With Newcastle’s club captain Jamaal Lascelles excelling under Rafa Benitez, how far do the Geordies feel the 23-year-old can go in the game?
Conceding just 16 goals in their first 20 Sky Bet Championship fixtures, Newcastle United’s defence this season has been tremendous. After bringing in a number of top Championship level defenders, such as Aston Villa’s Ciaran Clark, Blackburn’s Grant Hanley and Tottenham’s DeAndre Yedlin, perhaps Newcastle United’s defensive turnaround shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.
However, the one defender who has stood out for Newcastle United the most so far this season, isn’t a new signing at all, but a player who got plenty of game time under both Steve McClaren and Rafa Benitez while the Magpies were still in the Premier League. That man, is Jamaal Lascelles.
Leeds United’s Kemar Roofe in action with Newcastle United’s Jamaal Lascelles
Earning many plaudits during his time at Nottingham Forest, the Derby born defender joined Newcastle in 2014, along with former club-mate, Karl Darlow. Since then, Lascelles has slowly risen from bench-warmer to Captain Fantastic, and now stands as the stalwart in the most impressive defence in the Championship, proudly wearing the Newcastle armband under Rafa Benitez. With his incredible rise in form and popularity in mind, HITC Sport decided to ask Newcastle United fans their thoughts on their new Captain.
Newcastle’s Jamaal Lascelles applauds the fans at the end of the match
“He’s a Premier League central defender, I think he belongs there” remarked one hopeful Newcastle United fan, hoping to see Lascelles guide Newcastle United back up to the top division. Others remarked at Lascelles’ obvious leadership qualities, calling him a “proper Captain”. One Newcastle United fan even suggested that Lascelles could be “international material”, and who could argue with him? After the defenders displays this season, there’s nothing to say that, should Newcastle United be promoted at the end of the season, that Lascelles might not find himself getting a phone call from Gareth Southgate.
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