Joe Willock

[nemtizz]

 

[Kanj]

Lord

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I was a sceptic way back because I thought we only signed him because we didn’t have any other phone numbers. Which might be true TBH. 
 

But he’s really benefitted from Howe and looks the absolute real deal now. He’s quite unusual for a CM but he’s obviously very important to us now. 

[Erikse]

14 hours ago, nemtizz said:

 

 

He thinks playing with Miley is difficult. Worrying.

 

Edit: just saw that someone said the same in the Bruno thread.

 

 

Edited March 5, 2024 by Erikse

[Choppy Chop Chop]

2 minutes ago, Erikse said:

 

He thinks playing with Miley is difficult. Worrying.

 

If you're looking for a negative just pop on here 

 

 

[Erikse]

52 minutes ago, Choppy Chop Chop said:

 

 

The worrying thing is meant as sarcasm, but I guess it's kind of overused and old at this point.

[HawK]

Miley behind Bruno and Willock could be interesting, Miley is incredibly good at retaining possession under pressure, let alone for a 17 year old, he can always receive the pass from defence and can play it forward. Not sure about him off the ball though.

[duo]

Willock gives the midfield legs - been hugely missed

[Sandrotastico]

9 hours ago, HawK said:

Miley behind Bruno and Willock could be interesting, Miley is incredibly good at retaining possession under pressure, let alone for a 17 year old, he can always receive the pass from defence and can play it forward. Not sure about him off the ball though.

Miley, just needs some time. 17 and done so well. But he's not in the same league as Willock, yet.

Give him a season on the bench and let him find his true position and style. I agree eventually a holding DM might be his place once he fills out.

[Coffee_Johnny]

1 hour ago, Oregon_Geordie said:

Miley, just needs some time. 17 and done so well. But he's not in the same league as Willock, yet.

Give him a season on the bench and let him find his true position and style. I agree eventually a holding DM might be his place once he fills out.

Whilst the midfield, and general, ‘unavailability’ issues (particular Little Joe and Tonali) have been extremely detrimental to our season, they have been fantastic for Miley’s development. He’s stepped up. Held his place played against the best and not looked out of place. I can only imagine what it will have done for his confidence and desire.
He could have easily gone under and being played so much might have set him back. even scuppered his PL/international ambitions. He’ll be seen to be and actually may become a much better player for having this baptism of fire so young. 

[Guest]

If Bruno gets his suspension soon, it'd be interesting to see Miley in that deeper role for a couple of games now we have legs back around him. 

[Guest]

Willock is just a vital piece of the jigsaw. Whilst longstaff and miley have their qualities, playing a midfield with both of them just doesn't suit our system. 

Even so, with everyone fit it's 

Bruno, willock and joelinton for me, combative, creative and bags of energy. 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Pancrate1892 said:

Willock is just a vital piece of the jigsaw. Whilst longstaff and miley have their qualities, playing a midfield with both of them just doesn't suit our system. 

Even so, with everyone fit it's 

Bruno, willock and joelinton for me, combative, creative and bags of energy. 

 

In an ideal world Bruno, Tonali, Willock and Joelinton all start about 30 league games each. Players rested, suspensions, etc. Longstaff, Anderson, Miley about 10-15 plus plenty sub apps. Think when everyone is available we're great in there. Would be very, very unlucky to ever have a season like this one again in terms of players missing. 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

In an ideal world Bruno, Tonali, Willock and Joelinton all start about 30 league games each. Players rested, suspensions, etc. Longstaff, Anderson, Miley about 10-15 plus plenty sub apps. Think when everyone is available we're great in there. Would be very, very unlucky to ever have a season like this one again in terms of players missing. 

I Ilke to think we've learned a few things too because of it, rotation and frequency of training sessions 

[TRon]

On 05/03/2024 at 07:46, Pancrate1892 said:

Willock is just a vital piece of the jigsaw. Whilst longstaff and miley have their qualities, playing a midfield with both of them just doesn't suit our system. 

Even so, with everyone fit it's 

Bruno, willock and joelinton for me, combative, creative and bags of energy. 

 

 

I'm not a fan of Longstaff, but the one thing he does give you is plenty of box to box running, same as Willock. He's just much worse on the ball if and when he gets it. But at least that allows Bruno to play his game, as he is really dependent on having two runners either side of him if he's going to be playing the deep lying midfielder.

 

That said, if Bruno, Willock and Joelinton are your first choice midfield, where would that leave Tonali?

 

 

[Vaj]

15 minutes ago, TRon said:

 

 

I'm not a fan of Longstaff, but the one thing he does give you is plenty of box to box running, same as Willock. He's just much worse on the ball if and when he gets it. But at least that allows Bruno to play his game, as he is really dependent on having two runners either side of him if he's going to be playing the deep lying midfielder.

 

That said, if Bruno, Willock and Joelinton are your first choice midfield, where would that leave Tonali?

