Former team mate explains why Joelinton has struggled at Newcastle | OneFootball

A former team mate of Joelinton has blamed Newcastle’s style of play for the striker’s woeful first season in the Premier League.

The Brazilian forward joined Steve Bruce’s side last summer for a club-record fee of €45m but has arguably been one of the flops of the campaign, netting just a solitary top flight goal.

But Norwich midfielder Lukas Rupp, who played with Joelinton and Hoffenheim, has criticised the Magpies approach and gives that as the reason for the South American’s struggles.

Speaking to the German website Kicker, Rupp said: “He has a really hard time there.

“They play a 5-4-1, park the bus in front of their own goal, and Joelinton has to struggle pretty much on his own in the front.”

Before the season was halted due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Magpies were 13th in the Premier League and into their first FA Cup quarter-final in over a decade.