Joe Willock: Not Your Average Joe

Willock is shxt. He has weaknesses in every part of his game. Bench Xhaka or ceballos? You must be joking right?

Low football IQ, poor decision making, poor game reading, no long pass, no killer pass, not skillful, poor ball control in tight space, poor teamwork, poor positioning, poor tactical awareness, no dictate tempo......Just compare him with iniesta/xavi/busquets, does willock plays like any of them? No.

I see much more talent in Matt Smith than willock.

 

You seem to talk in cliches like some tiki taka spam bot from 10 years ago. Are those 3 CMs the only players you've ever watched? PV4 would've been some brainless clogger according to you.

He wouldn't be a frequent option off the bench for 3 different managers if he's as poor as you make him out to be. Hell, Wenger promoted him straight from the U18s to first team skipping the U23s and he's been trusted by Emery and Arteta as well.

 

I think his physical traits are pretty elite. He is tall, pretty powerful even with his wiry frame. He has good speed and agility for a midfielder too. He has an engine.

I think the biggest obstacle for him the mental phase of the game. Not the physical or technical. He is not spectacular on a technical level, but he is pretty competent.

He even showed a good range of passing in the 19/20 pre-season, but obviously not the same level of pressure as real competition.

I think he is a solid prospect, but needs to improve his decision-making, composure and learn to have a sustained impact on games.

All these things are not guaranteed to improve, that's why some players just become midtable level talent or squad options.

Think if we don't see much improvement by next season, we should start looking to sell as other young midfielders with a lot of talent are on the horizon.

 

Iniesta, Xavi and Busquets are not the only 3 midfielders I’ve watched.

There are also Fabregas, Nasri, Cazorla, Kaka, Pirlo, Seedorf, Thiago, Coutinho, Goretzka, Kroos, Alonso, Modric, Isco, Eriksen, Scholes, Carrick, Zidane, Silva, KDB, Fernandinho......

 

He has a long pass
He has a killer pass
He is skilfull
He is good in tight spaces
He has a long shot
He has excellent timing of runs when arriving in the box

The problem is he isn't consistent and he hasn't put it together yet. However, that is not a reason to sell him.

He is very similar to Ramsey, but has a few different traits. He is physically more imposing, carries the ball better but is less smooth receiving it. He receives the ball like a winger but central which needs to be changed.

Football players mature at different ages. It's very rare that you have a complete midfielder at 21. Think about Ramsey at the same age. Couldn't finish, erratic in front of goal, poor decision making, low impact defensively. In 5 years all of those attributes turned into elite attributes.

 

ramsey was shxt, a huge liability in our general play. Take away his goals and he will be the worst ever player in the PL.

 

I partially agree with you on this one, although I won't say worst ever EPL player lol.

Ramsey looked pretty good as a prospect before the Shawcross injury, but afterwards, his technique went to ****.

He had an amazing season in 13/14, looked like a complete midfielder, but after scoring all those goals he became obsessed with being a goal scoring midfielder.

It led to him neglecting the other aspects of his game. The injuries never helped either, def affected his development like it did with Wilshere, Walcott, Chamberlain and Diaby.

 

I don't see it tbh, but i'm happy to be proved wrong.

 

Arteta reminding us again that he doesn't trust Willock's midfield play, choosing to play Saka as the most advanced central midfielder in possession before him. Willock is destined to be a squad player here, IMO, club doesn't rate him in any single position enough to prioritise his development there with a loan, and Arteta likes to use his tools as a jack-of-all-trades, while hiding his weaknesses (not playing him in midfield or when he does, keeping him higher on the pitch to hide him a bit in possession).

 

Not sure what to think about him he talented but he not ready to make big step to be starter he backup

 

Feel sorry for him always having to play a role or position he's unfamiliar with.

 

Most footballers play out of position.

 

Largely anonymous and looks better centrally. His was the worst penalty but the reaction afterwards was . Not sure about him long term atm

 

@OnlyOne come get your boy pls

 

Could do with a trip to Germany

 

Loan him to a side so he can play as a box to box player please ffs. If we sign Aouar and keep one of ESR/Nelson we wont be needing Willock and I think we ar stunting his growth tbh.

 

He trusted him there against Leicester away. I think you are reading too much into it. He’s just a versatile footballer who Arteta uses in different ways depending on the opposition.

 

Me too.

 

What’s his natural position?
I don’t rate him as a central midfielder at all.

 

He looked great in a pre season a few years ago, he was in central midfield.

I don’t really see it myself though tbh. Just like the majority of our academy players.