Some players exist within themselves, looking after what they do. Others, and possibly the minority, impact team-mates and make them better. For Newcastle, Joe Willock is one such player.
To have him back in a Premier League starting XI — for only the second time this season — made all the difference at St James’ Park on Saturday.
Remember last week’s Dan Burn debate — and the week before that and the week before that — about the left back needing to be dropped? He started against Wolves and was rarely troubled.
At one point in the first half, he recovered to take the ball off Pedro Neto, the right winger who was supposed to expose Burn’s lack of pace. There is no need to run fast when you and your team are in control.
Newcastle cruised to a 3-0 win over Wolves during their Premier League clash on Saturday
Joe Willock’s return to the starting line-up was a welcome sight for Magpies fans
Alexander Isak opened the scoring as the hosts got back to winning ways against Wolves
Eddie Howe changed his approach and told his back line to sit deep, ceded possession to Wolves and played on the break. Willock’s running power was central to the entire plan. Newcastle, at times, played like the away team. It worked.
It was not just Burn who looked more comfortable. Bruno Guimaraes had a midfield buddy to share the heavy lifting, and the Brazilian was liberated when he had the ball.
Anthony Gordon had to worry less about running back and, instead, the left winger ran forward at pace at every opportunity. It led to the first goal scored by Alexander Isak, and Gordon himself got the second, again on the break.
At 2-0 up, the game was won inside a 33-minute period in which Wolves boss Gary O’Neil insisted his team were far superior, a first-half possession count of 61 per cent supporting his belief.
He was wrong. It was a trick of the eye and Wolves had fallen under Newcastle’s spell.
But Willock had allowed Newcastle to play that way. The 24-year-old has been missing for the majority of this campaign with a hamstring complaint then a recurring achilles injury.
His absence has been felt in a season when Newcastle’s midfield, by Howe’s admission, has not functioned quite as he would like. The challenge now is keeping fit a player who is more driver than passenger — because with him in the team, there is a far greater chance of staying on track for a European finish.
‘Joe adds a running and an athleticism that maybe we don’t have without him,’ said Howe. ‘I was delighted with his contribution. Our midfield does have a different complexion with him in it.’
The result sees Newcastle maintain their push for a place in Europe next season
Newcastle have drifted in recent months, injury as opposed to intensity becoming their identity. Howe was sending them out with a plan but too often it felt doomed to fail. That was a personnel issue and they were stuck in a spin of forwards, sideways and backwards steps.
There is a reason they have bounced between seventh and 10th since before Christmas.
But with bodies back — Willock and Isak are key — here were a team who looked like a top-six outfit. Top four? Not yet, and Howe agreed.
This, though, was a first step on their recovery towards that, and it is no surprise it coincided with Willock’s return.
