Joselu

Joselu
Image from: chroniclelive.com

Jose Luis Sanmartin Mato 'Joselu'





Current Club: Newcastle United.

Previous Clubs: Stoke City, Hannover 96, TSG Hoffenheim, Real Madrid Castilla, Celta Vigo.

Loan Clubs: Deportivo La Coruna, Eintracht Frankfurt, Celta Vigo.





International: N/A.

Trophies Won: N/A.





Joselu is like a bit old fashioned target man in many respects but has the first touch and passing ability of a more refined player. A big lump with skill, it should be an unstoppable combination. The problem is that he lacks accuracy with his shooting, he will always look to place it, which will, 9 times out of 10, mean the ball goes straight into the keeper's arms or wide of the goal. In the air he is great at winning the header but hopeless at directing the numerous headers he wins.



When you are putting together a list of the most clinical strikers in the Premier League, Joselu would be near the bottom, below the other options in the Newcastle squad and just about everyone else's strikers too. His strengths are not goalscoring, he is best at holding up the ball and bringing others into play, dropping off and acting like a link player between midfield and attack. The problem is that he is the point man and should be the one getting on the end of the balls, not providing him.



That lack of goalscoring threat saw him lose his place to Dwight Gayle as the season went on, which is little surprise as a striker needs to threaten the net. Joselu ticks a lot of other boxes, hard work, decent pace, strong etc, but goals are just not coming for him. In my opinion it would probably be better to try him in an attacking midfield role, rather than target man role. Though I am not sure even in that position he is good enough for the Premier League.



He does have decent vision, good hold up of the ball, fairly quick, strong, good technique and first touch, decent passer of the ball. However I just do not think he will ever be good enough to hold down a long term place. Joselu simply is decent and has not got enough about him to be any more than a back up, unless he finds a way to be more clinical in front of goal. It is not composure he lacks, he seems a little too laidback if anything, but he needs to find the answer to his inability to convert a decent number of chances quickly before Newcastle find long term replacements.