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Newcastle United have some tough decisions to make in the defense for this Saturday’s fixture against Stoke. But this time, it’s not about which player to convert into an emergency left back. In a shocking turn of events, the question in evaluating who should make up the back four has shifted from “who can fill in respectably?” to “who gets left out?”
Considering Jamaal Lascelles’ heroic performance last week, Ciaran Clark’s run of form, and the return of DeAndre Yedlin and Florian Lejeune, Rafa and his staff will have the unfamiliar luxury of picking from an arsenal of adept applicants for the four defense positions at the weekend.
This is how the defense has been arranged in all previous matches this season:
Week 1 vs Tottenham:
LB - Dummett*
LCB - Clark
RCB - Lejeune
RB - Manquillo
Week 2 vs Huddersfield:
LB - Clark
LCB - Mbemba*
RCB - Lascelles
RB - Manquillo
Week 3 vs West Ham:
LB - Mbemba*
LCB - Clark
RCB - Lascelles
RB - Manquillo
Week 4 vs Swansea:
LB - Gamez
LCB - Clark
RCB - Lascelles
RB - Manquillo
*Player is not fit for Saturday’s match
Poll
Who should start at Left Back?
This poll is closed
-
67%
Jesus Gamez
(35 votes) -
23%
Ciaran Clark
(12 votes) -
9%
Other
(5 votes)
Poll
Who should start at Left Center Back?
This poll is closed
-
61%
Ciaran Clark
(29 votes) -
23%
Florian Lejeune
(11 votes) -
12%
Jamaal Lascelles
(6 votes) -
2%
Other
(1 vote)
Poll
Who should start at Right Center Back?
This poll is closed
-
76%
Jamaal Lascelles
(35 votes) -
21%
Florian Lejeune
(10 votes) -
2%
Other
(1 vote)
Poll
Who should start at Right Back?
This poll is closed
-
25%
Javi Manquillo
(12 votes) -
70%
DeAndre Yedlin
(33 votes) -
4%
Other
(2 votes)