Sammie Szmodics M Blackburn Rovers b.1995

[Jd2793]

good stuff from mister szmodics no pressure son

[ifk101]

“People don't know, I've always been on standby but never been picked.”

Eh?

“You do take it personally because 20 people get picked and I didn't despite being on the top of the game in the last international call-up. I didn't get anything.”

Endearing.

[Fixer82]

Wow. If that's true it's such a bad call from SK. Maybe Kenny didn't like him personally or something.
But to paraphrase Aiden McGeady when talking about Lewis Grabban, 'he's a goalscorer so you manage him! it doesn't matter if he's awkward, just manage him.'

[Eirambler]

Looking forward to seeing him get a few runs out now. Much as we have a lot of potential in our forwards, most of it is based on just that - potential - at this point. As someone born in 1995 Szmodics age profile is basically exactly what we need between now and Euro 2028, we have a shortage of quality aged 25-30. He looks much better than Scott Hogan or Will Keane and can be an important player for us for the next while as the younger lads continue to find their way in the game. He'll probably be a Premier League forward next year and with a lot of our Premier League players involved in the relegation battle (or already all but gone in the case of the Burnley lads) he could become an on field leader for us fairly quickly.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Only fair to see what Kenny has to say in response, but if true that paints a really strange looking picture. It seems pretty clear that he wants to play for Ireland, he's banging in goals, so just bloody play him.

[ltfc_2004]

So after all the talk, how do people think he did ? I couldn't make it but on TV he looked a decent addition and worked hard and tried to make things happen.

[liamoo11]

So after all the talk, how do people think he did ? I couldn't make it but on TV he looked a decent addition and worked hard and tried to make things happen.

I don't think that position is going to suit him been wide. Hopefully we play narrow 4 in midfield and let him.play as a 2 with ferguson and get our wing backs to get into that wide space like to be fair Brady did when Sammie drifted inside. On the other side that never happened cause ohbene just stays wide taking that right wing back space which really l8mits us cause its so predictable and gives us no chance to actually create overloads centrally in actual.areas of the pitch where goals are scored from

[irishfan86]

So after all the talk, how do people think he did ? I couldn't make it but on TV he looked a decent addition and worked hard and tried to make things happen.

He looked good. Sharp, engaged, lively. Seemed to link well with Ferguson. Considering it’s his first time with a new group of players, he seemed to just naturally fit in.

I don’t like forwards burning too much energy tracking back, but he picked some good moments to apply pressure to Belgian midfielders and actually won the ball back from advanced positions which also impressed me.

[elatedscum]

He was probably our best player on the day. He wasn't as fast as I expected, seeing him in person. And I think that was more apparent out wide than elsewhere. He worked tirelessly, up and down the whole game.

He’s probably better playing centrally, either part of a front two or the attacking midfielder, or the striker in a 4-3-3 or striker in a 5-2-3 like last weekend. He linked up well with Ferguson and Ogbene, feeding off Ferguson’s flick ons and playing balls into space for Ogbene. His passing range was better than expected, really creative. He was also quick and comfortable on the turn, swivelling as he received the ball. He also got shots off well and you’d imagine playing more centrally, that would work even better. He had at least 4 shots, which could have led to goals. I could see him both functioning well with a big man like Ferguson and Idah, and alongside a quick player like Obafemi, which Sammy’s distribution would unlock well.

He’s possibly the player we hope Troy Parrott will one day become.

[JR89]

Would like to see him play centrally but can't see O'Shea going 4-2-3-1. Would allow us to get Mikey Johnston on at LW.

[Razors left peg]

Would like to see him play centrally but can't see O'Shea going 4-2-3-1. Would allow us to get Mikey Johnston on at LW.

That would be my ideal formation for tomorrow

[mark12345]

So after all the talk, how do people think he did ? I couldn't make it but on TV he looked a decent addition and worked hard and tried to make things happen.

He does indeed look like a decent addition. I would like to see him start as central striker tomorrow (against the Swiss) with Ogbene on one wing and Mikey Johnson on the other.

[Stuttgart88]

Target for Celtic

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68663518

[JR89]

[Stuttgart88]

Agree totally.

[CraftyToePoke]

ffs ....

[pineapple stu]

I guess the question then is now to fit him and Ferguson into the same team?

[SkStu]

I had a problem with that tweet as it is not comparing apples to apples. You cant compare a heatmap with the location from where the striker scores goals. So i went and did a little digging. As the heatmap here shows, where he was deployed yesterday is not a million miles off how he is deployed at Blackburn, albeit he was far more involved defensively yesterday.

https://www.sofascore.com/player/sammie-szmodics/354782

[Stuttgart88]

Interesting Stu, thanks. I felt he was operating wider than at club level and was bemoaning how we're often (going back ages) forced to play our better players in less-than-ideal roles just to get them on the pitch at the same time. Maybe in this case it's not as clear as I felt watching him play for us.

[elatedscum]

I guess the question then is now to fit him and Ferguson into the same team?

Kelleher/Bazunu

Coleman/Doherty
O'Shea/Egan/Omobamidele
Scales/Collins/Duffy
Brady/Manning

Cullen
Smallbone/Molumby/Browne

Ogbene/Ebosele
Szmodics/Knight/McGrath
Johnston/Connolly/McAteer

Ferguson/Idah/Obafemi/Parrott/Keane