Evan Ferguson F Brighton b.2004

[tetsujin1979]

I’d be interested to know the minutes on pitch comparison as opposed to appearances.
According to premierleague.com - https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/mins_played - Ferguson has played 1179 minutes in total
Robbie Keane scored his 10th goal in his 18th game. He was substituted in his first premier league game, against Derby in August 1999, after playing 84 minutes, then played every minute of every game until his 24th game, when he was substituted at half time against Villa in March 2000. If we assume that each full game was 90 minutes, that's 84 minutes + (90 minutes * 17 full games) = 84 + 1530 = 1614 minutes

[dr_peepee]

Cheers. I’d a feeling that Ferguson had got there with less minutes. He’s a quality player! Feels weird having something to be so positive about.

[Olé Olé]

He's not 19 until 19 October. Let's see what he can score between now and then.

It is a bit bizarre to see that he's scored 4 in 4 games. Obviously the hat trick skews the ratio but nobody at Brighton will say the goals should be weighted any differently to one another when they are against such a good side and he is the only scorer.

[tetsujin1979]

I like this stat from the BBC: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66698759

Only Michael Owen (28), Wayne Rooney (15) and Francis Jeffers (12) scored more Premier League goals before their 19th birthday than Ferguson
Owen's record is out of reach for him, and probably Rooney's too, but he could pass Jeffers before turning 19 in October

[Eminence Grise]

Six weeks to his birthday... even allowing for the international break, with a bit of wishful thinking you wouldn't bet against him catching up with Rooney. Michael Owen, though - phenomenal. Possibly a rarer talent than once in a generation.

[Jolly Red Giant]

Six weeks to his birthday... even allowing for the international break, with a bit of wishful thinking you wouldn't bet against him catching up with Rooney. Michael Owen, though - phenomenal. Possibly a rarer talent than once in a generation.
He is very likely to be the best striker we have ever produced - so it would be once in a hundred years type of player. I am looking forward to the day he beats the goalscoring record of that p*ick Robbie Keane.

[Eirambler]

You have to remember that Owen, Fowler and Jeffers goalscoring totals were set when the Premier League was basically the best of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales with a smattering of players from further afield thrown in. Even Rooney's, a few years later, were scored when the league was of a significantly lower overall quality than it is now, at best on a par with the other big European leagues and almost certainly behind La Liga.

In that context what Ferguson is achieving is pretty much unprecedented. OK Luton are rubbish, but many of his goals are being scored against some of the best club teams in Europe - he has scored or assisted five goals against Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle already.

[Snoop Drog]

that p*ick Robbie Keane.

Harsh.

[tetsujin1979]

Read this stat on football365, did some digging to confirm it
1698690443687436744

[Stuttgart88]

He actually should have scored against west Ham! The ball sat up perfectly for him, he caught it well but hit it straight into the middle of the goal, straight at the keeper.

[Olé Olé]

Read this stat on football365, did some digging to confirm it
1698690443687436744

Is an Evan Ferguson stat really a stat unless you get it in there that he is 18?

Most shots on target by an 18 year old in Europe's top leagues.

[texidub]

Fer fupp sake. He's out injured for the two games coming up.

[John83]

Honestly, the injury is less frustrating than the panicked suggestions online that he's pulled out because he's switching to England. Which he couldn't even if he wanted to. Rice and Grealish really did a number on us.

[Olé Olé]

Honestly, the injury is less frustrating than the panicked suggestions online that he's pulled out because he's switching to England. Which he couldn't even if he wanted to. Rice and Grealish really did a number on us.
Agreed. There is definitely an attempt at humour in many of those suggestions and the media covering those suggestions (click bait sites) or responding to them (Dan McD) doesn't help.

[Olé Olé]

Fair to say that Shearer is sold.

https://theathletic.com/4844865/2023/09/11/alan-shearer-analysis-evan-ferguson/

Evan Ferguson is red hot. He has four goals in as many games for Brighton this season, the big clubs are already circling, and his manager, Roberto De Zerbi, is predicting the Irishman can go on to “become the top scorer in Europe”. Yet none of it feels like hyperbole.

Steer clear of injuries on the pitch and knobheads off it and the world lies at those lethal feet of his. Yeah, I like what I see.

Scratch that, I love it.

I can’t say I relished his destruction of Newcastle United, my team, the other weekend, except in terms of centre-forward artistry as Ferguson plundered and pestered his way to becoming only the fourth 18-year-old to score a hat-trick in the Premier League era.

