DFB star Nick Woltemade has expressed irritation regarding the increasing criticism of his current performances.
«That bothers me,» stated the 24-year-old, who has scored fewer goals recently after a strong start to the Premier League season. «If someone accuses me of a form crisis, I would simply argue that they haven’t watched many Newcastle United games.»
He emphasized that he is playing «in a completely different position than at the start of the season» for the Magpies. Woltemade, who has only scored once this year, explained: «I know I’m associated with goals, but you can’t compare the goal-scoring rate of a striker with that of a midfielder who plays 50, 60, 70 meters away from the opponent’s goal.»
«I am currently a completely different Nick Woltemade than I was at the start of the season,» said the international player, who has recently been deployed further back on the pitch by Newcastle manager Eddie Howe. «Right now, I should rather be judged on how I win my duels or secure spaces.»
Woltemade Aims to «Expand My Repertoire,» But Remains a Striker at Heart
However, he has no issue with his changed role at Newcastle. «I score far fewer goals because of it, clearly. But I’m completely relaxed; I don’t find it bad at all to expand my repertoire,» Woltemade stressed. «And I’m convinced that learning to deal with such phases will make me stronger in the long run.»
Nevertheless, the former Stuttgart player prefers to operate as a central striker, as he did recently in the DFB team’s 2-1 World Cup test victory against Ghana. «I believe that’s how I can best contribute my strengths to the team,» Woltemade concluded.