Written by kirsikka
With no football on and suddenly a lot of time on my hands, I decided these can come out a little early. After all, who knows if the season will finish and it might be a small welcome distraction for some.
All my own opinion and liable to suffer from my memory being a bit pants meaning better options could have been overlooked. Still, hopefully, some nice (and a few not so nice) things to relive for you.
This is part 4, for part 1 click here, for part 2 click here, for part 3 click here.
— Best AFCB PL Signing —
There are a few contenders here. I know many would go Ake, a few may even point at Brooks (too early for me) or Lerma but I think it has to be Joshua King.
Let’s not kid ourselves, his career was going nowhere when EH plucked him from Blackburn. He was the third choice striker at a mid-table Championship team, another player who had started at a big club but would likely never fulfil that potential. We can all reel off a list of those.
Nobody was clamouring to sign him. We didn’t have to beat off a host of suitors and even Blackburn didn’t seem all that bothered about him going, more concerned about losing Rudy Gestede to Villa.
The Wilson injury thrust him into leading the line and, although some on here were dubious, once he got going he was a machine for us that season. He’s continued to be so ever since. We simply wouldn’t still be PL without him and if he gets properly fit for the restart, he could be the catalyst that saves us.
All that for a reported £1 million. An outstanding piece of scouting and recruiting.
It feels like AFCBTV should have a tribute video showcasing some of his best bits but I couldn’t find one. There is this if you skip to 58 seconds to get past the intro:
Since this post AFCBTV have created the following video…
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-ZaRFdFSxX/?igshid=15mghfo0chhol
— Worst AFCB PL Signing —
There were some punts that didn’t work out, Iturbe for example or Brad Smith. However, you take that as given that some will be misses at that price point. When you splurge a significant chunk of our budget then that’s where we really have to get a return. Therefore, for me, it comes down to between Ibe and Solanke.
In his defence, Ibe’s second season for us was decent and, if he’d stepped up further from there, he’d have been a good signing. However, the way he fell apart when Brooks arrived and then this season’s off-field shenanigans when we were desperate for numbers feels like it’s wiped that good work from his record.
As much as I’m desperate for Solanke to blossom like King it’s hard to see it at the moment. Sometimes it looks like he doesn’t believe in himself and if he doesn’t how can anyone else? It’s a shame as I get the feeling there is a certain amount of affection for him out there and if he could turn it around he could become a cult hero.
In the end, I have to go with Ibe. There’s still hope for DS whereas, however, the season finishes for us, the Championship awaits JI when his contract expires.
Your say…
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