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| Newcastle manager Steve McClaren has pledged to transform his team into heroes |
Even though they go into today's game against Arsenal still searching for their first league win, the Newcastle manager is confident he is on way to achieving that target.
McClaren's £47m spending spree has lifted some of the gloom which hung over St James' Park for much of last season and he is set to play all four of his summer signings thus afternoon, with Florian Thauvin joining Georginio Wijnaldum, Alexandar Mitrovic and Chancel Mbemba in the starting line-up.
Thauvin was a whisker away from snatching a last-gasp winner after coming off the bench at Old Trafford last week and then scored one and made three in Tuesday's 4-1 Capital One Cup win over Northampton.
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| Florian Thauvin has been influential for the Magpies since joining from Marseille |
The £13m buy from Paris St Germain was on Arsenal's radar two years ago but McClaren said their loss is Newcastle's gain.
"We are trying to bring players here who will excite the crowd, trying to find new heroes," he said. "We still have a long way to go to achieve that but I think the fans are encouraged by what they have seen so far.
"Heroes only come when you get success and we are trying to create a team which can provide that.
"We're at the very early stages but I want to watch a team playing good football with individuals who excite me and get me out of my seat.
"Florian can do that. He is only 22 with lots of potential and you can see why Arsenal were interested. He has played at every level for France up to the under-21s so has that pedigree but now he has to do it on a consistent basis for us."
McClaren believes the feel-good factor has returned though he insists the credit for that lies elsewhere.
"It is back and was much-needed," he added. "The mood has carried on from the last game of last season.
"We've tried to gain momentum from Mike Ashley's statement (when the owner pledged to splash the cash).
"But now we need performances and results. We've had the toughest of starts so that first league win would be huge for us."
Despite Arsenal's mediocre start, McClaren remains a huge fan of Wenger's side, adding: "I've always said it's one team I would pay for a box to go and watch. On their day, they're up there with Barcelona in terms of how they play the game."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is backing Calum Chambers to bounce back from Monday night's horror show but fears Gareth Southgate may have done his confidence some long-lasting damage.
The England under-21 international was given the run-around by Christian Benteke in the goalless draw with Liverpool at the Emirates.
Wenger later admitted that if he had not been so keen to keep his attacking options open, he may have been tempted to remove Chambers at the interval.
Thankfully, an improved second period means Wenger has no qualms about using him at Newcastle this afternoon, with Per Mertesacker still suffering from the chest infection that made him miss Monday's clash and Laurent Koscienly still nursing an injured back.
It is all a far cry from 12 months ago when an impressive performance in Turkey against Besiktas made the former Southampton player look a snip at £16m.
He has struggled to break through into regular first-team football after that and although Southgate included him in his squad for the Under-21 European Championships in Prague, he spent the entire tournament on the bench.
"I have spoken to him and he's a strong footballer, a dedicated player who is ready to work day and night," said Wenger. "He has the talent to be a good player.
"He showed character on Monday. The positive of the night, he did not have the best performance in the first half, was the way he recovered.
"He showed his mental strength. He has lost a bit of confidence compared to the player he was last year.
"Maybe not playing too much, the Under 21 tournament did not help him too much as he did not play at all."
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