Wissa Misses Penalty, Newcastle Now Have 'Georgian Gem' Vakhtang Salia
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- Yoane Wissa kembali gagal mengeksekusi penalti saat Newcastle mengalahkan Hull City, mempertegas krisis gol lini depan The Magpies.
- Vakhtang Salia, penyerang muda Georgia berusia 19 tahun, masuk skuad senior dan dianggap sebagai calon nomor sembilan masa depan Newcastle.
- Persaingan di lini serang Newcastle memanas: Wissa, Osula, dan Salia bersaing untuk posisi inti, sementara ekspektasi suporter terus meningkat.
Yoane Wissa was back in the spotlight after missing a penalty in Newcastle United's win over Hull City at St James' Park last Saturday. Although the Magpies secured three points, the incident reinforced public doubts about the sharpness of the striker from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Amid the pressure, a new name emerged: Vakhtang Salia, a young Georgian forward who was named among the substitutes and could be in line for a senior debut.
Wissa, signed in 2025 as a replacement for Alexander Isak, has yet to meet expectations. Throughout the 2025/26 season, he has scored only one Premier League goal. At Brentford, however, he once scored 19 goals in a single season and 12 the year before. Now, at 30, time is not on his side. The £55 million fee Newcastle paid increasingly feels like a burden.
Coach Matthias Jaissle has tried to revive Wissa's form by deploying him deeper as a link in attack. The strategy worked against Liverpool on the opening weekend, when Wissa impressed despite not scoring. But consistency remains an issue. The return of Will Osula from injury adds competition, while Salia is beginning to show his quality.
Salia is not just any name. Journalist Graeme Bailey called him "one of the best teenage prospects in the world." Manchester City and Arsenal were reportedly leading the race before Newcastle managed to secure him. His debut season was disrupted by injury, but the start of the 2026/27 season has become his stage for a resurgence. His goal against York City in the EFL Trophy last week—capitalizing on a defender's mistake and firing a powerful shot from close range—showed a rare predator's instinct.
For Newcastle, Salia's presence offers a long-term solution to the No. 9 position that has long been a curse since the Alan Shearer era. Wissa and Osula may still be the current mainstays, but Salia's shadow will become more real if the two fail to find consistency. Jaissle seems unafraid to give young players a chance, especially as Salia has been used to playing against senior players since he was 16 in Georgia.
"Salia is the type of striker who does not just wait for the ball, but creates chances from pressure. He has an instinct that is hard to teach," said an English football observer who follows the development of Newcastle's young players.
In Indonesia, the dynamics of Newcastle's forward line reflect how Premier League clubs are becoming increasingly aggressive in investing in young talent from non-traditional markets. Salia, who comes from Georgia, shows that scouts are no longer fixated on major countries. For Liga 1 clubs, this phenomenon could be a lesson: scouting young players from the Caucasus or Central Asia could be an efficient strategy for obtaining quality strikers at affordable prices.
Going forward, the question is no longer whether Salia will debut, but when he will become a regular starter. If Wissa continues to waste chances, public pressure will force Jaissle to make a bold decision. Newcastle are building a new foundation, and Salia could become the face of their attacking future. Will Wissa survive, or will Salia take over the throne?
