The Joelinton conundrum

The start of the season has gone from a hard-luck story filled with misfortune to just a bad one.

The upturn prior to the international break felt somewhat of a false dawn after Saturday’s defeat at Brighton, as the club now sit 14^th and are playing catch up in the race for European football. The team bounced back brilliantly in a 3-0 win over Benfica on Tuesday night, but it’s vital we now use that momentum to kick on in the Premier League.

One big topic among the fanbase online has been the form of Joelinton, who was dropped against Benfica and replaced by Jacob Ramsey after he was booked at half time at the Amex.

Last season, it was thought that he was one of the club’s most important players, but he has been criticised online. Some think that his lack of technical ability hurts us with the ball, especially in matches where we have more possession than our opponent.

At his best, Joelinton is a ball-winning monster and someone who can lead the work out of possession. His aggression has been key to Eddie Howe’s success, and it is no surprise that there is a lot of loyalty to the Brazilian, but difficult decisions need to be made if we are to continue our progression as a football club.

This season, Howe needs to be more flexible if we are to succeed. There are multiple competitions to balance, and he needs to trust his squad. Joelinton wasn’t given much protection by the manager on Saturday. After a long-haul flight to represent Brazil, he didn’t need to be named in the starting eleven, especially after the manager pointed to a knock in the pre-match press conference.

Many expected Joelinton to be rested for a combination of the two reasons. In hindsight, Howe will wish he could have made that decision, with the midfielder being withdrawn at half-time. The manager has proven to be stubborn, and it is rare for him to make big changes at half-time. On Saturday, he made two. He knew he made a mistake.

There will be games this season where Joelinton shows his value. He is still an important player for the club. However, we need to stop viewing him as an automatic starter. Jacob Ramsey and Lewis Miley are good players, with different qualities to Joelinton.

The team needs to evolve and stop relying on the same style of football that has brought us to this point. There will be times where it is the correct approach, but the best teams make subtle tactical changes and are proactive. A lot of the time, we are reactive and that needs to change sooner rather than later.

Joelinton’s role in the team provides a great litmus test for Howe and his management of the squad. In addition to his technical flaws, he has struggled with injuries in the last 12 months. If he is given a lesser load, we could see a greater output from him.

Competition is healthy for any team. It should push every player to deliver their best performances. However, it only works if players fear for their place and the necessary changes are made at the correct time.

As ever on social media, some of the criticism of Joelinton has been over the top. He remains a very good player with a unique skillset. That being said, he does provide issues for the team in certain matches and Howe needs to prove that he can be ruthless.

In a lot of matches, he will be the correct player to use. In others, he won’t be.