Joe Willock

[CrimsonGunner11]

Everyone seems to look straight past any potential he has though. I am far from happy with how he performs for Arsenal, but to put in a shift like he did for Newcastle last season does not happen by accident. The kid has something. It is more shameful on us in being unable to unlock and cherish that. Still has something to give, but does not seem like he can do so here. Hope its not another Gnabry, he was definitely 'not good enough for The Arsenal' right?

Considering why we bought Lokonga and soon to be White, Willock should be able to perform better for us if he stays. However I would prefer that we let him go and not miss out on cashing in on his run of form for Newcastle. There are a few reasons why I think we don’t need Willock.

1. We need more creativity from the position he occupies. Keeping Willock suggests that we’re trying to build the team around him and to do that we would need to make more changes than just signing players like White and Lokonga. Our style of play, for example, would also need to change which brings me to my next point:
2. Considering that the style of football we often play is centered around keeping possession, Willock won’t be able to flourish and his abilities will be wasted here. Willock was able to do well at Newcastle because of the style of football they play. We, or rather Arteta, is not capable of adjusting to that style of football IMO
3. Willock leans more towards an offensive player. Were he more defensive with the the ability to score the way that he does I’d say we should keep him and consider him as an option to play alongside Partey. That would make him our new Vieira but that’s only if he can manage to develop this side of his game. Willock specializes at something and he’s good at it so I don’t see a reason for him to change his ways. He’s better off joining a team that plays to his strengths as opposed to a team where he needs to play to the team’s strengths

Loan him to Newcastle.

Honestly, if he plays again like he did for them end of last season he'll be a £35m player all day on his way to £45m.

Remember he was the highest scoring CM in that period in the league or at least joint top.

Just goes to show what a manager can do for their player, embarrassing really.

It's sell now or lose him for close to nothing next summer when he has a year left on his deal.

This is the ideal scenario but only if we can get something of note.

Otherwise we have no choice but to loan him out again to Newcastle as DG said. In this case we then try to extend his contract by a reasonable amount and keep loaning him out until we can sell him for what he’s actually worth. From what I’ve seen of Willock at Newcastle, he will still remain a valuable option for not only Newcastle but many other clubs like them. No need to rush to get Willock off our books IMO

TL;DR:

If he continues his decent form a lot more clubs than just Newcastle will be wanting to sign him !

[Ach]

Newcastle United are increasingly hopeful of signing English midfielder Joe Willock, 21, on another loan deal from Arsenal. (Mail)

However, French side Monaco have been in touch with Willock's entourage about a move, which would offer the player the chance of Champions League football. (Foot Mercato via Inside Futbol)

[Highbury Hillbilly]

Newcastle won't submit a buy offer, it's loan or nothing.

[Phil71]

Newcastle won't submit a buy offer, it's loan or nothing.

They're in limbo at the moment with the ownership issue.

[Salibatelli]

If it’s a loan don’t bother, it’s time we sold players we don’t want, all that happens after a loan is we either loan them again, their value drops and we can’t sell or their contract runs down and we lose them for peanuts.

Does anyone at this club actually know what they’re doing, because it sure doesn’t look like it.

[Highbury Hillbilly]

If it’s a loan don’t bother, it’s time we sold players we don’t want, all that happens after a loan is we either loan them again, their value drops and we can’t sell or their contract runs down and we lose them for peanuts.

Does anyone at this club actually know what they’re doing, because it sure doesn’t look like it.

Willock will end up like Nelson if he stays; Arteta doesn't rate him, and I get the feeling Odegaard will be back here later this season. Hope Monaco come in with an offer.

[DiamondGooner]

He's going to be good I can feel it.

His loan at Newcastle was an absolute success, he's being slept on really badly, should change his agent and get away from Arteta, the man will destroy his career.

I'm no Willock fan but people need to realise at NC he was one of the top 3 best attacking CM's in the league during his stint, the stats don't lie.

