Amar Dedic played a starring role in Newcastle United's 3-2 victory over West Brom in the second round of the Carabao Cup, providing two assists in a performance that highlighted the benefits of his prior experience under head coach Matthias Jaissle.
Dedic only joined Newcastle last week, but in two appearances he has already demonstrated his worth and the value of having a player familiar with Jaissle's tactical approach. The pair previously worked together at RB Salzburg, and despite limited training time, the Bosnia international has slotted in seamlessly.
Assists prove decisive
Dedic's athleticism going forward has been vital for Jaissle's preference to break with efficiency, moving the ball toward the opposition as quickly as possible. In the win over West Brom, his end product proved decisive as he twice found the right cross—setting up the opening goal for Bazoumana Toure and the winning goal for Harvey Barnes.
While Barnes will rightly grab the headlines for his two goals off the bench, Dedic's performance earned significant plaudits. Jaissle beamed with pride when asked about his impact post-match, hailing his 'amazing' display.
New leaders stepping up
The performance comes as Newcastle adapt to a summer of change. The club have lost experienced players, and there may be times when that experienced underbelly is missed. However, new leaders are emerging—29-year-old Yoane Wissa delivered a player of the match display in Sunday's 2-2 draw with Liverpool, while 28-year-old Barnes came off the bench to score twice against West Brom.
With Tino Livramento working back toward full fitness, he faces a major challenge to regain his place in the team. But perhaps the most exciting prospect is if Newcastle's other players can get on a similar wavelength to Dedic in understanding what Jaissle desires, which could yield very positive results.