Left foot, right foot, headers, pace, aggression, intuition; there is no obvious weakness to his game, which is only going to get better and better. He has the lot.

I’d never seek to pile pressure onto a young player’s shoulders, but then you watch Ferguson play and can’t help yourself. At his age, all manner of things could happen to alter the pathway of his life and career and I’ve never met Evan, so can’t judge his mentality or attitude, but I’ve studied his performances and he has the potential to be massive. We’re talking about a very special talent, someone who could be a superstar within a couple of years.

What do I love about him? Everything.

I love how he can bully defenders. I love his positioning, I love how he’s always asking different questions of the centre-half, either going up against him or, as he did against Newcastle, dropping in short, getting the ball to feet and turning. I love his movement in the box. Perhaps most of all, I love the purity and ferocity of his hunger; how much he craves goals.

[Olé Olé]

Fair to say that Shearer is sold.

https://theathletic.com/4844865/2023/09/11/alan-shearer-analysis-evan-ferguson/

Evan Ferguson is red hot. He has four goals in as many games for Brighton this season, the big clubs are already circling, and his manager, Roberto De Zerbi, is predicting the Irishman can go on to “become the top scorer in Europe”. Yet none of it feels like hyperbole.

Steer clear of injuries on the pitch and knobheads off it and the world lies at those lethal feet of his. Yeah, I like what I see.

Scratch that, I love it.

I can’t say I relished his destruction of Newcastle United, my team, the other weekend, except in terms of centre-forward artistry as Ferguson plundered and pestered his way to becoming only the fourth 18-year-old to score a hat-trick in the Premier League era.

Left foot, right foot, headers, pace, aggression, intuition; there is no obvious weakness to his game, which is only going to get better and better. He has the lot.

I’d never seek to pile pressure onto a young player’s shoulders, but then you watch Ferguson play and can’t help yourself. At his age, all manner of things could happen to alter the pathway of his life and career and I’ve never met Evan, so can’t judge his mentality or attitude, but I’ve studied his performances and he has the potential to be massive. We’re talking about a very special talent, someone who could be a superstar within a couple of years.

What do I love about him? Everything.

I love how he can bully defenders. I love his positioning, I love how he’s always asking different questions of the centre-half, either going up against him or, as he did against Newcastle, dropping in short, getting the ball to feet and turning. I love his movement in the box. Perhaps most of all, I love the purity and ferocity of his hunger; how much he craves goals.

This is quite funny:

I’m not sure how to write this next bit without sounding like a wanker… but as I watched Ferguson against Newcastle, I caught myself thinking, ‘Yeah, I recognise that’ or, ‘Hmm, I may have seen some of that before’. I don’t know whether it was his exuberance or confidence, the touch of arrogance, but that little strut, the way he handled himself, was very reminiscent of how I felt at that age. Goals were my drug and we share the addiction.

[texidub]

He's right. Ferguson does have a bit of Shearer about him, playing wise.

[seanfhear]

Take care ~ Neil Lennon.

[tetsujin1979]

His introduction at the weekend was his 25th Premier League appearance, the second youngest Irish player to reach 25 appearances
1704103323622670641

[nigel-harps1954]

Not in the squad tonight.

[pineapple stu]

Sick apparently. VM Two mentioned it there.

[texidub]

There's no way they are holding him back with a potential Jan transfer in mind? Avoiding being cup tied, like?

[pineapple stu]

I think cup-tied resets after the groups anyway

So Haaland played for Red Bull Salzburg in the 2019/20 groups but for Dortmund in the knockouts that year

[Razors left peg]

There's no way they are holding him back with a potential Jan transfer in mind? Avoiding being cup tied, like?

Why does everything lead to a conspiracy theory of some sort with him LOL

[texidub]

Lots of reasons, but mostly because it's fun to think about Evan Ferguson and the positive attention he is getting, even in the form of conspiracy theories... Have you heard the one that he isn't even real and is just a hologram developed by NASA as part of the fake moon landing project?!

[CraftyToePoke]

Have you heard the one that he isn't even real and is just a hologram developed by NASA as part of the fake moon landing project?!

It's on YouTube :: Heaven Ferguson.

[Razors left peg]

Lots of reasons, but mostly because it's fun to think about Evan Ferguson and the positive attention he is getting, even in the form of conspiracy theories... Have you heard the one that he isn't even real and is just a hologram developed by NASA as part of the fake moon landing project?!

Didnt hear that one but I've heard his baby toe is bigger than his big toe and thats what makes him a better footballer

[seanfhear]

Why does everything lead to a conspiracy theory of some sort with him LOL
Pulling the conspiracy theory card is grounds for conspiracy theory stuff ! !

