Summary Newcastle United's injury crisis, with 13 players out injured, is causing a lack of options up top for head coach Eddie Howe. Anthony Gordon's performance as a center-forward against Bournemouth was disastrous, leaving Newcastle toothless in attack. Joelinton, who has struggled as a striker but has excelled in a deeper midfield role, could be the solution as a center-forward for Newcastle in the absence of Isak and Wilson.
Newcastle United currently have 13 players out injured in what can only be described as a crisis ahead of a gruelling run of fixtures, which includes two home bouts with Chelsea and Manchester United in the Premier League as well as a vital away tie with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
What will be more worrying for head coach Eddie Howe is his lack of options up top. Alexander Isak was taken off a few weeks ago during a game against Borussia Dortmund at St. James' Park, while backup centre-forward Callum Wilson limped off in the reverse fixture in Germany.
However, the Geordie club may have a blindingly obvious option to lead the line in Wilson's absence.
Newcastle United injury latest
While the loss of Isak due to a recurring groin issue was a tough pill to swallow for the Magpies, Wilson's absence will hurt more because of his reliability in a black and white shirt since arriving from Bournemouth. Nevertheless, the England international is set to miss the next six weeks of action after pulling his hamstring.
To combat having no centre-forward, Howe decided to deploy £45m January signing Anthony Gordon through the middle as Newcastle travelled to the manager's old side, Bournemouth. Unfortunately, the decision was disastrous.
The Mags looked toothless and registered an xG of merely 0.49 on the night to the Cherries' 2.46. Gordon alone managed to record an xG of just 0.07 from one shot while having three inside the opposition's penalty area, according to FotMob.
It was a night to forget for the former Everton man and Howe may be looking for something different when Mauricio Pochettino's high-scoring Chelsea come to town. The 45-year-old could even roll back the clock with one player.
Joelinton under Eddie Howe
During the match at the Vitality Stadium, Howe chose to place Joelinton on the left wing in place of Gordon. The Brazilian was certainly no stranger to the position, having featured 35 times throughout his career so far as a left-winger.
However, the position that the 27-year-old has been utilised the most in his playing days is up top, having played 159 games in all competitions as a centre-forward. Gordon, on the other hand, has appeared just ten times as a number '9'.
When Newcastle signed Joelinton back in 2019 for £40m, a club record fee at the time, it was believed that he would lead the line at St. James' Park for years to come.
The attacker moved to the North East of England after bagging 20 goal contributions in 36 appearances throughout the 2018/19 season for Julian Nagelsmann's Hoffenheim, including 11 goals and nine assists. Since signing for Newcastle, Wilson has managed to reach 20 goal contributions in one season just once which came in the previous campaign.
Goals
0.30
0.86
Assists
0.21
0.24
Expected Goals
0.35
0.84
Expected Assists
0.22
0.13
Shots On Target
1.01
1.48
Goals Per Shot
0.13
0.21
Progressive Passes
3.04
0.91
Passes To Final 1/3
1.77
0.48
Key Passes
1.81
1.1
Stats via FBref.
Joelinton had struggled to adapt to English football as a striker and was even labelled as a "flop" by fans and the media due to his goalscoring woes when featuring up top. Yet, it was Howe himself who had the genius idea to drop the Brazil international deeper as a midfielder which has changed the player's fortunes ten-fold. The manager even went as far as to call Joelinton a "machine" in the middle of the park.
The versatile attacker, on £85k-per-week, has played his best football at Newcastle on the left of a midfield three but there is still a centre-forward with predatory instincts inside Joelinton somewhere.
With both Isak and Wilson sidelined for the foreseeable future and Gordon looking uncomfortable in the role, it may be time for Howe to try the buoyant Brazilian up top once more.
