Just over a year ago, Newcastle's no. 9 and £40M record signing Joelinton Cássio Apolinário de Lira scored the winning goal against Spurs at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to fire The Magpies to the club's first Away win at a Top 6 team since 2015.

Mike Ashley was in the stands to see the first instalment paid off the hefty fee he encouraged Newcastle to spend to secure the Brazilian yet Newcastle fans expecting Joelinton to be a swashbuckling, goalscoring no. 9 in the vein of previous wearers of the hallowed black and white striker's shirt were to be disappointed.

Rather than being a prolific goalscorer, the Brazilian is more of a creator, link man and support forward rather than the man applying the finishing goal touch, which he did on just 2 Premier League occasions and twice more in The FA Cup last season.

And just as early reports had suggested, he is more in the mould of Firmino, the Brazilian striker he had replaced at Hoffenheim, who plays in the False 9 role and is an important creator of play and chances as borne out by statistical comparisons below:

Joelinton was described as "outstanding" by Jurgen Klopp after Newcastle faced The Reds at Anfield last season carrying The Magpies up the pitch into dangerous areas:

"Joelinton did outstanding. He is 100% made for the Premier League.
"If you had to replace Rondon, which is already difficult, then that was a good choice.
"He was a really good signing."

a view that was echoed later in the campaign by Pep Guardiola:

"They are physically so strong. They are so fast in front with Almiron, Saint-Maximin and Joelinton," he said. "We know him since last season when we played against Hoffenheim and the structure is quite similar like with Rafa Benitez so it's always difficult."

Positional Sense - Square Brazilian Pegs Don't Fit Into Geordie Round Holes

Yet just because Joelinton hasn't banged the goals in wearing the no. 9 shirt doesn't mean he wasn't a vital player in Newcastle's team last season and the statistics of when he plays and when he doesn't shows how important to the Toon cause he is with Newcastle only winning three times in games he hasn't started since he joined:

A trend that was extremely apparent in lockdown with Newcastle winning two and drawing two of the five games he started and winning no game at all from the five matches when he was benched:

Its clear that Joelinton makes Newcastle a better team when he plays constantly offering an outlet with his pace and strength as well as being a real force in the air winning the 7th most aerial duels in The Premier League at both ends of the pitch:

During lockdown, Newcastle beat Sheffield United at home with Joelinton through the middle as he got Jonathan Egan sent off and scored the third goal and hammered Bournemouth away with him behind Dwight Gayle in the central striking role, as his confidence grew.

Now Newcastle have signed Callum Wilson to play as their goal-scoring striker, Bruce's challenge is to make sure the more prolific Bournemouth striker - 37 goals in 127 games in the Premier League - gets the support and chances he needs to do the business in a black and white shirt and this is where Joelinton can excel.

By occupying defenders, winning headers, creating and playing as a foil to Wilson, Joelinton can help Newcastle gain the kind of attacking foothold in the game and final third of the pitch that they totally lacked against Brighton with Wilson playing up with the more static Andy Carroll in a rigid 4-4-2 system.

Joelinton can provide more fluidity and movement, dropping off and picking the ball up and being involved in the play like he demonstrated against Aston Villa and West Ham at St. James' Park in lockdown and Bruce has said he will pair Wilson and Joelinton together at some point over the season, saying of the Brazilian forward:

"We all know he’s a good player underneath it all.
"There’s a 24-year-old lad playing, getting used to the Premier League and he found it tough.
"I hope he can play alongside him at times and do well."

and judging by Sunday's performance at Brighton when Newcastle lacked shape and found the transition from defence and midfield to attacking a difficult one to bridge, it could be time to do so at Spurs where Joelinton enjoyed his finest hour for Newcastle.

That's so far because Joelinton can only get better after a difficult first year playing in an extremely isolated striking role in a defensive formation in a foreign League before socially-distancing was medically-mandatory yet he will be better for his experience and, integrated into the side in his more natural support position, he & Newcastle can thrive.

In last season's FA Cup run, Newcastle reached the club's first Quarter-Final for 15 years with Joelinton scoring twice, against Rochdale and Oxford, as well as creating this excellent goal for Miguel Almiron with a clever back-heel:

Another start tonight against Morecambe in the League Cup and as many of the 90 minutes under his belt as possible will help him gain the match fitness and sharpness he lacked against Blackburn due to starting pre-season late yet he'll be up to speed for that date with Destiny against Tottenham again on Sunday. FHWTL