Stan Collymore suggested Newcastle fans had ‘given up’ on Yoane Wissa
Yoane Wissa of Newcastle United shows dejection(Image: Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Former Liverpool and Aston Villa forward Stan Collymore caused a stir on social media when he suggested Newcastle United fans had given up on summer signing Yoane Wissa.
After watching Villa beat Newcastle 2-0 thanks to goals from Emi Buendia and Ollie Watkins on Sunday, Collymore took to X to suggest the Magpies forward needed more love from the Toon Army.
“Geordies, what’s going on with Wissa?” Collymore asked his followers on X.
“A natural ball carrier he looks as though he’s going to trip over the ball when its in front of him, from a former striker’s perspective (Watkins similar this season too) it looks as though he’s struggling with confidence?
“As fans we maybe judge strikers differently but there seemed to be an audible groan when he got it, almost as though the crowd have given up on him a bit?
“Maybe make a point of giving him a cuddle because he’s a talented guy.”
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While Wissa clearly isn’t brimming with confidence at the moment, Newcastle United fans certainly haven’t turned on him.
It was only Wednesday when the 29-year-old was the toast of Tyneside when he opened the scoring in their 3-0 win over PSV Eindhoven at St James’ Park.
But it is fair to say his £55million hasn’t quite panned out everyone wanted so far, mainly because of a knee injury that ruled him out of action for his first three months at the club.
Since returning to action in December, the DR Congo international has scored three goals and is slowly building towards full fitness after having a disrupted pre-season amid his uncertain future at Brentford.
Former Liverpool and England striker Stan Collymore(Image: )
But in that time, there is inevitably going to be good moments and bad moments and he struggled against Aston Villa on Sunday. That being said, he often cut an isolated figure compared to his opposite number at Villa, Watkins, who has the likes of Buendia and Morgan Rogers buzzing around him.
Frustration may creep out of the crowd at times as a result but there is no doubting that Newcastle fans will throw a metaphorical arm around Wissa’s shoulder during some of those tough times.
Collymore urged Newcastle fans to ‘make a point of giving him a cuddle’ and he only needs to look at the reception fellow summer signing Anthony Elanga received in the PSV win to know they will do that.
Elanga has badly struggled to live up to his £55million price tag so far since his summer move from Nottingham Forest but Newcastle fans gave him a huge ovation, chanted his name and he responded in kind almost instantly with an injection of confidence.
Wissa may take time to reproduce the levels that saw him score 20 goals in all competitions for Brentford last season. But Newcastle fans will undoubtedly give him that time.
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