OPINION
Newcastle United cruised to a 2-0 victory against Huddersfield Town on Saturday and Rafa Benitez was no doubt smiling from ear to ear as a result.
The clash with the Terriers was a must-win and several players upped their game and showcased the best of their talents to ensure the Magpies got the win.
In fact the whole of Benitez’s defence all put in performances that warranted praise and attention.
However while five at the back is currently working for the Magpies, it’s unlikely to be a system the manager utilises in the long-term as it does see his side play over cautious to a degree.
It seems like Benitez will go back to four at the back soon enough, with that even being an option he may take against Burnley on Tuesday night.
This means that one of the three centre-backs, Jamaal Lascelles, Florian Lejeune, Fabian Schar will have to drop to the bench sooner or later and that leaves Benitez with a selection headache.
Surely Lascelles is the most at risk of being chopped?
The 25-year-old captain is a fantastic solid defender but in the game against Huddersfield, it’s clear that Lejeune and Schar showcased skills he does not possess.
The Magpies duo are way more creative-minded and both have excellent passing ranges, which sees them able to aid the defence as much as the attacking part of the team.
Schar was pinging perfect passes all over the place against Huddersfield Town, while Lejeune made two passes which sparked off the build-up of both goals.
While Lascelles has many worthy attributes to drool over, he doesn’t offer a lot going forward like his teammates other than he is an ideal player to target from a corner.
This all means that Benitez has a tricky dilemma going forward on how to accommodate his club captain as you feel he is definitely not the first-choice or even second-choice for his position now.