I don’t always agree with what Darren Bent has to say on all things NUFC, but his latest comments on Joelinton have hit the nail on the head.
The former Sunderland striker believes the Brazilian has been given ‘nothing to work with’, saying the criticism he has earned is unfair after receiving ‘zero’ service.
Here’s what he’s had to say during his defence of the NUFC striker, insisting that he’s a good player, but instead someone who’s found himself in a ‘horrible situation’ due to a total lack of support:
“Nothing to work with, it’s a horrible situation for him to be in because when you’re a centre forward, you’re not getting any service, people saying: ‘Well you’re not scoring any goals,’ it’s so tough. You can’t win as a striker.
“People will not care, they go: ‘We paid all this money for you, you need to be able to make something happen,’ and it just doesn’t work like that. Unless you’re Messi, every striker needs service. If you’re getting zero or next to zero, what are you expected to do?
“No one at that club is doing him any favours and it’s making him look bad, but he’s not a bad player.”
I couldn’t agree more with a lot of what Bent’s said here and feel there’s a few Newcastle fans who need to get off his back as a result.
After all, I’m not such Harry Kane, Robert Lewandowski or Sergio Aguero would look much good in this Steve Bruce side that continues to leave its number 9 incredibly isolated.
Hopefully Saint-Maximin’s eagerly anticipated return can give Joelinton some much needed support in attack, with Bruce also needing to get Miguel Almiron back playing in his preferred position if we’re to see the stuttering Paraguayan back on song.
Joelinton needs to do the basics right – something he did superbly in that 0-1 win at Spurs – but a striker starved of chances or support is never going to score many goals…no matter how much they cost!
He’s got the additional problem that he’s not a centre forward. He’s an attacking midfielder being played as a lone striker. The club’s fault for buying him and the ‘manager’s’ fault for playing him there.
mactoon(Quote)
He may not be a bad player. But he’s not a good PL player nor worth £40 million, that’s for sure. Umm, I wonder who had already made that judgement call but wasn’t listened to?
sickandtired(Quote)
I think it’s very unfair to already cast him off and says he’s not a good player.
He’s barely been given a chance given how isolated he’s been. Not to mention the fact he VERY rarely ever played as a lone striker in Germany.
Olly Hawkins(Quote)