There was no celebratory glass of red for Eddie Howe after Newcastle’s latest statement of Champions League intent, just a “cup of tea and a biscuit” as he re-watched the demolition of Spurs into the small hours of Monday morning.
Howe’s meticulous nature means he’s methodical in his post-match approach – reviewing Newcastle’s performance without the emotion of a defeaning home crowd and the adrenaline of his team’s head spinning start.
“It’s often the case that when you do that, it’s not as bad as you thought it was when you’ve lost the game and not quite as good as you thought it was when you’ve won,” he said.
But there was one bit he was tempted to fast-forward: Joe Willock’s breathtaking assist for the first of Alexander Isak’s two goals.
“I almost don’t want to see it again because I don’t want to disturb my vision of what it was live,” Howe said of a pass which dissected Tottenham’s defence.
“It was an incredible ball – the right angle, the right flight to get the whip on it he needed with the outside of his right boot, it was a great pass.”
Willock has been the engine driving Newcastle’s acceleration towards the top four in the second half of this season, a very modern midfield dynamo who surely deserves England recognition when Gareth Southgate summons his squad for the next two Euro 2024 qualifiers in seven weeks’ time.
Equally at home dropping deep into a number six role or pressing as an ‘eight’, Willock’s progress under Howe’s tutelage has been impressive.
He is a key cog in a midfield that has overwhelmed top four rivals Manchester United and Tottenham with their intensity and insatiable press in successive home fixtures.
Initially signed by Newcastle in the Mike Ashley era – a rare example of the former owner loosening the purse strings to secure a potential long-term asset – there was a feeling at the buying end that Arsenal had cashed in when his stock was at all-time high in 2021.
Willock had scored in seven successive games in his loan move but had struggled for regular football at the Emirates. A fee of £25m was regarded as good business for the 21-year-old.
That goalscoring streak did prove to be an anomaly but some whip-smart coaching at Newcastle has enabled him to develop into a very different footballer. Helped by his own unquenchable desire for improvement, Willock has become a more rounded player with further refinement of his game to come.
Sources at the training ground speak of a “fantastic” professional and note that he often pores over clips of his performances with dad Charles, who doubles up as his advisor. Popular and highly-rated by his teammates, it came as little surprise when Bruno Guimaraes compared his assist to something Luka Modric would produce after the game.
Howe believes the next step is senior England honours. “I think it should be his goal. Without doubt that should be his personal motivation and I think he’ll be getting closer with displays like that,” the Newcastle manager told i afterwards.
“I think [he’s] all action, he can do a bit of everything. The attacking side, the defensive side has definitely improved. I still think there’s more in there for Joe to show, more goals will come I hope. But he’s got to be knocking on the door.”
In an era when many crave the opening of the transfer window as a panacea, Willock’s improvement is a further example of the power of fine coaching. Howe promised Newcastle’s ownership he would get more from the players he inherited when he interviewed for the manager’s role and he has proved true to his word.
Nine of the players who featured against Spurs were inherited by Howe and part of a team that were bottom of the Premier League. All of them have played a part in Newcastle’s transformation into a force.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/iHwsVvG
Post a Comment