Joe Willock

[TRon]

1 hour ago, jack j said:

We aren't getting anywhere near 20 million for him mind. Same way some people think we would get 15 for longstaff. Probably get 15 for the 2 of them

 

He's got a far higher ceiling than Longstaff though. I just don't think he prefers playing in a side that sits back more so he can attack the space.

 

We know he can play in a pressing side, because he was mint in our CL qualifying season, but he played out of his skin that season. Doesn't look like he can do it consistently.

[toon25]

Struggling to think of a game he really played well in recently 

[huss9]

seems to have some kind of mental block.

plays with no confidence at all.

[Rod]

1 hour ago, huss9 said:

seems to have some kind of mental block.

plays with no confidence at all.

I think you are onto something there.  He looks lost at times, both mentally and physically.  Frustrating because he was one of our top performers a couple of seasons ago.

[TheBrownBottle]

I feel really sorry for the lad.  There’s real talent there, and he’s shown it for us in the past.  He’s had so many injuries that it could be combination of those taking their physical toll, and a mental toll as well - his game is about his combination of technical and physical attributes.  The lad might be constantly worrying about another injury.  Total guesswork, of course.  But the current situation can’t go on forever. 

[Lush Vlad]

Always been one of his bigger fans on here. But with the PSR world we are forced to live in. I think he might get moved on. 
 

As others have said. He seems to play his way into form and takes a while to get up to speed. He isn’t going to get that here. As he doesn’t get in our best XI and must now be behind Miley in the pecking order, or at least about to be bypassed based on performances across the season in centre midfield. 

 

I’ve always found him a bit positionless. He’s not your usual CM type with his attributes, he isn’t really a winger, he isn’t good enough with his passing to play attacking mid. Great in games that are stretched and when he has room to use his pace. Yet annoyingly doesn’t seem to work as an impact sub. 
 

That hybrid role he played on the left with Joelinton was amazing. But we seemed to have moved past that now, Gordon seems untouchable/won’t be played on the right and Joelinton is injured, anyway. 
 

For what he is worth, the likely wages, his injury record etc. Like one or two others. This summer might be the last chance to get a reasonable fee for him. 

[ExiledGeordie]

3 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said:

Always been one of his bigger fans on here. But with the PSR world we are forced to live in. I think he might get moved on. 
 

As others have said. He seems to play his way into form and takes a while to get up to speed. He isn’t going to get that here. As he doesn’t get in our best XI and must now be behind Miley in the pecking order, or at least about to be bypassed based on performances across the season in centre midfield. 

 

I’ve always found him a bit positionless. He’s not your usual CM type with his attributes, he isn’t really a winger, he isn’t good enough with his passing to play attacking mid. Great in games that are stretched and when he has room to use his pace. Yet annoyingly doesn’t seem to work as an impact sub. 
 

That hybrid role he played on the left with Joelinton was amazing. But we seemed to have moved past that now, Gordon seems untouchable/won’t be played on the right and Joelinton is injured, anyway. 
 

For what he is worth, the likely wages, his injury record etc. Like one or two others. This summer might be the last chance to get a reasonable fee for him. 

Totally agree. His issue is he is a position less as you say. Hes not good enough on the ball in terms of retention to start in midfield but he’s not really a winger. Even when he was doing really well he’s seemed more of an impact sub from the bench. I’m neither here nor there with him, I can see a role for him but it’s definitely not as a starter at the moment. Injuries really have hampered him recently too to be fair.

[David Edgar]

1 hour ago, TheBrownBottle said:

I feel really sorry for the lad.  There’s real talent there, and he’s shown it for us in the past.  He’s had so many injuries that it could be combination of those taking their physical toll, and a mental toll as well - his game is about his combination of technical and physical attributes.  The lad might be constantly worrying about another injury.  Total guesswork, of course.  But the current situation can’t go on forever. 

 

He's got the physical and technical attributes to be a top player, but he has seemingly always struggled with the mental side of the game - for us, I have no idea what he was like at Arsenal.

 

If only we could just take Longstaff's ability to deliver his consistent 7/10 performance every week and marry it up with Willock's footballing ability... Instead we have Willock who ranges from 4/10 to 9/10 with an average of 5s and 6s.

 

It is a real shame cos Willock could be a hell of a player. There are loads of factors which could be at fault for him being unable to deliver consistently high standard performances and it might take him moving to try to find a club that is right for him to realise his potential. He might get lucky and land on a club that is perfect for him. Then we'll all wet the bed ignorantly.