That’s a good comparison in terms of expectation vs reality.
Aside from playing alright against us in a game that his team lost and that he missed a penalty what has he shown?
People have been sympathetic towards him. Nobody has been on his back, only willing him on.
I can’t remember all his matches setting aside his bright movement against Swansea, he’s tended to come on, make the wrong decision, run into busy areas and lose possession when we needed to retain it or just fluffed his lines. Even when a simple pass to McBurnie would have created an almost certain goal he miscontrolled the ball. That was perhaps an early warning that he was far from the finished article.
He’s still young but it isn’t that he hasn’t been given chances. He hasn’t really warranted them. Also look at the alternatives. Who are we dropping to give him time to play himself into form? Ndiaye who has the most goal contributions this season in the Championship? McAtee, who seems to have really kicked on? McBurnie, joint top scorer in the Championship before injury? Sharp, club captain and Championship all time scorer? I’m afraid you don’t get chances if you simply aren’t making a compelling enough case to get them and that is the case here.
I know Hecky wants numbers and managers are always greedy for having enough options, but for what he brought, it’s not a clear case of just giving his minutes to Jebbo. He’s shown enough these past two games to make you think it is a worthwhile investment of time. Only remaining question is whether you keep Osula here to maintain the numbers or let him out again.
Just 20 games left. Time to just deal with that and crack on.
