‘Rafa Benitez, the manager who brought Schar to Tyneside for just €3.5 million in 2018 after exercising a relegation release clause in his contract at Spain’s Deportivo La Coruna, held reservations about deploying the Swiss in a two-man central defence and Bruce is thought to harbour the same doubts.’
This was a snippet from The Athletic’s piece on Fabian Schar two years ago, explaining how he faced an uncertain future after both Rafa Benitez and Steve Bruce didn’t trust the Swiss international to operate in the middle of a four-man defence.
For the vast majority of their tenures on Tyneside, they only played the Swiss centre-back on the right-side of a three man defence that was protected by two wing-backs, believing he lacked the discipline to play in a four.
However, it hasn’t taken long for Eddie Howe to debunk this theory of two former Toon bosses – and he’s done it in some style!
Over this seven-game unbeaten run we’ve enjoyed since late December, Fabian Schar has operated in the middle of a back four and been an ever present in Howe’s starting 11 – playing every minute in a period that’s seen us pull off the following results:
- Newcastle 1-1 Man Utd
- Newcastle 1-1 Watford
- Leeds 0-1 Newcastle
- Newcastle 3-1 Everton
- Newcastle 1-0 Aston Villa
- West Ham 1-1 Newcastle
- Brentford 0-2 Newcastle
Seven unbeaten. Four wins. Three clean sheets and not once have we conceded over a single goal in that time – all while Schar was playing in a four-man defence nor Benitez or Bruce trusted him in.
Newcastle have conceded fewer Premier League goals (3) than any other team in 2022 and have left Dubravka with so little to do most weeks – the ultimate sign of a good defence.
That is partly down to improved fitness levels, spirit and organisation, but huge credit must go to Schar – a player who looked finished at NUFC not so long ago.
He was stepped up, shown his class and added consistency to his game, being one of many success stories from Eddie Howe’s first four months in charge at the club.
With him out of contract this summer and playing out of his skin, a new deal should be on the cards for our Swiss centre-back.
