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Opinion

What is wrong with Allan Saint-Maximin?

2 years ago
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Sometimes in football we come across players who are often different to let’s say, the normal player, I think Allan Saint-Maximin comes into that category.

We have players that when they cross that white line can switch off from the crowd, the atmosphere and just play their own game, Allan Saint-Maximin is not like this, he is what has been described so many times as a maverick of a player.

For the past three seasons now Saint-Maximin has been the supporter’s hero, the go to player when us fans have looked for a saviour in games gone by.

He was also that player, we as fans had been craving for, who wants to entertain and get us of our seats during the games. Allan Saint-Maximin is a player who needs to feel the love of the supporters, needs to feel that he is wanted by the supporters and the club.

Since January, the fans have sung about their new hero, a new idol in black and white to get behind, in Bruno Guimaraes, and rightly so. However, if we are to grow as a team and as a club, we will need 11 idols out on that pitch. I think Allan Saint-Maximin is struggling with not being the star man in the team and I think he could do with an arm around him from 52,000 Geordies.

I understand the frustration with him in his play at times, dribbling too much, holding onto the ball when he could pass it, but for the last three years at times that’s what we have loved about him and wanted from him. I remember times he would pick the ball up in his own half and fans would cheer him on to attack, thinking he has a long way to travel with the ball but that was the magic with Maxi, he would excite us as supporters by merely just touching the ball.

Newcastle United have a fantastic player in Allan Saint-Maximin, a player that for the first time in a very long time, we as fans need not worry about him performing well for the team and then it leading to being sold six months later to boost the coffers for the previous regime. We should be enjoying that we are building something under Eddie Howe, that we can get behind all the players, but some need that loving more than others to perform, Maxi being one of them.

In the 67th minute of the Wolves game a small section from the Gallowgate End and Corner sang out for Allan Saint-Maximin, perhaps coincidence or not, but not long after he played a significant role in the build up to Newcastle winning the penalty.

Not one for telling Eddie Howe what tactics…but is there not an opportunity to use Allan Saint-Maximin as a decoy? When he receives the ball, most teams now double or treble up marking him, surely we can use that extra space to get Newcastle players to exploit the space, pretty much as Joelinton and Chris Wood did for the build up to the penalty.

I sometimes wonder what Maxi would be like through the middle or as No 10, I know we have a system that seems to be working but just at times I would like to see Maxi used up front nearer the goal, where he could become even more of a goal threat and it might just turn the opposing teams tactics to Newcastle advantage.

I know one player doesn’t deserve any special treatment, tactics, or team selection, but surely he has gained the respect from us Geordies, to give the lad a gentle reminder he is still loved and we try getting behind him right now ,as a confident Allan Saint-Maximin means a better Newcastle United.

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