Joe Willock has not trained yet but is making 'good progress' (Howe)

[Fantail Breeze]

36 minutes ago, Nobody said:

Thought he played well tonight. Had a couple of decent runs with the ball and put in a solid defensive shift. 

Knew he'd come in for a lot of criticism this season as his goals were never going to continue. Hopefully he's getting closer to being fully fit and keep improving. 

 

That was the warning sign in relation to signing him.

 

He wasn’t performing like a player who scored a bagful of goals, he just seemed to be in the right place at the right time.

 

3(?) of the goals were pretty much just him walking off the bench and scoring.

 

Maybe I’m misremembering, but I don’t recall him really bossing any particular games.

[HaydnNUFC]

His first game after he signed at home to Southampton he was class. Same with a few other games too but this season, he looks just so slow? Maybe it's fitness because we all know for a fact he is not as slow as he showed at times tonight. He needs to stay in the latter 2 thirds, if he's going to play in a midfield 2 he needs a top quality holding midfielder as Shelvey is not that, Hayden is not good enough and Longstaff is utterly finished. I do still really like him and think there's a really canny player there but he does need to pull his finger out at times a bit more whether that's fitness or just a motivational issue.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

It was interesting that Howe moved him out of the middle after the red card and asked Joelinton to cover inside. Looked like that to me anyway. Possibly worried about how often he lacked awareness and gave the ball away. 
 

He did show some good moments today, mainly his running with the ball to relieve pressure. 

[HaydnNUFC]

Just now, AyeDubbleYoo said:

It was interesting that Howe moved him out of the middle after the red card and asked Joelinton to cover inside. Looked like that to me anyway. Possibly worried about how often he lacked awareness and gave the ball away. 
 

He did show some good moments today, mainly his running with the ball to relieve pressure. 

 

He's a good footballer with the ball at his feet, running at players. He shouldn't be pressed however inside our own third. He needs to be further advanced, driving us forward, linking up attacks/counters or making a late run to support Wilson when the ball is out wide. It's where his goals came from last year. But to me he just looks slow and unfit, hope that's the case and he's not gone backwards as a player as I still love the lad.

[Lazarus]

Anyone know if hes still playing with injections for his injury?

[nufcjb]

I have ranted about him since Saturday and I ain't stopping. He is absolutely useless. Gives away needless fouls especially around the box, hardly wins the ball and does little moving forward. Yes he did create the odd chance today but he's a passenger in midfield at the moment. Almiron or Hayden can partner Shelvey. Take this guy out of the team for a while.

 

 

Edited December 1, 2021 by nufcjb

[HaydnNUFC]

People have short memories. Bruce played Almiron as a CM in a midfield 3 and it was tragic.  It's not his position, he's a #10. Willock needs to buck his ideas up but the options we have for the midfield are woeful. I'd give the 4-2-3-1 we started the game tonight in before Clark ruined it another chance. Didn't get to see it. Willock's game is not as a sitting midfielder. Nor is Shelvey's for that matter but it's the risk/reward debate. We played Willock and Shelvey in the 2 against Brentford and we should've won, Darlow cost us that.

[nufcjb]

There's always Hendrick or Longstaff if we need a sitting midfielder and Almiron is not that type. Willock does not win the ball, give away fouls and isn't creating much. At least get someone in who can atleast do one of those things.

 

 

Edited December 1, 2021 by nufcjb

[Guest neesy111]

I'd rather try Hendrick in the middle tbh.  Teams go through our midfield at will, even Norwich did it before we went down to 10 men.

[xLiaaamx]

Know he's not the most popular at the minute but did like second half that was confident enough to try turning his man and getting goalside of him. 

[Newcastle Fan]

He carries the ball well and tries to move the team forward, the problem is he's quite a forward player and right now he's having to both defend and attack which means he's finding himself in positions he's not often used to, i'd like to see him in a midfield three that has a proper defensive midfielder in it.

[Gallowgate Toon]

Personally, I'm really enjoying us not having one of our midfielders be defensive. Unless you've got a Kante type, they can often be a bit of a waste imo.

 

Willock will rebuild his confidence. Seems like this week was hard on his legs so he's got to get into the best shape he can first & foremost.

[joeyt]

Thought he played well

[Joey Linton]

21 minutes ago, xLiaaamx said:

Know he's not the most popular at the minute but did like second half that was confident enough to try turning his man and getting goalside of him. 

Got to have a scapegoat though, and the 22 year old who pretty much single handedly kept us up last season seems to be it. 

[Collage]

He had a real opportunity in the 1st half to play it out on the right, a simple pass, and the player would be through on goal, think it was Almiron. He didn’t even look in that direction. Pissed me off a bit.

[Dr Jinx]

It’s not about scapegoats, there’s no denying what sort of player he can be for us. He just looks off the pace at the moment, for whatever reason (Bruce..)

 

Also he’s a young kid, he’s probably wondering about his future now with all the speculation about players coming in.

 

He should be given time, on form he’s better than Hayden.

[Kid Icarus]

Feel like he's not playing all that well but that it seems more like it just needs to click for him rather than the quality not being there.

[Collage]

3 minutes ago, Collage said:

He had a real opportunity in the 1st half to play it out on the right, a simple pass, and the player would be through on goal, think it was Almiron. He didn’t even look in that direction. Pissed me off a bit.

Sorry, it was in the 2nd half

[joeyt]

4 minutes ago, Collage said:

He had a real opportunity in the 1st half to play it out on the right, a simple pass, and the player would be through on goal, think it was Almiron. He didn’t even look in that direction. Pissed me off a bit.

 

Pretty sure Almiron did the same thing where he could have played Willock in on goal but decided to blast it into Row Z instead

[Collage]

6 minutes ago, joeyt said:

 

Pretty sure Almiron did the same thing where he could have played Willock in on goal but decided to blast it into Row Z instead

Yeah you could probably pick out a dozen situations like that, too many wrong decisions. Big difference when you watch better teams.

[Joey47]

I think his defensive contribution is underrated, he is ranked 20th in the league for tackles and has the most out of any Newcastle player. 

[Kanj]

I want more from him, but he was good enough today. Everybody did their job. No issues with any of the lads today. 

[HWTL]

Definitely did OK to me today but I think it's one of the most important areas we need improvement in when January comes, obviously defense but apart from Shelvey being poor today he hadn't been that great since Howe came in or even start of season. 

[The Bonk]

He's wickedly indecisive when it matters most and shot of the confidence he had on loan last year. I think a goal will do wonders for him and he'll crack on from there. There's obviously a player in there, but his football IQ is suppressed at the moment. 

[Geordie Ahmed]

Don't think it will ever work for him in a midfield 2, especially if we are playing 4 at the back

 

Need to get an extra midfielder in and let him play with a bit more freedom