London Irish
Well-known member
Congratulations to ADAM VIRGO :dance: Remember to raise a glass tonight to this exceptional home-grown player!
1) Adam Virgo 8 goals, 47 appearances (45 starts + 2 sub)
2) Trevor Benjamin 5 goals, 10 appearances
3) Leon Knight 5 goals, 46 appearances (42 + 4)
4) Chris Iwelumo 4 goals, 11
5) Richard Carpenter 4 goals, 38 (34 +4)
6) Gary Hart 3 goals, 31 (18 + 13)
7) Guy Butters 3 goals (47)
8) Darren Currie 2 goals (22 + 1)
Who has been our most prolific STRIKER, goals per game ratio (open play), players selected up front?
1) Benjamin 5 in 10
2) Iwelumo 4 in 11
3) Virgo 5 in 16
4) Molango 1 in 6 (5 +1)
5) Knight 5 in 46
6) Robinson 1 in 12 (3 + 9)
Statistics can be very lifeless things, but a whole calender year's worth can point you to a few things.
1) What a remarkable 2004 Adam Virgo has had. By the end of 2003 he wasn't even in the team, or getting on the pitch as a sub. By the end of this year, he is getting close to international honours, is declared by McGhee as the future Albion skipper and has won players' awards in the Championship.
2) We knew going into the start of this current season that we had, on paper, one of the cheapest squads in the Championship. Thanks to the Laughing Bluebird's diligent spadework, we now know it is THE cheapest, FACT. But I think many of us also suspected that the great teamwork and team spirit that got us up, McGhee's tactical skills and Leon's goals would keep us out of the bottom 3. Now replace Leon for Adam, and that has what has happened. Without Adam's goals, we would be below Rotherham.
3) Benjamin in my view was the classiest striker playing in the stripes in 2004 and perhaps did not get enough recognition for that - his goals and general play kick-started the momentum of McGhee's team to the play-offs.
4) Good to have Chippy back in the team - he is our one goal-scoring central midfielder, you can't see Alexis or Charlie getting even one in 2005. Butters' "goal" at Wolves show his value in this department too.
5) The figures show why Leon Knight is not automatic first choice in the team. McGhee will fight hard to keep him for his superb dribbling and movement on the ball, his excellent passing (pass of the season for Currie's Sheffield goal?), excellent penalty taking (a vital 6 in 7 in 2004), his 2003 goal record in the stripes (15 goals and 3 pens in 29 appearances, including one as sub). But Leon does not deserve his place in the team as a 2004 goalscorer, only for those other reasons listed. Is he a natural goalscorer? Some of his many missed chances this season are provoking that question. Let's hope in 2005 he answers it emphatically!
1) Adam Virgo 8 goals, 47 appearances (45 starts + 2 sub)
2) Trevor Benjamin 5 goals, 10 appearances
3) Leon Knight 5 goals, 46 appearances (42 + 4)
4) Chris Iwelumo 4 goals, 11
5) Richard Carpenter 4 goals, 38 (34 +4)
6) Gary Hart 3 goals, 31 (18 + 13)
7) Guy Butters 3 goals (47)
8) Darren Currie 2 goals (22 + 1)
Who has been our most prolific STRIKER, goals per game ratio (open play), players selected up front?
1) Benjamin 5 in 10
2) Iwelumo 4 in 11
3) Virgo 5 in 16
4) Molango 1 in 6 (5 +1)
5) Knight 5 in 46
6) Robinson 1 in 12 (3 + 9)
Statistics can be very lifeless things, but a whole calender year's worth can point you to a few things.
1) What a remarkable 2004 Adam Virgo has had. By the end of 2003 he wasn't even in the team, or getting on the pitch as a sub. By the end of this year, he is getting close to international honours, is declared by McGhee as the future Albion skipper and has won players' awards in the Championship.
2) We knew going into the start of this current season that we had, on paper, one of the cheapest squads in the Championship. Thanks to the Laughing Bluebird's diligent spadework, we now know it is THE cheapest, FACT. But I think many of us also suspected that the great teamwork and team spirit that got us up, McGhee's tactical skills and Leon's goals would keep us out of the bottom 3. Now replace Leon for Adam, and that has what has happened. Without Adam's goals, we would be below Rotherham.
3) Benjamin in my view was the classiest striker playing in the stripes in 2004 and perhaps did not get enough recognition for that - his goals and general play kick-started the momentum of McGhee's team to the play-offs.
4) Good to have Chippy back in the team - he is our one goal-scoring central midfielder, you can't see Alexis or Charlie getting even one in 2005. Butters' "goal" at Wolves show his value in this department too.
5) The figures show why Leon Knight is not automatic first choice in the team. McGhee will fight hard to keep him for his superb dribbling and movement on the ball, his excellent passing (pass of the season for Currie's Sheffield goal?), excellent penalty taking (a vital 6 in 7 in 2004), his 2003 goal record in the stripes (15 goals and 3 pens in 29 appearances, including one as sub). But Leon does not deserve his place in the team as a 2004 goalscorer, only for those other reasons listed. Is he a natural goalscorer? Some of his many missed chances this season are provoking that question. Let's hope in 2005 he answers it emphatically!
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