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If it is any consolation to the Wanderers front men right now, their current predicament is nothing new.
Judged exclusively on goals, a striker’s life can get complicated during a so-called “dry spell” and fans start questioning their worth to a team. One purple patch later, and they are back to being terrace darlings once again. It was forever thus.
I stumbled across an old interview – November 2006 to be exact – where I’d asked Sam Allardyce if he was worried about Nicolas Anelka’s lack of goals. The Frenchman had only scored against Walsall since making his club record £8million move from Fenerbahce and 10 Premier League games in, people were starting to say he’d lost his touch.
I’m sure I also quizzed Kevin Davies plenty of times down the years when the goals dried up.
Both Big Sam and Big Kev were unflustered, they knew things would turn eventually.
Now I am not comparing the quality of striker, and certainly not the level of football Wanderers are playing today but the same psychological elements come into play. Self-belief and focus is key.
Some individuals respond to criticism but most, in my experience, need support. And that applies especially to the younger players.
Every striker has a bad run. On a rare occasion – as is happening right now - a few all struggle together.
Personally, I think it is only a matter of time before Zach Clough starts hitting the back of the net. The young lad has been through the mill in the last eight months but form is temporary, class is permanent.
Source
Judged exclusively on goals, a striker’s life can get complicated during a so-called “dry spell” and fans start questioning their worth to a team. One purple patch later, and they are back to being terrace darlings once again. It was forever thus.
I stumbled across an old interview – November 2006 to be exact – where I’d asked Sam Allardyce if he was worried about Nicolas Anelka’s lack of goals. The Frenchman had only scored against Walsall since making his club record £8million move from Fenerbahce and 10 Premier League games in, people were starting to say he’d lost his touch.
I’m sure I also quizzed Kevin Davies plenty of times down the years when the goals dried up.
Both Big Sam and Big Kev were unflustered, they knew things would turn eventually.
Now I am not comparing the quality of striker, and certainly not the level of football Wanderers are playing today but the same psychological elements come into play. Self-belief and focus is key.
Some individuals respond to criticism but most, in my experience, need support. And that applies especially to the younger players.
Every striker has a bad run. On a rare occasion – as is happening right now - a few all struggle together.
Personally, I think it is only a matter of time before Zach Clough starts hitting the back of the net. The young lad has been through the mill in the last eight months but form is temporary, class is permanent.
Source
