Two matches into the 26-27 season, and Newcastle United's Yoane Wissa has already matched his Premier League goal tally for the entirety of last term.
The striker had barely finished improvising the Magpies' second goal against Tottenham Hotspur this weekend before he was reaching for the 'whip'.
The DR Congo wheeled away after beating Antonín Kinsky and launched into the 'Fimbu' -- the Lingala word for whip -- the distinctive celebration that followed the Leopards at the FIFA World Cup, and which the 29-year-old has increasingly made his own at club level.
"It's a dance we like to do in my country," Wissa said after the match. "So every time I score a goal, I use it to pay tribute to my country."
It's not a tribute Newcastle fans saw very often last season...
Wissa celebrated with the Fimbu when he scored the Leopards' historic equaliser against Portugal in Houston, to mark their return to the competition for the first time since 1974, and ultimately, to secure their first ever World Cup point.
He'd end the tournament with three goals -- three times as many as he managed in the entirety of last year's Premier League campaign -- and, based on the early evidence of this season, that World Cup campaign may prove the turning point in Wissa's Newcastle career.
If his first season on Tyneside following his £55 million move from Brentford was a disappointing opening instalment, the sequel is already threatening to be a considerable upgrade.
Against Spurs, Wissa had been excellent before adding Newcastle's second in the 72nd minute.
Despite William Osula being injured, Wissa remained in a more withdrawn role, leaving space for Newcastle to pour into and creating further indecision in the Tottenham defence, until the 71st-minute arrival of Nick Woltemade.
The former Brentford man has the intelligence to excel in the pocket; yet again, he competed relentlessly, connected Newcastle's transitions, unlocked the players around him, and repeatedly harried Tottenham's defenders.
For the second game running, no Newcastle player won more duels, while no one on the pitch drew more fouls than the frontman, as Spurs' centrebacks repeatedly struggled to deal with his exploitation of space, physical play and determined running.
His goal killed the match. Newcastle were already leading after Anthony Elanga's opener when Woltemade met Lewis Hall's fine corner, knocking the ball down into Wissa's path.
The striker, four yards out, his back to goal, reacted instinctively, falling backwards, wrapping the outside of his right foot around the ball to hook it beyond Kinsky.
It was an audacious finish, reminiscent of Wissa's Brentford pomp, and a reminder of what a unique prospect he is when he can marry his ingenuity and physical prowess.
Those halcyon days in West London had appeared a distant memory at times last term following his arrival in the North East for an eye-watering fee.
After scoring 19 goals in his final Brentford season, Wissa arrived with considerable expectations, but a knee injury sustained in a World Cup qualifier against Senegal in September changed the trajectory of his season.
He missed the Africa Cup of Nations, didn't make his debut until early December, only scored his first Prem goal against Burnley on December 30, and didn't score in the league again as a loss of form and injury problems conspired to ensure a low-key end to the campaign.
There were murmurs of discontent among Newcastle fans, as the Magpies -- with both Wissa and Woltemade under-delivering -- found themselves short of a consistent goal threat.
"We lost so many players but the club worked well," Wissa told Sky Sports after the victory over Spurs. "We needed players to step up, like me for instance. I didn't play [well] last year, and now I have the chance to play.
"Many players have to step up and enjoy the challenge, with the fans behind us, nobody can stop us."
The World Cup appears to have restored something inside Wissa, who followed up with his historic equaliser against Portugal by netting a double against Uzbekistan, securing the Leopards' first ever victory in the competition.
"My whole life flashed before my eyes," Wissa acknowledged after the Portugal equaliser. "I had waited for this moment for decades, just like the entire country.
"I saw myself again as a little boy dreaming of becoming a professional footballer. Emotionally, it was incredibly powerful."
Wissa has carried his World Cup momentum into the new season with Newcastle. Two goals against Valencia in pre-season suggested the winds were changing, while Wissa was arguably Newcastle's best player in the 2-2 opening draw with Liverpool.
He looked tenacious, confident, and determined to put the Magpies back on a strong footing after an offseason of high-profile departures.
His work in the build-up to Joe Willock's eye-catching goal was impressive, escaping three Liverpool players to forge space as Newcastle restored their advantage.
"I am not injured and I feel confident now," Wissa continued. "I trust myself and I trust the manager and even though I didn't play last year I have trained a lot with the players and they know my movements.
"Eddie Howe did a top job and the new manager came with a new identity and that [first goal] is something we have been working on. Every part of the game we are really precise.
"He is a really dynamic manager, so we have to give everything and I think he is the best signing of Newcastle so far." Jaissle, for his part, appears to be relishing the challenge of rehabilitating Wissa, and of getting more out of Elanga, another big-money signing who didn't repay his transfer fee last term.
"I don't take the compliments yet," Jaissle shared. "I try just to encourage them, motivate them and support them, not only those two but the whole squad.
"I am really happy to see the improvement."
The relationship between Wissa and Jaissle should prove critical as the frontman looks to finally enjoy success at St James' Park in one of (theoretically) his peak years.
The German demands intensity and purpose from his attacking players, intelligence, pressure on opponents, and to be effective in a vertical, dynamic style. Wissa certainly has the qualities to thrive amidst such expectations, as long as his body doesn't let him down again.
The early evidence is that this could be a match made in heaven, with Wissa relishing the kind of selfless work that Jaissle admires.
"We are really proud as a club and coaching staff to see the team delivering on the pitch and also seeing players committed to what we are doing," Jaissle concluded.
Wissa turns 30 on Thursday, and while he has three years left on his contract at Newcastle, he doesn't necessarily have endless time on his hands to prove that he can be the success story at a major club.
Newcastle need goals, and results, this season, rather than further promise for a distant future, and while two games don't provide a definitive answer, they augur well for the months to come.