Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez has solved the club’s injury problems.
It was nothing new, adding depth to the squad was the answer but the mix of loan and permanent arrivals offers the Spaniard a flexibility his predecessors didn’t enjoy. Through choice, I might add.
This summer was the first time I can recall a strategy being in place for transfers since Keegan was in charge. Except this was less hit and miss. Rafa has a plan – promotion – and everything was geared towards achieving that aim.
Credit should also be extended to Lee Charnley who to a certain extent, rescued his reputation. Not so long ago, many of us wanted his head on a spike outside the main entrance to St James Park. Now, he’s turned that situation around with some astute transfer window work.
The refreshing part of it all is that we are in the dying embers of the transfer window. There are a few more tales of failed deals and a little more inside information on those which succeeded, to come out, but by and large, we are what we are until the New Year.
And ‘we are’ ought to be followed by ‘top of the league’ before too long.
