Newcastle star an ‘absolute disgrace’ for what he did vs Leverkusen: ‘One of the worst footballers I’ve ever seen’
Newcastle United fans have been left frustrated with their team’s 2-2 draw away at Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday night.
The Magpies kept their hopes of qualification from the Champions League alive, but a late equaliser from Alejandro Grimaldo left them wondering what could have been, after goals from Anthony Gordon and Lewis Miley had turned the game on its head.
Yoane Wissa made his second Newcastle appearance when he was introduced from the bench in the final moments, but his involvement came too late to turn the game for his team.
Eddie Howe’s men are still sat outside the top eight in the Champions League with just two league phase fixtures remaining, and they still have some difficult fixtures on the horizon.
Nick Woltemade blasted by Newcastle fans after Bayer Leverkusen display
Nick Woltemade made an excellent start to his Newcastle career earlier in the campaign, but issues have started to set in with the German in recent weeks.
The former Stuttgart star now has just one goal from his last nine games in all competitions, and he struggled at the top of the pitch for Howe’s side in midweek.
Newcastle struggled to get the frontman involved in the play, as he enjoyed just 25 touches of the ball before he was ultimately withdrawn in stoppage time.
The Magpies’ faithful were left hugely underwhelmed by the latest performance from their new £69million star, and they subjected him to heavy criticism during the game on X.
One supporter suggested that Woltemade looked “lost” during the game, while another suggested that he is “certainly not the answer” for them at the top of the pitch.
It was also suggested that he is “scared” to get shots away in front of goal, while one fan even added that he “might as well not be there.”
- @IMAD_NUFC: “Woltemade is an absolute disgrace, Slimani was better than him.”
- @CEREALCLIPPER: “Woltemade is one of the worst footballers I’ve ever seen at our club.”
- @100Magpie: “I think we’ve ruined Woltemade already.”
Nick Woltemade’s performance vs Bayer Leverkusen in numbers
Woltemade has been the centre of attention at Newcastle in recent weeks, which is only natural given the pricetag that he arrived for.
However, his displays have proven on several occasions that he is still a work in progress, and that was certainly the case on Wednesday.
| Stats | Woltemade Total |
| xG | 0.05 |
| Touches | 25 |
| Accurate Passes | 6/13 (46%) |
| Shots | 3 |
| Duels Won | 4/5 (80%) |
He had just 25 touches against Leverkusen, completed just six accurate passes, and was unable to convert any of the three shots that he had during the contest.
The 23-year-old was at least effective in his duels, as he won four of his five challenges, and crucially won the penalty that saw Gordon get his team back on level terms for the first time.
Newcastle fans’ frustration towards their record signing is perfectly understandable, but they must show patience with him as he continues to adapt to a new style of play.