The rise of Joelinton is not stopping anytime soon, as the Brazilian scored twice to help Newcastle United beat West Ham United 5-1 on Wednesday night.
Joelinton made his first Newcastle start since the Manchester City defeat in March, and justified his selection with a sensational performance.
It was a game that just summed up the type of player he is now. We saw him play in a couple of positions, starting in the middle before moving to the left. There were tackles aplenty, with Joelinton picking up yet another booking. There was a great battle with Lucas Paqueta, as the Brazilian duo fought for Bruno Guimaraes’ affection.
And, most importantly, there was composure and a decisiveness. We rarely saw that when he first arrived on Tyneside. Despite wearing the number nine, he struggled to have an impact in the final third.
But he showed a killer instinct on Wednesday night, scoring a brace to take his season tally to six.
Ally McCoist admits he used to feel sorry for Joelinton
The 26-year-old has dazzled TalkSPORT pundit Ally McCoist with his latest performance, and the former Rangers man cannot believe how much he has improved under Eddie Howe.
“I do not think I’ve seen a transformation in a a player anywhere at any time that’s been better than Joelinton,” he said.
“I remember going to watch Newcastle and you actually felt sorry for the lad. He was trying but he couldn’t hit a cow on the backside with a banjo.
“It’s brilliant to see, it really is. It just shows a change of manager, because he was dropped back as well, playing a bit deeper…they’re in pole position now for the Champions League places.”
He just keeps getting better and better for Newcastle
When Joelinton emerged as a star under Howe last season, there was always a feeling that it might eventually fizzle out. But it has proven to be more than just a purple patch, and the Brazilian continues to go from strength to strength.
As McCoist says, it is hard to think of another player who has done what Joelinton has done. He was always a trier, but some of his early performances in a Toon shirt were rotten. You felt sorry for him, as McCoist says.
But now there is no fear when Joelinton is involved. He is a man reborn, and a key component of Howe’s squad.
There was initially a hint of irony when Toon fans first sang ‘he only cost £40million’, but now it looks like money well spent. Joelinton deserves huge credit for turning things around, as does Eddie Howe for breathing new life into the Brazilian’s career.
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