Joelinton, a standout for Newcastle United, has been emphasized for his job as a third center defender; nevertheless, there may have been a clue of the transfer back in preseason.
Joelinton nearly went undetected when Eddie Howe asked him to drop into a center-back position during the pre-season thrashing of Urawa Red Diamonds.
As the press conference at Saitama Stadium was about to close following the 4-1 victory in Japan, a Japanese reporter inquired as to Howe’s plans for Joelinton’s rotation in the middle of defense for the 2024–2025 campaign. Grinning, Howe asserted that the transfer had been brought about by a shortage of players and the customary barrage of substitutes in friendlies.
Within hours after the J-League team’s defeat, Newcastle placed an offer for England international Marc Guehi, which at the time may have been seen as a clever ploy to highlight the need for a new center-back! But it turns out that this was only a test run for the new hybrid job that Jamie Carragher announced this week on Monday Night Football.
“We talk about hybrid roles, but Joelinton had three different roles,” Carragher stated on the episode. For a player, that is a lot of teaching to absorb.
“Joelinton began the game high up the field, then he covered Rico Lewis and filled in as a third center back, making the formation nearly resemble a back five. As he dropped into that position, he went out to press Lewis and then he went back down to check on İlkay Gündoğan.
He played a crucial part against Man City as a left-sided center-back who also took care of Erling Halaand by being forceful and halting him.
“Then he exchanged with Lewis Hall at left wing-back with a new idea fo what he’s up against. Newcastle won the ball high, and he returned to his 4-3-3 midfield position in order to advance. He then took advantage of the overlap. It was great, in my opinion. How much effort will the players have put in at the training field and how much coaching can they process?”
Graham Potter, a studio guest, stated: “A player needs to commit to it. It’s amazing how you can ask him to defend the box and act like a center back in one tape while he plays support like a midfielder in the other.
“Bearing in mind this is a player who signed for big money as a centre-forward it tells you something about the personal relationship with the coach and the trust they have with each other.”
The majority of supporters are aware of Joelinton’s transformation over the last three years under Howe from a struggling center-forward to an enforcer in the midfield. Joelinton’s return to midfield following Ciaran Clark’s red card against Norwich City is a compelling story.
However, Howe’s work with the Brazilian did not stop there. Just this season, we have seen the former Hoffenheim player perform a variety of roles. Last month, Howe stated to Chronicle Live, “Joe has demonstrated his abilities. In certain instances, he has switched roles, going from a 6 to an 8 and back to a 6. He has demonstrated his adaptability. Additionally, he performed admirably for the team.”
The truth is that Howe could have easily dismissed Joelinton as a player he inherited. But everyone has been able to witness the mutual understanding between the coach and his athlete.
It should come as no surprise that Howe battled valiantly to secure Joelinton’s services earlier in the year and to get him a new contract. The 28-year-old was enticed to Newcastle with the promise of playing as the number nine and scoring a goal, but the £40 million that the Magpies paid the Bundesliga team has yielded much more at St James’ Park.
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