Following a slow start from £3.5 million striker Robert Earnshaw, Nigel Worthington has felt the need to come out and say that he will definitely score goals. Worthington, speaking to the Eastern Daily Press, said; ‘?He’ll score goals for us – his history proves that. Wayne Rooney went through a spell when he couldn’t hit the back of the net – it happens with all strikers.
?What people should bear in mind is that Robert hasn’t played a lot of first team football this season. Getting that sharpness back takes time – and he is still adjusting to the challenge of regular first team football.?
Worthington then went on to talk positively about Earnshaw and McKenzie’s partnership up front; ?I thought the partnership with McKenzie worked all right against Stoke – bearing in mind it was their first game together I was very pleased. Just like Robert, Leon worked very hard and got his just desserts with a very well taken goal. It’s a case of repeating that on a regular basis.
?What Leon gives you is pure enthusiasm, great energy and a desire to work. He is a favourite with the fans because of that and rightly so. I think that is infectious as regards other players. Every club needs people like that.
?You couldn’t call Leon a target-man. He would like to play alongside a big striker, as would Robert Earnshaw. It’s about getting them working together as a pair and, as I said, I thought they did well last weekend.”
So you’ve heard it from the horse’s mouth, McKenzie and Earnshaw aren’t target men. So, Mr. Worthington, why is it that we consistently play the two of them high, long balls? Earnshaw will never get back to goal scoring form until he gets some decent service, and the last thing a 5’5” striker needs is long balls, from which he is expected to win headers against some of the biggest centre backs in the country.
What I’d like to know is what Worthington is going to do about it. After seeing the Earnshaw/Thorne partnership fail miserably, we’re left with no target man. This surely means that a change in tactics is required, as Worthington himself has said we don’t have a target man. If Earnshaw truly is to score goals on a regular basis as has been said, he needs service, and sadly, I can’t see where it’s going to come from.
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