Just want to show some gratitude to the lad, whatever happens this season.
Comes into a team at a time of injury crisis, playing in a set-up that doesn't his natural game when we are collectively bereft of confidence.
Isn't a quick player, doesn't have a great ability to turn, yet has dug deep and made sure he does what he's naturally good at to the best of his ability, particularly pushing up and heading the ball clear to give us a second to reshape while it's aloft.
He's played 14-games for us, starting in 12.
Won 9
Drawn 2
Lost 3
with us scoring 23 goals and conceding 11 in that time. That's an average of 2.07pts per game for the side while he's present, about 79 points over a 38-game season if we averaged it out, with an approximate 30 goals conceded! Of course it doesn't work like that/unique season/team effort and all other relevant caveats but he has done well, playing in different pairings having come in from the cold.
Massive thank-you to the lad. He's probably earned himself a contract extension to be 5th or 6th choice for us (he's only on £3k per week!) if he wants it, or will get himself a Premier League move that will give him a nice enough career when, realistically, he probably could have expected the Championship at best prior to this run.
Hats off Nat lad. We've had a few "Cult" centre-backs in Toure, Kyrgiakos and Klavan, but this Phoenix from the Ashes spell is very impressive (limitations or not) and if we do manage to go on to nick Top Four at the climax of the campaign you can hold your head very, very high as nobody will be able to deny the part you played.
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