Clrnc wrote:Anyway Ricky, I do remember hearing you rave about Afobe in the same way too last time. How does Akpom compare to you?
No, you didn't. I never understood the fuss about Afobe when he played for the youth sides. He impressed me during his loan spell at Huddersfield, but that was based more on the glowing reports coming back from their supporters. Akpom is streets ahead of anything I ever saw from Afobe.
This season Akpom's changed into something a little different from the kid I first saw at 15. Back then he was 5'10/11 and still built like a kid, now he's 6'2 and has really filled out. His movement and balance has suffered a little as a result - doesn't quite glide the way he once did - but I reckon he'll get that back once he's over his growing pains. It happens a lot.
Back then he played as a wide player and reminded me of Gervinho (the good parts), in that he'd beat people for fun and look electric when carrying the ball at speed. This season he's played as a lone striker, and whilst he hasn't shown much of his dribbling ability, he's impressed me lots with his ability to use the ball well when under pressure from big centrehalves, in how clever and precise his link play is, and with his work rate and clever movement - he's a proper footballer that has improved week by week in a completely new position.
He gets goals too. And it's not because he's big and strong. He gets goals because he has that ability to get on the end of things, to time everything well. He's just a clever footballer.
His ball striking isn't anything to shout about right now - not bad, just not anything that special. That'll have to improve if he really wants to become a top Number 9.
I reckon another 6 months of growing into his body and he'll start to show a bit more of the flashy stuff he's shown in the past - the guy has really quick feet and good close control.
I've got high hopes for him.
