Hardly breaking news, but it would seem that Kevin Keegan reached his own conclusions regarding the future of Stephen Carr, and ultimately agreed with our own conclusion to the most recent edition of this series that the Irishman should be released without further ado. Ramage and Troisi were also released, and Newcastle-Online wish the pair all the best. Moving on, we turn our attentions to Jose Enrique.

The Lowdown

Signed for an estimated £6 million, the Spaniard arrived at Newcastle in time to share some summer ice creams with fellow countryman Albert Luque. Perhaps this helped to prepare the left back for the upcoming season, for as it headed into winter, Jose found himself out in the cold with Sam Allardyce preferring to select Charles N’Zogbia at left back.

A rare appearance in a 352 formation during our infamous defeat against Liverpool led to an icy reception from a minority of Newcastle fans, while this performance coupled with continued non-selection led to the media branding ‘El Matador’ as yet another expensive foreign flop.

The arrival of Kevin Keegan at St. James’ Park has given Jose Enrique an extended run in the team, and the ice has started to melt and the warmth has returned to the terraces as the fans have witnessed the Spaniard come out of his shell and begin to grow as a player. But is he good enough for the long term.

He Should Stay

Enrique came to England at a young age and has had to adapt to a different league to the one he was brought up to play in. As such, it was unrealistic to expect him to immediately prosper without a good run of games in the first team. Since Keegan has given the Spaniard the chance to show what he can do and Jose has grasped this opportunity.

Strong, quick and hard to beat, the return of Jose Enrique to the first team has reduced the time and space afforded to our opponents in the right wing area. In some games, the left back has seemed anonymous, but this can only be considered a good thing, for he has kept the opposing right winger anonymous at the same time.

Jose is also starting to show more confidence coming forward, and has a half decent pass/cross on him. Meanwhile, he never strays too far as to leave a big gap in our defence.

If you consider N’Zogbia as a rubbish defender, there is currently no senior cover for the Spaniard, and while he shows some ability, it would be foolish to sell up and then have to find two left backs over the summer.

Of course, he has his weaknesses, but as a young player, Jose Enrique should only improve.

He Should Go

If there is one defensive criticism about Jose Enrique’s game, it would be described as a slight lack of responsiveness. Although quick, Enrique is slightly slow off the block both physically and mentally, allowing a quick or clever player to steal half a yard from a standing position. This is something that needs working on otherwise he may face the brunt of responsibility for goals we concede in the future.

This lack of burst also makes the Spaniard slightly slow during the initiation of attacking moves, and limits his ability to work the touchline as well as a typical Keegan left back. Enrique’s all round game is more suited to the defensive side of the game than it is to the offensive, and Jose’s future inevitably hinges on whether our manager wishes to place more emphasis on attack in our full back areas.

Conclusion

Enrique has proved that he is an asset to Newcastle United, and the signs are that he can only improve. Whether or not he is the exact specification of player Keegan will want is open to interpretation. It is inevitable that a left back shall be purchased over the summer, but it should be a case of competition and cover as long as Jose shows a good mental response. The Spaniard has put in a good shift for Newcastle United since the New Year and deserves to Stay at the club.

Does Jose have a future at the club? Ice cream or I scream? Have Your say

Coming Soon: Should He Stay or Should He Go?: David Rozehnal