Jose Enrique turned in another good performance on Saturday at left back, and the 22 year-old Spaniard is starting to get to grips with the Premiership.
Jose Enrique - progress on the field and off it
Jose was making his fourth successive start for Kevin Keegan – and not only played a part in Saturday’s 2-0 home win over Fulham, but almost got a goal right at the end with a marauding run from inside his own half.
And this was Newcastle‘s first clean sheet since Kevin’s first game in charge against Bolton in mid-January, and Steve Harper in goal was hardly troubled by the lack-luster Fulham attack.
Jose talked to Miles Starworth of the Shield’s Gazette this morning:
“I feel I am getting better and better. It is more difficult when you are playing one game, then spending one game out of the team.”
“Now I have played four games in a row, and it has given me much confidence.” “Little by little, I think I am getting much better.”
We like Jose a lot, both his character and his play, and the only problem we had with him on Saturday was he gave the ball needlessly away a few times.
But this boy looks good, and it’s hard to question his attitude and spirit when he plays, since they are both first class.
When Jose arrived on Tyneside he could speak little of the English language of course, so he has been taking lessons in an effort to speak better English.
Enrique continued:
“It was difficult to communicate at first, but now my English is much better.”
We’d really like to hear Jose’s Geordie accent, with that little (big?) Spanish lilt 
One last word to young Jose – keep up the good play and you’ll do just fine at Newcastle United.
Comments welcome.
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20 responses so far ↓
1 scott9 // Mar 24, 2008 at 13:03
if he plays for the rest of the season i think he will be a good solid left back next season
2 Spyro // Mar 24, 2008 at 13:10
pure class, love this guy
3 Tooner // Mar 24, 2008 at 13:14
I haven’t had any real problems with Enrique, besides him looking a bit casual at times and getting caught out. He does hoof it a few times when he thinks he has less time than in actuality.
However, he has been solid in his marking, a million times better than N’Zogbia at left back, and gets forward with good runs and good positioning. I’d give a good chance at being our left back next season.
4 Graham // Mar 24, 2008 at 13:22
Coming from Spain where a defender rarely gets chased down for 90 mins he was going to find it difficult in his first season - very few foreigners come into the prem and set it alight straight away.
But slowly he is showing why Allardyce paid so much for a young player. One of the few good decisions made by fat sam.
5 Vitorbarbosa // Mar 24, 2008 at 13:36
I like this guy. His distribution is pure class. Show us that you merit a place in your national line-up. I’m sure every of us sure will be happy for you if you manage to do that.
*Is he reading this blog?
6 zhun // Mar 24, 2008 at 14:03
i love this guy than Beye
look how he managed to pass the ball to Barton at last game, pure class
i like his composure,and his great great vision, king of long ball too (to Martins mostly)
please Kev play him=)
7 ObaFan2 // Mar 24, 2008 at 14:13
He’s getting used to the EPL and you can see he’s getting more confident each game.
Enrique and Beye have both adjusted well but what about the two in between them!
8 Nobby! // Mar 24, 2008 at 14:54
I still think he was Sam’s best buy of the summer.
9 Leo // Mar 24, 2008 at 14:54
yep enrique is getting better and better
10 iain // Mar 24, 2008 at 14:55
“He does hoof it a few times when he thinks he has less time than in actuality.”
thats becuase noone in cm hardly ever goes close enough to show for the ball properly. in spain there taught football well enough not to play square passes over certain distances on the deck from fb positions across mf when theres a good chance it could be intercepted, its even more good enrique knows this when our cm players have less pace than a lame donkey and would strugle to catch any opo cm that intercepted such a pass.
also its why a lot of people like emre in the team becuase his movement in mf actually makes us pass the ball better its the one thing emre consistently does, he might not play killer passes every time he gets the ball but at least he puts himself in positions to recieve and distrbute the ball.
11 lee // Mar 24, 2008 at 15:16
i think all we need is 1 comanding cb and 2 comanding box to box midfielders and theres a good team there… good enough to push for the top 6 anyway
12 Punk Skunk // Mar 24, 2008 at 16:19
Ho’way Jose, ya’ doin’ an excellent job son, keep up the good work…He’s the best LB we’ve had for some time & he’s still young…
…Can’t wait ’til he’s really settled in…
…Aw yea, & he doesn’t moan, what a guy!..
13 mushy // Mar 24, 2008 at 17:04
I’ve always thought Enrigue had talent. Now with extended run in the team it’s beginning to show (a lesson there perhaps).
Similarly, Barton showed the first glimmer of his potential on Saturday.
Word of caution: it was Fulham we were up against.
14 Jojo jay // Mar 24, 2008 at 20:20
Ofcourse he`s a good LB.
Both Real and Barca wanted him last summer.
He shocked everyone by going to Newcastle.
Next season he will be one of the best LB in the premiership.
but we need a cover, if he should get injured.
15 Punk Skunk // Mar 24, 2008 at 21:48
Settled teams win stuff!..
…Ask liverpool fans!..
16 Grunde Axelsen // Mar 24, 2008 at 23:16
I really like Jose. We need some fresh young players
17 daniel // Mar 25, 2008 at 0:11
It really annoys me that a lot of newcastle fans have slagged him off and are now saying how good he is. JUST TYPICAL! its because everyone jumps the gun all the time without giving things time. Someone plays bad on their debut and they’re automatically labeled as shit. Well its ridicules and I for one don’t usually swear.
18 Sean from Hong Kong // Mar 25, 2008 at 2:28
I like him and Beye. He is BETTER in Attack when Martins is on LEFT side. His passing is better than Beye but he may sometime pass to ball to opposition…….
19 Davies // Mar 25, 2008 at 9:23
Yeah, he’s a good lad. I, for one, have never been among the “sell him, he’s shit” crowd and have seen him as an asset.
To be fair to Big Sham, Smith and Barton are the signings that annoyed me, but even Barton has shown some deteremined play in recent weeks.
Nice one.
20 James // Mar 26, 2008 at 13:44
He was the best LB in La Liga last season. Madrid and Barca were sniffing round him big time, and I was thrilled when we signed him.
Our only true ‘Star’ signing of the summer. Beye is class we all know. But Enrique will be here for years. I wouldn’t swap him for anyone.
As he learns the Premiership more, don’t be surprised to hear big clubs bidding for him next summer. A Geordie superstar in the making.
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