Guimaraes thriving as the heartbeat of the Newcastle midfield

Newcastle didn't undergo the major spending spree some expected over the summer, but they did add a number of key faces to the squad. Nick Pope improved the side between the sticks, Sven Botman was a player the club wanted in January and Alexander Isak saw them secure the services of a versatile forward to ease the burden on Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson. 

Matt Targett's loan move was made permanent as Newcastle strengthened a squad more than capable of securing a top half finish. It's been a little over a year since the Public Investment Fund completed their takeover of the Magpies and, without doubt, Newcastle's most successful signing has been Bruno Guimaraes. 

Joining for a reported £40m from Lyon back in January, Newcastle may have spent big on Guimares at the turn of the year, yet with each passing week, even that fee looks a bargain. What's impressive yet about the 24-year-old is that he is excelling as the deepest lying central midfielder in Eddie Howe's favoured 4-3-3. 

While in his final few months at Lyon, Guimaraes did operate at the base of the midfield in a 4-2-3-1 setup, that was largely alongside the more defensive minded Maxence Caqueret, who would carry out more of the nitty gritty work off the ball. That isn't to say that Guimaraes wouldn't get stuck in to protect the Lyon goal, but rather the burden was lessened due to Caqueret. 

With Newcastle, and now operating in the centre of the three-man midfield, there is a greater onus on Guimaraes to help protect the defence, which he does to a high standard to his credit. Indeed, Guimaraes is making more tackles per 90 (3.9) than any other Newcastle player this season, and ranks top for this metric for total tackles, despite missing three of the Magpies' nine league matches, while a return of 1.7 dribbles per 90 ranks third for the club behind wing wizard Allan Saint-Maximin (4.0) and compatriot Joelinton (2.3). 

As has been alluded to, Guimaraes isn't a holding midfielder by any stretch. He is one who likes to get on the ball and drive the team forward in a similar vein to a number 8. In essence, he is a number 8 carrying out the duties of a number 6, but importantly; is doing so to an extremely high standard. 

Central midfielders are expected to carry out a number of duties in the middle of the park nowadays. Teams have moved away from the conventional 4-2-3-1 setup, where there is usually one ball winner and one progressor. As noted, Howe has utilised a 4-3-3 in all nine league matches this season, but he has Guimaraes carry out the duties of ball winner and progressor and given a WhoScored rating of 7.58 is the sixth best in the Premier League this season, the top five dominated by Manchester City players, the Newcastle manager's decision to use the Brazil international as the single pivot is certainly justified. 

Just as he did at Lyon, though, he does have assistance from his teammates in the middle of the park, with Joelinton and Joe Willock both excelling either side of Guimaraes, and the former pair do work hard off the ball to allow the latter to get forward. It's a system that plays to Guimaraes' all-action approach in the midfield and means he is able to really get forward and support the offensive, safe the knowledge that both Joelinton and Willock are covering the space he does vacate when gets forward. 

Howe could well have been tempted to have another of his players occupy the middle central midfielder spot and unleashed Guimaraes in the final third, yet he's maximised the tenacity of the January arrival, all the while his attacking influence hasn't dipped and in striking a nice balance, Newcastle are all the better for it. 

After Saturday's resounding 5-1 win over Brentford, a game in which Guimaraes scored twice to land the WhoScored man of the match award, Newcastle now sit sixth in the Premier League, just two points off the top four, albeit having played a game more. A top half finish is perhaps the aim to signify serious progression under Howe and with Guimaraes excelling as the heartbeat of the team, that should really be the minimum requirement for Newcastle.