the past few months.

Here’s what he’s had to say:

“I watched Almiron play closely in the MLS and his movement was good, his finishing was good, he used to set up players and get in the right areas. “I think that it might be time for the staff to have look at what he did at Atlanta and those positions he got into.

“He is a good player, I (also) think Allan-Saint Maximin is a good player.

“I think it is time for one of those, if not two of those, to have a little bit of a rest. “You forget how young he is (Almiron turns 26 in February) and he looks like he has the world on his shoulders at the moment.

“The thing is, he does put in a great shift.

“We always moan about players who don’t work hard enough for the team but certainly this player does.

“But his body language is starting to show his slump in form and it may be just the right time to pull him out of the firing line.”

In fairness to Carver, most of what he says is certainly not wrong, but his claim about Allan Saint Maximin being taken out at the same time is absolutely ludicrous.

He’s on to something when he speaks about Almiron’s body language though, it looked bad at Villa in the second half, and it was sad to hear the home fans shouting shoot whenever he got the ball.

The most telling line is Carver’s recommendation about the current coaching staff should look at what positions he got into, because whatever the standard of the league, he certainly wasn’t playing most of his football second right back.

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