With Joelinton setting the club back £40m in the summer, big expectations came with that big price tag – and it hasn’t quite worked out.
In fact, the Brazillian’s goal against Tottenham Hostpur in August is the only league goal he has scored all season, which has got some fans worried.
Steve Bruce’s 5-4-1 is hardly the tactic to see a striker racking up 20 goals a season, but the problem looks worse than just finishing ability, as the player just isn’t getting into enough goalscoring opportunities.
The attacker has featured in every league game this season, but he only averages 1.5 shots per game, which is lower than both Allan Saint-Maximin and Jonjo Shelvey. Furthermore, according to stats from SofaScore, the attacker has only missed seven big chances this season. Meaning that, if you add his goal to his big chances, he has only had eight in the entire league campaign while leading the line in almost every single match – and that’s the biggest concern.
While discussing the issues that the former Hoffenheim player is having in front of goal, he suggested that he is more of a team player and that he needs to be more selfish in order to start boosting his tally.
Bruce said to the Express and Star: “He has to be a bit more selfish, a bit like a top goalscorer.
“They are totally selfish and all they are interested in is scoring a goal. Joe is not like that, he’s more of a team player, and all we can do is keep encouraging the lad.
“Unfortunately Joe will just be measured by one thing – goals. It has been a huge learning curve for him and at times he’s found it difficult but I’m convinced he’ll come good and hopefully it’s tomorrow.”
It’s a bit worrying when your manager suggests that your £40m striker isn’t much of a goalscorer, especially when you have such few options on the bench, Dwight Gayle is obviously much more of a poacher, but with United looking to play on the counter, he doesn’t possess the strength or height to really suit Bruce’s tactics.
Nevertheless, it seems as if his manager is sticking by him, which is a huge positive for Joelinton.
Thankfully, they have a nice little buffer on the relegation zone as it stands, and if he can get a few goals before the end of the season it could kick him on for next year.