Sky Sports pundit Steve Sidwell believes Rafa Benitez has ‘worked miracles’ at Newcastle given the squad he’s got – also revealing just why he’s such a ‘big fan’ of Salomon Rondon.
Some Newcastle fans criticised Rafa for our approach to the FA Cup defeat to Watford, but there’s only so much he can do with a net spend of £100,000 since our Championship squad was promoted in the summer of 2017.
Here’s what he’s had to say when speaking on Sky about Benitez – also praising summer signing Salomon Rondon:
“They’re desperate for goals. He (Benitez) has worked miracles with what he has done there, the squad he has got.
“They’ve got a chance with Rondon up top, I’m a big fan of him. Balls that come into the box he’s a presence, he gets himself onto the end of things.
“If not, he can get on the knockdowns and bring others into play.”
For me, Rondon is the most important player in our current set up. Take him away and we lose so much; goals, presence, work rate, link up play and a player who constantly gives us a platform to build on in attack.
Ok, he’s never been a 15-20 goal striker, but when you see how limited Joselu is and consider the fact he’d be the man starting should Rondon get injured, you realise just how much we’re relying on him.
