Joe Willock: Joening the First Team

[hydrofluoric acid]

Only 18 and people often forget that he has to alter his playstyle against grown men, also he is learning on new position. Tells everything about the kids ability. When he is grown and can 100% play at this level you will see a player that can do a lot. A little bit of everything.

Brilliant brilliant talent!

 

[Rouski]

Great to see talented players breaking through, in hindsight terrible decision for Chris Willock to move on, could have been playing in the first team with Arsenal alongside his brother instead of the second tier Portuguese football.

 

[MutableEarth]

Only 18 and people often forget that he has to alter his playstyle against grown men, also he is learning on new position. Tells everything about the kids ability. When he is grown and can 100% play at this level you will see a player that can do a lot. A little bit of everything.

Brilliant brilliant talent!

I think Wenger wants to accelerate his development by giving him these kind of starts. He's the exact kind of guy Wenger wants in midfield (as is AMN to be fair, but such is his versatility he's playing everywhere else ). Tall, big strides, all-rounder (good at dribbles, passes etc), defensively sound. He just needs to get used to the pace of first team football. Hasn't even begun to impose himself at U23 level yet. Just needs to adjust and get ahead of the game.

 

[MutableEarth]

I said he hadn't begun to impose himself on U23 football. He's starting to now.

Dragomir and Nketiah will certainly hit the headlines for their goalscoring exploits, but Willock and Dasilva also deserve much praise.

Willock produced one of his standout recent performances as he played some superb passes and was constantly seeking to push Arsenal forwards.

 

[tap-in]

I said he hadn't begun to impose himself on U23 football. He's starting to now.

These are the players we need in the final EL game, great experience and if they do well it'll lift them even more. I was so disappointed to see the line up on Thur, full of players we know everything about who cant even get motivated for such a game. Bring in the young hungry talented players, Wenger used to love giving youth a chance but he's now gone from one extreme to the other.

 

[MutableEarth]

Needs more time to cook at u23 level IMO. The talent is there, but inexperience is vast even compared to Nelson and AMN.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

He's the least developed of our promoted youngsters but flashes of what he's capable of shine through. He needs to quicken his game and develop physically to operate at first team level.

 

[infinium]

Nowhere near ready for the adult game.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

I just fail why people would want to judge young player after playing with Elneny in midfield. Elneny would have made Cazorla or even Modric look bad today.

Anyway this is such a huge season for him! Huge experience and I like the idea of Willock - Maitland-Niles midfield duo in the future.

 

[Sniper Mik]

Can't even say good or bad because I feel he doesn't show up for the ball as often as you'd want for a midfielder. There's just something not right about him at the moment that feels like a fundamental flaw but it's not really obvious.

 

[TromsoGooner]

Shouldn't have started. We`re we seriously resting Coquelin for Chelsea?

 

[dashsnow17]

Very talented, just hasn't developed physically enough yet to be playing CM in competitive senior football.

 

[nick gould]

I just fail why people would want to judge young player after playing with Elneny in midfield. Elneny would have made Cazorla or even Modric look bad today.

Anyway this is such a huge season for him! Huge experience and I like the idea of Willock - Maitland-Niles midfield duo in the future.

Xhaka is still young, same applies to jack Wilshere. I have not given up on zalaelem, we still have Jeff and mcguane fellow it’s not easy to tell who is going to make our new central midfield pairing in future. I suspect this mcguane fellow will have a lot to say in that. It’s usually the silently brilliant ones who make it.

 

[MutableEarth]

Nice cameo tonight. Displayed everything AMN didn't - energy, competitiveness and assertiveness. Clearly growing in stature now that he has more U23 football under his belt. I'd still like him to get more games there at that level so he can get more confidence but he's acquitted himself very well in his appearance this season despite not being quite ready.

 

[grange]

it’s not easy to tell who is going to make our new central midfield pairing in future. I suspect this mcguane fellow will have a lot to say in that. It’s usually the silently brilliant ones who make it.

So much for that

 

[Gegen Pressing]

and mcguane fellow it’s not easy to tell who is going to make our new central midfield pairing in future. I suspect this mcguane fellow will have a lot to say in that. .

McGuane? Another Wenger out "pearl"
(read: dumped but later tried to resign just like Özyakup now)

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Growing into his body. He is gonna have some nice physical attributes in year or a two.

 

[dashsnow17]

Growing into his body. He is gonna have some nice physical attributes in year or a two.

Agree, would probably benefit from a loan to League One or Championship (or Germany) in the meantime while his frame fills out.

 

[MutableEarth]

Growing into his body. He is gonna have some nice physical attributes in year or a two.

Took a look at his per 90 stats in the EL, which made for quite interesting reading.

Averages almost 60 passes per 90 at a completion rate of 89%, not bad.
Wins a total of 3.6 tackles per 90 and only misses one per. Only 1.3 interceptions per 90 but not too worried about that. Our positioning as a team these days doesn't allow for many of those!

He's completed 3 dribbles per 90 (arguably one of his biggest strengths so far at this level) and this is at an 83% success rate.

This kid is very raw compared to some of our other youngsters, even Nelson who is younger but has more U23 experience. So those stats and what I've seen with my own eyes are very encouraging to say the least. I'm intrigued the more football he plays. Took up the cause for AMN playing in midfield - and I still do even after his performance last night - but Willock showed why he got the favored spot in the EL before AMN did. Still 18.

Also, he had a half-decent game against West Ham in the EL, which was a good litmus test. Here's his stats:


And the highlights:

 

[A_G]

He reminds me a bit of Diaby with that frame and slightly languid style.