 

 

Before making any signings could Joelinton do a job on the right wing? He has shown to be quite effective on the left wing rotating with Willock but I wouldn't say his qualities on the left wing would be reduced by playing on the right as opposed to someone like Harvey Barnes who needs to play that side to cut inside and hit one. Could have a midfield and front three of:

 

Gordon Isak Joelinton

Tonali Bruno Willock

[TRon]

1 minute ago, Vaj said:

Before making any signings could Joelinton do a job on the right wing? He has shown to be quite effective on the left wing rotating with Willock but I wouldn't say his qualities on the left wing would be reduced by playing on the right as opposed to someone like Harvey Barnes who needs to play that side to cut inside and hit one. Could have a midfield and front three of:

 

Gordon Isak Joelinton

Tonali Bruno Willock

 

That puts Willock on the right as well, I think even if Joelinton was played on the right, I think Tonali and Willock would swap places in that formation.

[Erikse]

44 minutes ago, TRon said:

 

 

I'm not a fan of Longstaff, but the one thing he does give you is plenty of box to box running, same as Willock. He's just much worse on the ball if and when he gets it. But at least that allows Bruno to play his game, as he is really dependent on having two runners either side of him if he's going to be playing the deep lying midfielder.

 

That said, if Bruno, Willock and Joelinton are your first choice midfield, where would that leave Tonali?

 

 

 

That midfield keep being mentioned as someones percieved strongest one, but has it really ever worked that well? A few games maybe, but this midfield 3 had some issues last season. I remember us calling for Longstaff to come back from injury as soon as possible at the end of last season. It looks good on paper (Joes + Bruno), but it just hasn't really worked yet, unless there's something that I'm forgetting. Ofcourse that doesn't mean that it can't work in the future though.

 

 

Edited March 6, 2024 by Erikse

[TRon]

33 minutes ago, Erikse said:

 

That midfield keep being mentioned as someones percieved strongest one, but has it really ever worked that well? A few games maybe, but this midfield 3 had some issues last season. I remember us calling for Longstaff to come back from injury as soon as possible at the end of last season. It looks good on paper (Joes + Bruno), but it just hasn't really worked yet, unless there's something that I'm forgetting. Ofcourse that doesn't mean that it can't work in the future though.

 

 

 

 

I don't recall which combo worked that well, the problem with two Joes + Bruno would be both Joes seem to work better on the left. Then Tonali and Bruno hadn't really quite hit it off during Sandro's short stint in the side before the ban. I would expect after a year's training Tonali should have a lot better understanding of his role in our side.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, TRon said:

 

 

I'm not a fan of Longstaff, but the one thing he does give you is plenty of box to box running, same as Willock. He's just much worse on the ball if and when he gets it. But at least that allows Bruno to play his game, as he is really dependent on having two runners either side of him if he's going to be playing the deep lying midfielder.

 

That said, if Bruno, Willock and Joelinton are your first choice midfield, where would that leave Tonali?

 

 

 

Longstaff runs and covers a lot of ground, but he's not particularly quick, so we still get caught with that huge gap between defence and midfield. 

 

The difference I noticed on Saturday with Willock who's not exactly a defensive minded player, being able to get back to cover quickly was very noticeable. 

[Kanj]

2 hours ago, Erikse said:

 

That midfield keep being mentioned as someones percieved strongest one, but has it really ever worked that well? A few games maybe, but this midfield 3 had some issues last season. I remember us calling for Longstaff to come back from injury as soon as possible at the end of last season. It looks good on paper (Joes + Bruno), but it just hasn't really worked yet, unless there's something that I'm forgetting. Ofcourse that doesn't mean that it can't work in the future though.

 

 

 

 

 

I think those 3 played Southampton away (win), Arsenal home (loss), Leeds away (draw), Brighton home (win, Willock got hurt). <- the brighton match was when it really looked like it was clicking tbh. 

 

Isak was playing winger in those matches with Wilson central. 

 

 

 

Edited March 6, 2024 by Kanji

[Erikse]

1 hour ago, Kanji said:

 

 

I think those 3 played Southampton away (win), Arsenal home (loss), Leeds away (draw), Brighton home (win, Willock got hurt). <- the brighton match was when it really looked like it was clicking tbh. 

 

Isak was playing winger in those matches with Wilson central. 

 

 

 

 

 

I think you forgot the Villa game which was the first one, and that was kind of a horror show compared to every other game that season. Southampton (first half especially), Leeds and Arsenal wasn't all that impressive either, but the Brighton game was really good. I guess the sample size is probably just too small to judge.

 

 

Edited March 6, 2024 by Erikse

[Kanj]

There is no world where Tonali shouldn't be starting with Bruno IMHO. It's chosing the JL/Willock as the third, or putting them both out there and moving Gordon to the other side or resting him. 

[HawK]

I think Joelinton on the right side of attack could be interesting. Can carry the ball, receive it, hold it up and his work rate off the ball in and out of possession would be good too. Apart from cutting in and shooting from his left, not exactly sure what Almiron brings ahead of him on paper at least.

[gbandit]

Have we seen Joelinton play on the right? I can’t remember him playing there but I crashed out during the Bruce years