Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton ended his wait for a goal by scoring against Athletic Club on Wednesday night.
Eddie Howe racked up a third win in four Champions League games this season by beating Athletic Club at St James’ Park.
Dan Burn’s curling header handed Newcastle the lead before Joelinton sealed the win with number two.
Newcastle’s defeat at West Ham United sparked major fan frustration, but the Magpies responded well on Wednesday night.
Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton celebrates against Athletic Club
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Eddie Howe admits attempts to improve Newcastle United’s Joelinton
Joelinton’s performances have been under the microscope of late.
The Brazilian remains a physical and committed part of Newcastle’s engine room.
Goals have been in short supply, though, and if anybody wants a midfield change, it’s usually Joelinton who is viewed as being expendable, rather than Bruno Guimaraes or Sandro Tonali.
Joelinton scored twice against Bradford City in the Carabao Cup, but then went eight games without scoring in all competitions.
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Now back on the scoresheet once again, Joelinton is looking to ensure that he keeps his place in Newcastle’s midfield.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the final whistle, Newcastle boss Howe opened up on his recent work on Joelinton’s game.
Howe noted that there has been a real focus placed on Joelinton arriving late into the box to score goals.
Howe also wants to see more of Joelinton in terms of his aerial threat from crosses and set-pieces.
The early signs look very good, as Joelinton showed off that aerial improvement by scoring a header against Athletic.
“He needs to score, he’s always done that, he’s been a scorer of big goals for us,” said Howe.
“We’ve worked a lot recently, in the last few weeks, on him arriving late in the box and using his aerial strength from crosses.
“I was really pleased with that goal for him, because we need our eights and our wide men to chip in with more goals, so hopefully that’s a good start for him,” he added.
Joelinton goal threat needed at Newcastle United
Joelinton was actually bought as a striker back in 2019, so taking up attacking positions should not be too alien to him.
Being a number nine and timing runs into the box from deep are very different things, though, and the latter may not come quite as naturally.
That is why Howe is now spending extra time on Joelinton’s attacking awareness, in an attempt to give Newcastle another goalscoring threat.
Joelinton scored eight goals in the 2022-23 season, but hasn’t broken past four goals in all competitions since that campaign.
Tonali scored six goals last season, while Bruno has never scored fewer than five goals in a Newcastle United campaign.
It’s time for Joelinton to step up that attacking quality and prove that he deserves to keep his place alongside Tonali and Bruno for a while yet.