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NEWCASTLE, UNITED KINGDOM – NOVEMBER 23: Shola Ameobi of Newcastle United (right) shields the ball from Martin Olsson of Norwich during the Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and Norwich City at St James
The upturn in Newcastle United’s fortunes started after Alan Pardew ditched the modern and sometimes fanciful formations and went with what some would call an English formation in 4-4-2.
Since then, both strikers regularly selected to play have done really well, especially the much maligned Shola Ameobi. The Geordie hero has performed his role of a battering ram really well allowing other players in and around him to flourish and has helped out at the back with the defending on set pieces as well.
Ameobi is contracted to the North-East till the summer of 2014 after which he becomes a free agent. The question is should the magpies give their longest serving player a new contract.
Since making his debut for Newcastle against Chelsea in September, 2000 Ameobi has gone on to make 377 appearances in all competitions scoring 77 goals.
In fact in Premier League he has scored only 41 goals in 275 games which is a ratio of close to one goal in 7 matches. One stat that is in his favour is the fact that 128 out of his 275 league appearances have been as a substitute. In addition to his relative lack of success at scoring goals he has only assisted in 27 goals in all competitions.
I personally would not give him a new contract based on the simple reason that for a striker he does not score enough goals. Also, the fact during the last few years the Newcastle team has not been blessed with goals scoring midfielders and has relied on strikers getting majority of the goals. Shola has also been injury prone in the last few seasons and ever since Newcastle’s promotion to the Premier league has started only 39 out of 127 matches.
There are also suggestions that Ameobi’s return to form has come about because he is trying to impress Nigeria Manager Stephen Keshi and to get in their 23 man squad for the 2014 world cup. If we assume that to be true then it does not make any sense in handing out a contract.
Having said that I can see Alan Pardew pushing for a new contract for a player who he has previously described as his favorite amongst the magpie’s playing squad.
Although I don’t see any harm in giving out a new one year rolling contract, I do feel it would be a short term solution and a better, younger and may be a cheaper solution can be easily found.
