De Jong started the game like an Exocet missile - going reasonably close with three opportunities inside the opening seven minutes - but then the Dutchman badly faded out of the game as the match progressed. A player who 12 months ago was expected to be the fulcrum of the Newcastle side, suspicions are beginning to arise that it could be a straight fight between De Jong and his Dutch counterpart Georginio Wijnaldum for the Magpies' No 10 slot going forward. What's clear is that, if De Jong wants a starting berth, he needs to impose himself more on to games. The match against York simply passed him by at times. He is too good a player to allow that to continue.
NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.
