Afobe looked good when he first arrived when played as an out and out number nine. Howe tried to turn him into a deep lying forward and his career went downhill from that point. Howe improved many players, but Benik most certainly regressed under him....agree that we should have improved him whilst he was with us as he seemed to have a confidence crisis at one point. I do recall Howe played him wide quite often rather than as a central striker...something he did with Grabban too..Beniks goal at Selhurst will always live in my memory from a great night up there when we beat them in our pink strip!
Trouble is, most of the time he'd have been better off playing keeperI remember one game at Dean Court where he had a very good game playing deeper.
Afobe looked good when he first arrived when played as an out and out number nine. Howe tried to turn him into a deep lying forward and his career went downhill from that point. Howe improved many players, but Benik most certainly regressed under him.
But for a striker he had the scuffiest shot on him, he very rarely hit the ball cleanly. I never understood how he became an acknowledged striker when he rarely had a clean contact with the ball. He was definitely a weird one in my book !sure he used to be an explosive, direct out and out striker prior to joining us, not sure what happened to him.
maybe Neil Moss was training him?
100% agree. Even when warming up I can't remember a proper sweet clean connection. The most consistent player at striking the ball sweetly IMO was Scott Malone, if only Afobe had had his timing/technique.But for a striker he had the scuffiest shot on him, he very rarely hit the ball cleanly. I never understood how he became an acknowledged striker when he rarely had a clean contact with the ball. He was definitely a weird one in my book !
100% agree. Even when warming up I can't remember a proper sweet clean connection. The most consistent player at striking the ball sweetly IMO was Scott Malone, if only Afobe had had his timing/technique.
Eddie did what he did to virtually every out and out forward we signed under him, tried to convert them from an out and out number nine into a deep lying forward. In order to fit into his preferred 4-4-1-1 and to accommodate Wilson as the number nine. Afobe, King, Defoe all experienced this. Why he didn’t just try to sign a natural number 10 is a mystery to me.sure he used to be an explosive, direct out and out striker prior to joining us, not sure what happened to him.
maybe Neil Moss was training him?
Forgot Brett Pitman and Yann. Yann’s best individual season for us was when he first signed and played as an out and out forward, he was playing a lot deeper in the promotion season.Eddie did what he did to virtually every out and out forward we signed under him, tried to convert them from an out and out number nine into a deep lying forward. In order to fit into his preferred 4-4-1-1 and to accommodate Wilson as the number nine. Afobe, King, Defoe all experienced this. Why he didn’t just try to sign a natural number 10 is a mystery to me.
Beat me to it .But for a striker he had the scuffiest shot on him, he very rarely hit the ball cleanly. I never understood how he became an acknowledged striker when he rarely had a clean contact with the ball. He was definitely a weird one in my book !
I sometimes wonder if he only scored because the goalie went where a clean strike would end up, only for Afobe to scuff it and for it to trickle in the opposite direction. I suppose that’s a talent of sorts !Beat me to it .
He’d attempt to curl one top right and it would end up been scuffed bottom left.
Coming from Arsenal I assumed he would be technical brilliant .
however scored the 2nd against Saints in the 2-0 win
Good response! Brett was absolutely outstanding and so naturally gifted including when under pressure. My reference to Scott Malone was more to do with the warm ups, I would often marvel how consistent & thunderous his strike was.You never saw Brett Pitman play then I guess?
And put Cahill at 50% for a few weeks.I recognise him. That's they guy who scored against us a few weeks ago. Looked like a great finisher
I recognise him. That's they guy who scored against us a few weeks ago. Looked like a great finisher
He wouldn't have scored that if Kelly was playing.Never should have...