William Osula already has his own chant among the Newcastle United faithful but you suspect it will only be used sparingly in the coming months as the young forward gets to grips with Eddie Howe's painstaking ways on Tyneside. The young Dane, 21, was handed his first competitive start in black and white on Tuesday evening as Newcastle picked up a narrow 1-0 win over AFC Wimbledon despite enjoying 80 per cent possession and taking 18 shots on goal. Those statistics sum up what sort of evening unfolded for the north east outfit, with an eager Osula leading the line and willing to impress.
The forward may not have fired beyond Wimbledon stopper Owen Goodman but there was glimpses - and more than a few - of why Newcastle , persuaded by former Sheffield United employee Jason Tindall, spent £15m on the raw talent during a tricky summer. It was Osula who earned the first free-kick of the game as he put the ball through the legs of Riley-Jay Harbottle before being clattered on the touchline just a few yards away from Howe and Tindall in the Toon technical area. Moments later, the Newcastle man was being played in on goal after a clever turn by attacking co-star Miguel Almiron.
It was one of the better chances for the home side in a frustrating first-half but as Osula raced in behind and tried to fend off his opposite number, he struggled to get the ball out of his feet and the chance went begging. That was the last chance of note the attacker would earn before the break but his off .
