Deutsches Paar in der Stadt (German duo in Toon)

Malick Thiaw and Nick Woltemade. The German pair arrived on Tyneside with dissimilar expectations, but have shared an equally imposing impression upon their arrival.

For the 6’6” danger man from Stuttgart, his task in filling Alexander Isak’s boots following his departure for Liverpool was one of monumental difficulty and pressure. Despite this, ‘Big Nick’ has made quite the start to his Newcastle career, with a winner against Wolves on his debut, sparking a run of scoring in 3 consecutive home league matches. Woltemade became one of three Newcastle players to score in their first three home fixtures, etching his name with the greats such as Alan Shearer and Andy Cole. Despite his undeniable threat in front of goal, the £63 million man may not be intended for the role Geordies expect…

His national team counterpart arrived in summer with lesser expectations, many thought of his addition as backup to Howe’s favoured partnerships. Several exceptional performances later, Malick Thiaw has become integral to Howe’s defensive setup, earning an abundance of rightful praise and accolades, including picking up Newcastle’s player of the month for October. Thiaw isn’t your typical 6’4” 24-year-old centre half. His physical presence on the pitch demands command and his youth indicates a possible lack of experience, which has often seen foreign players struggle when adapting to the intensity of the premier league. However, the element of Thiaw’s play which is most impressive from my standpoint is his extraordinary ability in distribution. Howe stated in October ‘They (Thiaw and Botman) have all the attributes / They are really good users of the ball & that is hugely important in the game we want to play’.

Despite the narrative that Newcastle had been unsuccessful in the summer transfer window, with a lack of urgency and dragging transfer sagas that seemed to impact the club internally and externally, The giant German duo has turned this narrative on it’s head. Their crucial performances on opposite ends of the pitch have led Newcastle to a current 6th place position in the UEFA champions league and despite their poor form in the league, the future looks optimistic for Howe and these two young stars.

While Thiaw seems to have solidified himself into Howe’s tactical format, Woltemade’s role is still uncertain with the return of Yoanne Wissa imminent. From my insight, composed of detailed analysis of every Newcastle United fixture up until this point in the season, Woltemade is in no sense an archetypal number nine. I believe this is what makes the German’s skill ceiling and potential one of the highest in football. His playstyle derives from his technical prowess and ability to manipulate the ball in tight spaces, which is more suited to a number ten role. When Howe inevitably adds Wissa into his plans, it is not unlikely we will see a new area of Woltemade’s game. The two together could fire Newcastle significantly up the table, and furthermore the key to more silverware for the magpies this season.

Whether Howe will apply the success in foreign markets for cheaper prices to the January transfer window is uncertain, but Newcastle have money to spend, and these two are looking to establish the importance of their roles in the future of the club in spectacular fashion.