[Highbury Hillbilly]

He's going to be good I can feel it.

His loan at Newcastle was an absolute success, he's being slept on really badly, should change his agent and get away from Arteta, the man will destroy his career.

I'm no Willock fan but people need to realise at NC he was one of the top 3 best attacking CM's in the league during his stint, the stats don't lie.

He needs to go on loan to a club that can afford to buy him. Everton or Aston Villa are the only ones outside the Top 6 that could afford a £20m plus fee.

Ideally he would be playing for us; I don't accept that he's not good enough for Arsenal when we're sitting in 8th place and he single-handedly outscored our entire midfield in 8 matches.

[starmandb]

He's going to be good I can feel it.

His loan at Newcastle was an absolute success, he's being slept on really badly, should change his agent and get away from Arteta, the man will destroy his career.

I'm no Willock fan but people need to realise at NC he was one of the top 3 best attacking CM's in the league during his stint, the stats don't lie.

He needs to go on loan to a club that can afford to buy him. Everton or Aston Villa are the only ones outside the Top 6 that could afford a £20m plus fee.

Ideally he would be playing for us; I don't accept that he's not good enough for Arsenal when we're sitting in 8th place and he single-handedly outscored our entire midfield in 8 matches.

Saka scored 7
Smith Rowe 4
Elneny 3
Odegaard 2
Xhaka 1
Willock scored 3 for us as well

[Highbury Hillbilly]

i meant PL goals, Willock didn't have Europa games when he went on loan. And Saka's role is usually too wide to be considered a midfielder.

[starmandb]

i meant PL goals, Willock didn't have Europa games when he went on loan. And Saka's role is usually too wide to be considered a midfielder.

Right side of midfield is still midfield
Premier league goals
Saka 5
Smith Rowe 2
Elneny 1
Odegaard 1
Xhaka 1

[thebigbangtheo]

Until we bought him and I was able to view first hand what exactly it was that he brought to the party, I had little to no appreciation of David Platt (no, not the character from Coranation Street).

Beyond his natural ability to be Johnny on the spot to consistently crack in a variety of goals, I struggled to see what value he added to midfield outside of simple 15-20 yard passes. Admittedly to a much lesser extent and more so in relation to his pre Chelsea career, a similar lack of appreciation existed regards Frank Lampard to the point of accusations that he was no more than the beneficiary of nepotism.

To me, rather than just being shunted into a siding reserved for academy players that fail to cut the mustard but are still capable of achieving a decent career albeit elsewhere, Joe has managed to derail himself and then jump the tracks onto a railway line with goalscoring midfielder at the end of it.

In addressing the many ailments within the team as was, Joe is not like Saka or Smith-Rowe in that you can see why their attributes are like bringing light into the darkness. I can't say for certain whether it is simply my heart ruling my head in deeming that we retain him along the lines of a super sub for the last twenty minutes or so of games, or fear of repeating the mistake of prematurely allowing Gnabry and Martinez to leave.

[jayramfootball]

If it’s a loan don’t bother, it’s time we sold players we don’t want, all that happens after a loan is we either loan them again, their value drops and we can’t sell or their contract runs down and we lose them for peanuts.

Does anyone at this club actually know what they’re doing, because it sure doesn’t look like it.

Willock will end up like Nelson if he stays; Arteta doesn't rate him, and I get the feeling Odegaard will be back here later this season. Hope Monaco come in with an offer.

Nelson just looks worse every time I see him play.
I think the reason he's 'ended up' where he is, is down to being not good enough.

Willock has at least shown something and performed at the highest level, albeit for just half a season.
He's worth keeping IMO to see if he can keep on developing as a goal-scoring midfielder.

[Arsenal Tone]

I'd be tempted to have him as back up to ESR at #10. I think that is the position he played when he scored those goals for Newcastle.

[theHotHead]

Willock can't play number 10, he is not creative, he just gets on the end of things. He's a CM that makes good late runs, definitely not a no10.