Wissa shines as Jaissle era starts with a win - Valencia 1-2 Newcastle
The Matthias Jaissle era finally got underway at the Mestalla on Saturday night, as Newcastle took on Valencia in a pre-season friendly.
Following a 3-0 win over Darlington, 1-1 draw at Gateshead and 4-1 defeat to Bristol City in what turned out to be the final match of the Eddie Howe era, we faced La Liga opposition tonight following a week of training in La Manga.
Jaissle went with a 4-2-3-1 formation and selected Malick Thiaw as his captain on his 25th birthday; a potentially telling move on the day Bruno Guimaraes sealed a £75m switch to Arsenal?
New signings Aladji Bamba and Lukas Hornicek both started, with Nick Woltemade in the No.10 role and a youthful full-back pairing of Leo Shahar and Miodrag Pivas needed as Hall and Livramento ease their way back to full fitness.
Starting 11 (4-2-3-1): Hornicek - Shahar, Thiaw (c), Botman, Pivas - Bamba, Ramsey - Elanga, Woltemade, Barnes - Osula.
Substitutes: Gillespie, Harris, Charlton, Johnson, M Miley, Finneran, Joelinton, Steur, Willock, J Murphy, Toure, Wissa, Neave
Valencia 1-2 Newcastle - Match report
It wasn't the fast start Jaissle would've been hoping for as Urginic curled a lovely effort into the top corner from 25 yards, New boy Hornicek could do little to stop it, but the lack of pressure on the shot was poor.
Osula went close shortly after, smashing into the side netting after a sharp run in behind, then Elanga was denied what should've been the equaliser, firing home from Ramsey's through ball before being wrongly flagged.
Botman almost headed into his own net again, just 10 days after his howler at Bristol City, while Osula had a decent penalty shout waved away shortly after Elanga's ball across the box almost found Barnes for a tap in.
Then came some chaos before the break, as Valencia went down to 10 men following an awful tackle on Elanga from Jose Gaya. A straight red card and a disgraceful tackle that forced the Swede off on a stretcher, although it was a huge relief to hear after the match that he's avoided anything serious.
Half-time saw us bring on Yoane Wissa, Bazoumana Toure, Sean Steur and Mason Miley, seeing Shahar, Osula, Bamba and Barnes come off. And Wissa made an immediate impact, as Toure's pressing, a Valencia mistake and smart finish from the DR Congo star made it 1-1 just seven minutes after the restart.
Joelinton, Joe Willock and Dylan Charlton then came on for the disappointing Woltemade, impressive Ramsey and out-of-position Pivas, before 18-year-old Henry Johnson replaced Thiaw for his debut.
Then came the winner. Wissa released Toure down the left, the Ivorian burst clear and put it on a plate for our No.9 to make it 2-1. The first of what could be many assists for Toure, and a second-half brace that Wissa fully deserved, with the former Brentford man looking noticeably fit, sharp and lively.
Toure could've had another assist - his run and cross to Murphy deserved a better finish - and Steur looked a class act once again in a comeback win at the Mestalla.
Jaissle's principles could be seen. Get the ball forward quickly, press with intensity and work hard. Early days, but positive signs; great to see Wissa look so sharp, Toure and Steur impressed, and Elanga looked lively again, in amongst a few shoddy displays from Woltemade and Botman, who may be blowing off the cobwebs.
Next up, Everton at Murrayfield next week!
