King Kev’s Introduction of the Toon Trio Proving All is Fine by the Tyne
Kevin Keegan’s appointment in January was greeted with both an outbreak of mass hysteria on Tyneside and derision everywhere else. His first 7 matches yielded little more than 2 League points and a 4th round exit from the only competition Newcastle could still win - the FA Cup. Both the critics and the press were gleefully rubbing their hands in anticipation of Special K either quitting, being sacked or even taking his beloved club down to the Championship. However, the mood on Tyneside has been transformed following a battling 1-1 draw at Birmingham on March 17th. Since that match, the Toon quite simply haven’t looked back. So why has the team suddenly clicked into gear? The answer quite simply is King Kev returned to his tactical roots, he finally decided attack was the best form of defence.
The Introduction of the Toon Trio
March 17th was the day King Kev pulled a tactical masterstroke by playing 3 strikers in the same line-up - Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins and Mark Viduka. Both Martins and Viduka had been used sparingly by Keegan as they’d played just 79 minutes of football between them prior to the Birmingham match. However, since they started the last 6 matches alongside Owen, the Toon record reads - played 6, won 4 and drawn 2. The team has scored 12 goals in those matches with the Toon trio scoring 10 of those goals. Prior to this afore-mentioned tactical masterstroke it had taken Newcastle 18 League matches to score the same amount of goals. However, it’s not only their goal scoring record that’s improved. Since the tactical reshuffle the Toon seem to have been cured of their defensive frailties. In the last 6 games the Magpies have conceded just 2 goals and kept 4 clean-sheets. If you take into account the team kept just 4 clean-sheets in the previous 29 League matches this season before the introduction of the ‘Toon Trio’, it’s quite a remarkable turnaround.
Memories of Past Glories
Many of Keegan’s doubters would argue that the decision to play all 3 strikers smacked of desperation rather than a intelligent tactical move, but a quick glance back at King Kev’s first spell as Newcastle manager should dispel that theory. This is not the first time the Geordie messiah has implemented 3 strikers into his Newcastle line-up. In fact, he often rotated between 3 of his 4 main strikers whilst his side set the early years of the Premier League alight. Back then he generally selected three strikers from a plethora of striking talents including the likes of Alan Shearer, Les Ferdinand, Peter Beardsley and Faustino Asprilla. Those Toon fans who can recall Newcastle’s best performances from Keegan’s first reign will remember the 5-0 home thrashing of Manchester United when the team included the exciting trio of Beardsley, Shearer and Sir Les. It worked back then and it certainly seems to be working now.
The Effect of the Free-Scoring Threesome
So just why has the introduction of this striking trinity worked so well in producing such an upturn in results? Well, the decision to play Michael Owen in a more withdrawn position has paid off dramatically with the pint-sized forward finding far more space than his usual forward role allows. His goals record of 6 goals in those 6 games speaks for itself though it doesn’t illustrate the important part that Martins and Viduka have played in this system. The big Australian’s ability as a target man has enabled the likes of Owen to make late runs into areas of the field knowing the ball will inevitably stick up front. Whilst the pace of Martins has led to teams defending deeper which in turn as the led to the opposition being stretched as they fear a direct ball over the top. The trio’s attacking threat has enabled the Newcastle defence to organise themselves properly as the ball has spent far more time in the opposition’s final third than their own. This system worked a treat first time round for Keegan as despite the depth of attacking quality the Toon possessed they were never blessed with the finest of defenders. After all, few would mention the likes of Darren Peacock, Brian ‘killer’ Kilcline and Phillipe Albert in the same breath as former Premier League defensive stalwarts Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister and Tony Adams.
Credit Where Credit’s Due
So isn’t it about time we gave Kevin Keegan some credit for his tactical nouse? He has made use of an abundance of attacking talent and solved both the Toon’s lack of firepower and obvious defensive frailties in one tactical swoop. His recent record suggests the critics underestimated the Geordie Messiah’s 2nd coming on Tyneside, though to be fair, the loyal Toon Army never seemed to doubt him. He may have endured a tough start to his 2nd spell in charge at St James’ but without making any notable acquisitions in the transfer market he’s stamped his mark on this Newcastle side. What this club can achieve in the future no-one knows, but one thing’s for certain, King Kev has got the Geordie hordes dreaming of glorious attacking football once more. For the Toon Army, life is starting to look mighty fine on the banks of the Tyne!
Written by Christian Goodbrand
Tags: Kevin Keegan, Mark Viduka, Michael Owen, Newcastle United, Obafemi Martins, Toon
