Carroll offers solution to Newcastle star’s struggles amid suprise confession
Andy Carroll claims former Newcastle United team-mate Joelinton is a ‘brilliant’ player and has struggled due to being played out of position.
Joelinton, 25, moved to St James’ Park in the summer of 2019. The Magpies paid Rapid Vienna a reported club record fee of £40m and big things were expected of the Brazilian. However, he has failed to live up to his billing or price tag, with only 10 goals from 86 appearances.
The former Hoffenheim ace was not exactly prolific in front of goal while in Austria. He hit 21 goals from 79 outings for the Allianz Stadion outfit before the Tynesiders came calling.
Both Joelinton and teammate Miguel Almiron have come in for fierce criticism while at Newcastle. Club legend Alan Shearer has been particularly vocal about the duo.
Carroll returned for a second spell with the north-east giants in 2019. However, the giant hitman made only eight starts across two seasons due to a series of niggling injuries.
He scored just one goal but saw enough of Joelinton to suggest why he does not appear at his best in matches. And it seems as though the ex-Liverpool star is a big fan of the South American.
“The way he plays, I think he’s absolutely brilliant,” he told Shearer on The Athletic’s ‘Pod on the Tyne’ podcast. “I think he’s probably been playing out of position as a number nine, I don’t think he really is a number nine, he’s probably out wide.
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“You see him in training, he finishes left and right feet, he scores with his head. He’s a great finisher.”
Joelinton sets sights high
It is open to debate as to whether Magpies fans will agree with the free-agent forward. Carroll is now without a club after seeing out his deal under Steve Bruce.
Despite an underwhelming stint in black and white Joelinton has ambitions to play for one of the top English clubs. Back in the summer, the former Sport Recife star outlined his future plans.
“It’s a dream (to play for a top-six club). Newcastle is a great club, but they are below those others,” told Brazilian source UOL (via Sport Witness).
“I know that to get to this level I need to work harder and make a better season than what I’ve done here. I want to play in the Champions League again, but that just depends on what I do at Newcastle.
“Things happen very fast in football. I have to keep working, confident, with positive thinking.”
He has yet to score from five league outings this term. But he was credited with an assist for Allan Saint-Maximin’s superb equaliser in Friday’s 1-1 draw with Leeds United.
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