Black Stars winger, Christian Atsu, believes that he and his Newcastle United team mates will have to work better as a team this season if they will stay another season in the Premier League.
The Magpies finished 10th last season following their promotion from the Championship and they are determined to keep their elite status despite losing their forward Aleksandar Mitrovic to Fulham in a 5-year deal.
Atsu says the players must show seriousness in the coming season.
“It is very important for all the players to come together and stay united as we have been from the Championship to the Premier League.
We finished 10th last season and so it means, we have to stay focused on playing our matches. It does not matter who joins us. All we need to do is to think of the squad we have now.”
For Atsu, the demand for a better season will be greater on himself after he admitted that he had not given his best last season.
The former Chelsea player scored twice in 29 league matches and he confessed in an interview with ChronicleLive that his output would have to be more substantial in the coming season.
“I think I’ve been average, to be honest. I have to be more consistent this season. I need to work hard to score more goals and to assist more.
“I have a target in mind but I will keep it to myself. But I have to reach my target this season and I believe I’m going to. I believe I will score more goals than I have in the previous two seasons.
“It’s a big challenge for me. You see a lot of players, me included, who will play well in one game but not the next. This season I’m not going to allow this to happen.
“It’s a mentality as much as anything. I want to be more consistent this season, to be playing more, to score more and to assist more. That’s the mentality I need to have. It will be a lot of hard work but I believe it’s going to happen this season.”
Newcastle United start their new campaign in the Premier League with a tough home tie against Tottenham Hotspur and then, face Cardiff City and Chelsea to complete their August fixtures.
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By: Nathan Quao/citinewsroom.com/Ghana