The goals may have slowed in recent games with just Dan Goslings' goal registering in the last three games, but the side needs to have plenty of potential goal scorers when Callum Wilson is unavailable. Callum missed out on the last game against Sunderland and while he may be back for the Stoke City match, there has to be more reliance on others to keep chipping in with goals.
The main criticism of AFCB of late has been their shooting accuracy, which is staggering when considering that they smashed six past Hull City this season. When they are on-form they are really on-form and when they are not, the chances still come but they never look likely to score. The shots have not slowed, which is something that Eddie Howe will at least be pleased with. Chances have been created and simply not taken. Does that mean AFCB are much less of an attacking threat when Callum Wilson is not in the team?
Callum Wilson himself has only scored three goals in 10 games this season. He has perhaps not yet got back to his best and there is more to come from him. Undoubtedly, the team is set up though for Callum to get goals and when he is not leading the line there is less of a focal point for the midfielders to pick out. That may be because Callum makes the kind of runs that others find hard to see and carry out, but I think the team is still getting used to having Jack Wilshere playing in the number 10 role and that adjustment will hopefully feel more comfortable in the next few games.
Josh King has also not been as sharp in his goal scoring as AFCB fans might have hoped and yet, when he is on the pitch, the side has more of a battling style up front, which I think helps the team's attacking momentum. My preference is really for King and Wilson to play through the middle, but it is understandable that Eddie Howe wants to accommodate Jack Wilshere as his talent for picking a pass out is first rate. With Andrew Suman out of the picture though, Arter and Wilshere could be used as a central midfield partnership. The tackling bite and mature thinking of Dan Gosling seems to fit better for Howe though, when Surman is not available, and I can see why Gosling deserves his selection.
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In essence, I'd argue AFCB need Jack Wilshere to start scoring and making assists if AFCB are to be more of a potent force. Otherwise, accommodating Jack may not be the best overall choice for the team.
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| Callum is striving to hit his top form. |
Callum Wilson himself has only scored three goals in 10 games this season. He has perhaps not yet got back to his best and there is more to come from him. Undoubtedly, the team is set up though for Callum to get goals and when he is not leading the line there is less of a focal point for the midfielders to pick out. That may be because Callum makes the kind of runs that others find hard to see and carry out, but I think the team is still getting used to having Jack Wilshere playing in the number 10 role and that adjustment will hopefully feel more comfortable in the next few games.
Josh King has also not been as sharp in his goal scoring as AFCB fans might have hoped and yet, when he is on the pitch, the side has more of a battling style up front, which I think helps the team's attacking momentum. My preference is really for King and Wilson to play through the middle, but it is understandable that Eddie Howe wants to accommodate Jack Wilshere as his talent for picking a pass out is first rate. With Andrew Suman out of the picture though, Arter and Wilshere could be used as a central midfield partnership. The tackling bite and mature thinking of Dan Gosling seems to fit better for Howe though, when Surman is not available, and I can see why Gosling deserves his selection.
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Although top grade football is not about luck, chance factors play a big part at the game-to-game level. Take Callum Wilson's opening season goal - a back foot flick that went just inside the far post. I would bet that Wilson and Smith could try to re-create that in training - with a one-in-twenty chance of success. Which isn't to say they didn't deserve the win - just that results can turn out differently.
ReplyDeleteThe only solution is to create as many chances as possible - but sometimes it helps not to try TOO hard to score. Apparently, Brian Clough used to tell his strikers never to "gold-plate" scoring chances - for example by hitting the ball too hard - or dragging the ball on to the favoured foot. A good example of this in action was Gosling's lovely first-time, left footed sweep for the sixth against Hull.