Is Jack Hinshelwood actually a hidden striker in disguise?!

As the season has now drawn to a close, Albion secured a brilliant victory on the final game of the season away at Tottenham in commanding fashion.

Spurs were certainly there for the taking, but ‘take’ is exactly what the Seagulls did. The fortunes were turned by a certain local hero, who put his name in the goalscoring headlines only a week ago against the Champions.

Seriously, who knew Jack could do that?

Jack Hinshelwood has had a season to remember at the club. The boyhood Albion fan is one of those who you feel like he truly ‘gets it’ whenever he steps foot on the pitch.

Noticeably, the celebrations after his dramatic goal, only two minutes after being on the field against Liverpool, proved all we knew already. Hinshelwood’s moment came dramatically, as he entered the game alongside his 17-year-old cousin, Harry Howell.

Jack didn’t need Harry in this one, but the fact that Albion have talent that is not only high level, but also local to the club is an admirable step towards a solidified future.

Hinshelwood recently made himself social media viral when he liked a post indicating his distaste for playing out of position. The 20-year-old has spent a good chunk of this season operating at right-back, despite being a known midfielder.

His situation has not been helped by a wave of injuries, as Joel Veltman, Tariq Lamptey and Ferdi Kadıoğlu have all missed big periods of the season. The young lion international has made a name for himself as being a strong utility option, and sometimes playing well consistently in different positions can come at its own expense.

Former Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi called Jack Hinshelwood “the next Pascal Gross” last season, heavily praising his versatility in the squad. One thing is for sure, both of them can be trusted to cover nearly any position on a football pitch.

Hinshelwood has shown incredible signs of knowing where the back of the net is. His goals have been typical strikers’ goals; in fact, he doesn’t tend to score ‘bad goals’ at all. It isn’t luck to be in the right place at the right time. Players like Glenn Murray made an entire career doing exactly that.

His goal at Manchester City earlier in the season was proof of his high intelligence when it comes to positioning. Tottenham and Crystal Palace last season also come to mind for excellent moments for our number 41. Poised in the box after a set piece and ready to turn the ball into the back of the net. His moment last week came in a very similar moment.

Back post, where you need a number nine to be. Hinshelwood’s brace against Spurs this weekend was a total backup of the point. A lot of Albion fans were not too concerned to see him up-front with the knowledge that he would be ‘there’ if he needed to be.

Both of the goals were taken very well, and they got Albion back into a game that they were desperately chasing for a European place. The second goal will get the plaudits for the audacity and instinct to score a back-heel in front of your fans to pull your side in front to lead 2-1 after being 1-0 down, but the first was just as good. A rifled finish into the roof of the net inside the six-yard box. Once again, instinctive.

Former Albion goalkeeper and regular Talk Seagulls podcast guest Toby Bull exclusively told us earlier in the season that Jack Hinshelwood is a ‘genius’. He told me

“There’s times where you talk about units in training. Defensive, attacking etc. A lot of players will know their set positions, they’re focussed. But with Jack [Hinshelwood], if you asked him for every single position what their role or what they needed to do in that role, he would know the answer. Even though he doesn’t play there, he would know.

He would know what runs to make, when to peel out wide.”

The insight from players of a similar bracket to look up to someone in the same category is not just crazy, but it is undeniable proof that Hinshelwood would reach the heights. To us fans, we find ourselves in disbelief that some players are so young when playing regular Premier League football, but for the players, they know. They expect it.

Hinshelwood has a long career ahead of him, and his position is very much a midfielder. However, as we know, Fabian Hürzeler’s emphasis on his team isn’t on the midfielders. He likes to empty the midfield and overload the attack. A tactic that could suit Hinshelwood’s newfound goalscoring ability.