Newcastle United midfielder Siem de Jong is hopeful that head coach Steve McClaren will stick with him over the festive period despite his glaring miss during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with bottom placed Aston Villa.
The Magpies led 1-0 through Fabricio Coloccini’s first half goal when Georginio Wijnaldum’s delightful cross found de Jong unmarked at the back post just before the hour mark. The Dutchman – who was prolific during his seven-year spell in the Eredivisie with Ajax – had the goal at his mercy, but, somehow, his misjudged header completely missed the target when it appeared easier to find the back of the net.
Newcastle were immediately made to pay for de Jong’s ineptitude in front of goal as moments later Aston Villa forward Jordan Ayew scored a screamer to level the scoreline and prevent the Magpies from registering their third consecutive Premier League victory.
After the match, McClaren described de Jong’s sitter as the game’s decisive moment, and the 26-year-old was predictably distraught at fluffing the opportunity to seal another victory and open his Magpies’ account for the season.
Speaking to The Shields Gazette, de Jong said:
“It was an important moment,”
I tried to head it into the short corner, but I did it 5cm too far. I was trying to place it, because I saw the keeper at the far post and so I wanted to head it short, but it slipped off my head.
“Of course, I wanted to score it. Unfortunately, I didn’t. I went off after that, but we had two other chances to win it.”
A succession of devastating injury blows had reduced de Jong to just one Premier League start prior to his recent three game run in the Newcastle starting XI, and the perceptive midfielder believes that he is still adjusting to the hustle and bustle of English football:
“Obviously it’s tough for me. These are my first few games in the Premier League.
I’d only started one game before this run and it’s still something I’m getting used to. I’m doing what I can to help the team.
“I’m enjoying it. I’m happy to be on the pitch. I want to help the team as much as I can, and I could have scored for 2-0, and I’m frustrated about not scoring.
“But I’m happy to be back and playing. This was a tough game on a tough pitch, and I had a little bit of a cold so I couldn’t play longer.
“Hopefully, I can get 90 minutes in the coming weeks.”
Although the Toon Army were understandably frustrated at Newcastle’s inability to beat Remi Garde’s stricken Aston Villa side on Saturday, de Jong is adamant that the Magpies are still heading in the right direction after picking up seven points out of the last nine on offer:
“I feel we are making steps. Even (against Villa), when it was not our best performance, we got a draw.
We had a couple of games when our performance dropped too much, but everyone knows that in the team and in the last three games we have been at a much better level.
