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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…
After lighting up the MLS with Atlanta United, there were no doubt big hopes for what Miguel Almiron could potentially bring to Newcastle. After all, he had become the club’s record signing at the time. The Magpies were getting an attacking midfielder who scored goals, provided them and worked his socks for the team… or not.
Unfortunately for both him and the club, things just haven’t quite worked out so far.
The Paraguay international has huffed and puffed, and his commitment to the cause cannot be questioned. But the quality that underlined his performances across the pond have been non-existent. There have been moments where it has looked ever so close to happening, and there have similarly been occasions where you have been left wondering whether the Tyneside club had bought his twin brother.
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And, if you ever needed a snapshot of just how woeful Almiron has been since his move in the January transfer window earlier this year, then look no further than the graphic below.
Even beside the alarming stat of him failing to score a single goal or assist this season (something in fact he hasn’t managed in his entire Magpies spell), the dip in the under-lying numbers from his time with Atlanta makes for much more worrying news for Steve Bruce.
As per Whoscored, his shots per game have gone down by almost a third, and there is certainly an element of a vicious cycle as to why that is the case. The longer the Paraguayan goes on without scoring, the more his confidence takes a hit, and the less likely he is to even take on a shot.
His dribbles per game meanwhile have almost gone down by half, while the less said about his abysmal key passes per game the better.
Such has been the lack of impact from Newcastle’s big-money signing, Magpies legend Rob Lee exclusively told Football FanCast earlier this month that he had been left unimpressed with what Almiron has brought to the table.
“(Miguel) Almiron I’ve been really, really disappointed in. I know people rave about the way he runs around, but for me for someone who’s cost us £20m, hasn’t scored a goal, hasn’t had an assist, I think you’ve got to do more than that. We need him to do more than that. Joelinton needs some help.”
And that last point is precisely why Bruce has to be ruthless with Almiron now – even fans have noticed how isolated Joelinton has been, sympathising with the Brazilian for a lack of service.
It would be in the side’s best interests to leave the Paraguayan out of the firing line, and just allow him to reset his batteries and go again in a couple of weeks.