Willock can still prove that he’s no ordinary Joe
WHEN Joe Willock was signed permanently by Newcastle United for the far from piffling sum of £25m he was the hottest young midfielder around six months before Bruno Guimaraes claimed that crown.
Willock, the young Gunner with heavy artillery, had scored in a record seven successive matches while on loan and his signature was so desired United spent the whole of their summer budget on one player.
However last season was one of brutal reality - only two goals from 29 league appearances and by March Brazil’s Bruno had taken over as United’s midfield hot shot.
It left many pondering whether this was indeed an Ordinary Joe or someone still packed with potential.
Nevertheless as we approach a new campaign under new management at both board and coaching level the truth is Willock is fighting Jonjo Shelvey and Sean Longstaff for the last midfield slot alongside Bruno and Joelinton.
If it had all began in heaven it has hardly reached hell but the warning lights have been flashing.
First the unbridled joy. On May 19 last year Willock scored in his sixth consecutive league game becoming the youngest player in Premier League history to do so at the age of 21 years and 272 days, a record previously held by Romelu Lukaku.
Four days later, on the final day of the Premier League season, he notched again to equal United’s record set by Alan Shearer. Both Lukaku and Shearer had the advantage of playing a tad further upfield!
‘Wow, we must have him’ was the cry, and so on August 13, Newcastle confirmed his signing on a six-year contract.
That love, as well as seeing his pathway blocked at the Emirates, persuaded Willock to pack his bags and leave the club he joined aged four. He was, at £25m, Newcastle’s only summer signing before the Saudi-led £300million takeover and since then all have been served a big dose of reality.
First he had set impossible standards with his goals-per-game ratio for a midfielder.
Secondly he arrived only two days before the opening match having barely trained at Arsenal which meant his energy levels for a box-tobox player were severely restricted.
Thirdly injuries and illness were to play a part.
And finally as a young single lad moving hundreds of miles from family and friends living on his own in an isolated location in Northumberland proved crippingly lonely.
The outcome of such collective adversity?
Willock never got going again under Steve Bruce, was ignored by
Graeme Jones in all three of his starting line-ups, and while he began promisingly shortly after the arrival of Eddie Howe when a midfield trio of himself, Joelinton, and Shelvey kept out Guimaraes it was only a matter of time before that tide turned.
So what now? Howe famously makes players feel good and a firing Joe Willock would be a terrific asset.
New hero Guimaraes can of course play with either Willock or Shelvey, the big-priced signing and the vice captain who both missed the end of the last campaign through injury.
All that is required is a slight positional adjustment - with Shelvey playing, the Brazilian is released to push on; with Willock, he can be required to sit deeper.
What will happen to JW this new season of exploration? It is going to be intriguing.