Brighton midfielder Steve Sidwell insists his former team-mate and Newcastle striker Joselu is an ‘unreal finisher’ despite his difficult start to life on Tyneside.
The Spaniard has found the net only once for his new club this season, and has been heavily criticised in recent weeks for missing a number of chances against both his former club and Brighton at the weekend.
Joselu fluffed a hat-trick of sitters against the Potters a fortnight ago, however was left off the hook thanks to a late Jamaal Lascelles goal to hand Newcastle victory, yet had no such luck this weekend against Brighton as the striker’s misses proved costly in a narrow 1-0 defeat at the Amex Stadium.
Despite his troubles in front of goal, Sidwell remains in no doubt the striker will find his feet at St James’ Park.
“I’ve got to say, he was probably one of the best finishers at Stoke. Honestly, frightening,” Sidwell said during BBC 5Live’s Football Daily (via the Chronicle).
“If you called up any of the lads from Stoke now, they’d honestly say he was unreal. Left foot, right foot, any kinds of finish in the air.
“What’s encouraging is, having gone to Newcastle, he is getting in the positions to do it and it’s only a matter of time. If it does click, he will go into double figures.”
Sidwell spent part of the 2015/16 season at the bet365 with the Spaniard before moving onto Brighton, and has been full of nothing but praise for his former team mate, despite him finding the net just 5 times during his time with Mark Hughe’s side.
“At times when he was at Stoke, he was a lone striker doing jobs he maybe didn’t want to do, but I think he’s learned now and that mentality has kicked in.
“He knows he’s got to put that graft in now but, as far as finishing is concerned, he could do every type of finish – in the box, outside the box, volley, left foot, right foot.
“Honestly, he was superb.”
