I don't agree that service was a problem. The biggest issue was his inability to read the secondary ball. The number of times he should have been in a far better position in the box, or a loose ball should have had him, as a second striker, on top of it was unacceptable. I'm not saying he's a bad player. He has a good goalscoring record, and there's no reason why he can't grow into the side, but his performance yesterday was very, very poor. He was totally anonymous. Even Roy O'Donovan made more of an impact in his late cameo.
If Cody ends the season with 8 goals, ROD 9 and Lukas 16 I'll be happy. Anything from Clive and Freddy a bonus at this stage. It's not about one striker, it's about your group of strikers. I got hammered for my last Man U analogy, but think about the way pundits bang on about their best attack being the Cole/Yorke/Sheringham/Solskjaer combo. Individually not their best, but collectively their most effective.
I don't agree that service was a problem. The biggest issue was his inability to read the secondary ball. The number of times he should have been in a far better position in the box, or a loose ball should have had him, as a second striker, on top of it was unacceptable. I'm not saying he's a bad player. He has a good goalscoring record, and there's no reason why he can't grow into the side, but his performance yesterday was very, very poor. He was totally anonymous. Even Roy O'Donovan made more of an impact in his late cameo.
Well that was my worry. I sincerely hope this was down to a lack of understanding, but he wasn't reading the secondary ball as you say and wasn't trying to get in front of his marker. This is why none of Juke's knockdowns came to anything.
He was nearly in the right place a few times but seemed to be missing that well known yard of pace. Is it because of lack of match fitness? Is it because of lack of understanding with his new team? A mixture of the two?
We have seen his goals from last season. He will score for us. The quicker he gets into match fitness and the more he plays with this team the quicker he will improve. As said he is occupying the opponents defence. They will have also seen his goals last season. Maybe he was marked out of the game as well. He never seemed to have much space. If this continues it will give more space to the rest of the team. If he don't score for a few games he will be given a little more space as will not be seen as much as a threat as he is now. Then we will see what he can do.
Feel this is a bit of a silly thread, the lad wasn't going to set the world alight. He's not kicked a ball since May, he looked sharp, there was a couple of chances where because he's getting into positions with a bit more match time and fitness he could have buried.
He looked a bit pub player. But does a certain Mr. G Holt.
There was something different about the team this weekend. Was it just knowing that CM was around? Was it a memorial to Bakers Brother? Was it just a bit of fight?
Personally I think CM had a massive effect without actually doing much, he is here now and that gave the team a lift.