[Olé Olé]

Starts away to Villa in a few minutes.

[Demesne Lad]

Withdrawn at half-time, away to Villa.

[Olé Olé]

He's starting again Liverpool but he has not got into the game at all. Hopefully he doesn't get subbed again at half time. Pedro hasn't done much either. They are relying on Mitoma and Adingra on the breaks.

[tommy_c12000]

Brighton badly need Caoimhin Kelleher if they persist with their style of play from the back, both current keepers not up to the ground game

[tommy_c12000]

Subbed off just now around 60 minutes, showed a bit more in second half, almost a nice assist too but winger didn’t convert

[Razors left peg]

He's starting again Liverpool but he has not got into the game at all. Hopefully he doesn't get subbed again at half time. Pedro hasn't done much either. They are relying on Mitoma and Adingra on the breaks.

He was almost a box to box midfielder in 1st half.

[elatedscum]

Brighton badly need Caoimhin Kelleher if they persist with their style of play from the back, both current keepers not up to the ground game

interestingly, he was reportedly the guy that liverpool wanted to replace kelleher if they were gonna allow him to be sold

[SkStu]

He was almost a box to box midfielder in 1st half.

Yeah. How I saw it too. It was very strange to see him as the furthest back of 4 attacking players multiple times in the first half.

His pass in the second half that Tommy mentions was lovely but that’s about all he did. Anonymous other than that. I think Ferguson would excel as the main man week in week out but I’m not sure De Zerbi really knows what approach he wants for his strikers as he has so many and they’re all fairly different; he changes starters often from game to game and very early in-game. Mitoma has had an off few weeks too and when he’s quiet, so are Brighton.

[Razors left peg]

Personal opinion is Pedro hasn't been a great signing for them. Thought him and Ferguson didn't gel well at all and often Pedro holds onto ball too long which is unusual for a Brighton player. Mitoma not getting the ball from Pedro either.

[tommy_c12000]

Fully agree on Pedro, not sure if it’s selfishness on Pedro’s part but tends to hog the ball, makes poor decisions….could have played Ferguson in once or twice in the first half, must be a frustrating player to play with

[pineapple stu]

He's back baby!

[texidub]

Good goal - he had few touches in the game up til then, but once he got a decent chance he knew what to do.

[SkStu]

It was actually a lovely finish. Just stroked the ball home with his left from outside the box. You’d see plenty of those chances botched but he showed great calmness and composure to pass it into the bottom corner. Quality.

[irishfan86]

It was actually a lovely finish. Just stroked the ball home with his left from outside the box. You’d see plenty of those chances botched but he showed great calmness and composure to pass it into the bottom corner. Quality.

Definitely one of those goals that looks easy after the fact but actually required quite a bit of skill. I love how two footed he is to hit it like that with his left.

[tetsujin1979]

signs a new contract at Brighton until June 2029
https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/3775166/evan-ferguson-signs-new-contract

[JR89]

1722946793577631925

Don't know how he's not telling these lads to get ****ed at this stage. Lost count of the amount of times he's been asked and this interview was only done this month.

[pineapple stu]

Who is that moron?

[CSAD]

1722946793577631925

Don't know how he's not telling these lads to get ****ed at this stage. Lost count of the amount of times he's been asked and this interview was only done this month.

As of Gibralter at home he is now tied to Ireland forever so these clown's are just wasting valuable oxygen.

[JR89]

Who is that moron?
Alex Crook
1722973282100506720


As of Gibralter at home he is now tied to Ireland forever so these clown's are just wasting valuable oxygen.

Pretty sure it was back in March when we played France. That was his fourth appearance for us.

[Olé Olé]

"What's the reason that you're so committed to Ireland?"... It honestly would take an Englishman to ask that question.

[Fixer82]

Who cares? Some hack trying to be funny. We can be over-sensitive or we can just ignore it. I prefer the latter

[Razors left peg]

Who cares? Some hack trying to be funny. We can be over-sensitive or we can just ignore it. I prefer the latter

I think the way the question was phrased is rightly being called out for being idiotic. If he had asked if there was ever a possiblity of him declaring for England and left it at that it would have been legitimate, "why are you so committed to Ireland" comes across very poorly, even if it was tongue in cheek. You could hear from Fergusons response he was quite annoyed by it, despite the smile.

That interview has buried the lead a bit though. A contract extension until 2029 is a very long extension. Works well for both parties, protects Ferguson in the event of injury and protects his value for the club for when they sell him.