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da jogodeouro： This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…
Allan Saint-Maximin may have scored six goals and registered five assists for OGC Nice last season, but the Frenchman’s name is arguably more recognised for him sporting a Gucci headband. If ever you needed a snapshot of modern footballers, that right there is about as good as you’re going to get.
Despite arriving at St. James’ Park this summer with a reputation for annoying his former managers – just ask Patrick Vieira about how much he infuriated the Arsenal legend – the 22-year-old has shown plenty of promise with his limited minutes on the pitch. All 57 of them to be precise.
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The winger has had his start to life on Tyneside disrupted by niggling injuries, but in the very short time the Magpies faithful have laid eyes on him, there is certainly a sense of promise about what he could bring to the side. In fact, just take a look at his electric 18 minute cameo against Brighton on Saturday.
The Frenchman came on to the pitch in the 72nd minute, with the Magpies looking devoid of any real creativity or ideas. Both Miguel Almiron and Christian Atsu did their usual huffing and puffing without blowing the Brighton house down, and Steve Bruce’s introduction of his summer signing injected some life into the team and the supporters.
With one of his first touches of the ball, Saint-Maximin skipped past a couple of challenges in his own half before terrorising the Seagulls with his incredible pace and direct dribbling. It lifted the Magpies faithful off their seats and added an urgency to the side’s style of play. By the end of the game, he had completed three successful dribbles and delivered a key pass too.
For all of Almiron and Atsu’s qualities, the duo don’t possess the sheer unpredictability Saint-Maximin brings. He commits opposition defenders by sizing them up and then quickly beating them on the outside. When you have strikers like Joelinton and Andy Carroll in your ranks, you need wide-men who can take players on before delivering a cross into the box. The 22-year-old does that with regularity.
If the France U21 international is fully-fit, Bruce must have no hesitation in throwing caution to the wind and unleashing his winger. Gucci headband and all.