Evan Ferguson F Brighton b.2004

[SkStu]

Beautiful header into the corner he was running from, in off the post. Incredible finish.

[passinginterest]

Just seen it now. Absolutely brilliant finish. A long way out and not a heap of pace on the cross. Pure quality.

[pineapple stu]

Already halfway to matching the total Premier League goals scored by Connolly, Idah and Parrott combined.

It's early days yet, but there's a feel of Robbie Keane off this guy that I just haven't gotten with any of our other options

[JR89]

Three goals and two assists in around 200 mins of PL football.

[tommy_c12000]

Really nice finish with a glancing header. Expected to rotate with Welbeck for rest of season so wouldn’t worry about it. Will help divert some of the pressure

[SkStu]

Worth a watch :D

1616845761333039105

[JR89]

Ian Wright is a fan of the kid:

“I watched him against Everton, he scored against Arsenal,” said the BBC pundit, in a brilliant interview on an episode of Second Captains. “What happens when you see a striker like that, it does make you think ‘yes… old-school centre-forward,’ but what I liked about him is that he’s aggressive.

“Against Everton, he was having it with [James] Tarkowski and with [Conor] Coady and I liked that straight off the bat. He smashed someone off the ball, he linked the play really well, he made a great move for his goal and the other goal.”


“I hope that he gets to play regularly and Brighton start playing to his strengths and get him involved more,” he adds. “I’d get the ball into him as soon as possible through those lines, because he links the play very well, he’s got very intelligent movement in that last third, and he wants to get into the box.


“That’s what I would do. You look at him – he’s good in the air, he’s good on the floor, he make good movement in the box, so he’s somebody who has got all the attributes.

“Now how can we get it to him quicker? I’m not saying Brighton have to launch it but they’ve got another option now if he’s playing.

“They could play it through like we saw them do to Liverpool the other day, cut them to pieces, or they can go direct, get it into him, he can link play, people can go beyond him.

“They could do so many things with a striker who has got the capabilities that he’s got. He’s got everything. He’s got the size, he’s got the touch, he’s got the shooting power, he’s got the movement in the box.”

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

Let's not get carried away but this is unbelievable stuff. It's hard not to get excited. It looks like we have a goalscorer! Don't know much about him but he doesn't seem the party boy type. Hardworking and has his feet on the ground. Let's not say our new Robbie Keane just yet but some start for a player his age.

[Eirambler]

Probably a good thing that he's a completely different kind of player to Keane so that will hopefully minimise the comparisons. I can see Ferguson potentially having a more successful club career than Keane to be honest. But less successful at international level as Keane set that bar so high that it's near impossible to follow.

[Kingdom]

Because no giddity is allowed...to the tune of no diggity:

"We like the way he works it
Ev Fer - gu - son
Hes gonna bag one up!"

https://youtu.be/3KL9mRus19o

[Olé Olé]

Worth a watch :D

1616845761333039105

That's funny. Especially when the panel all reckoned that Welbeck should start. I don't mind either way - the lad doesn't need to start every week. Definitely not when he can come on with that inpact. He could be De Zerbi's preferred option but that doesn't mean he will or should start him all the time.

Love Clinton Morrison in the background when Jeff Stelling is saying what a find Ferguson is and Morrison is like "Irishhhhh."

[Olé Olé]

Probably a good thing that he's a completely different kind of player to Keane so that will hopefully minimise the comparisons. I can see Ferguson potentially having a more successful club career than Keane to be honest. But less successful at international level as Keane set that bar so high that it's near impossible to follow.

If he had the impact of Robbie Keane in terms of goals I wouldn't complain but another reason it is good that he is different to Keane is that he probably is more suited to today's game where side play with one central striker more than Robbie was. That isn't to say he's better - I'm just saying he is gold in today's game. Liverpool shifting Robbie out to the wing when Gerrard played behind Torres was probably an early manifestation of 4-2-3-1 and impacted his time there severely as we know.

[Eirambler]

Yes, Robbie generally needed to be played in a front two and most teams were switching to a lone striker by the second half of his career. I think that played a large part in him ending up in Scotland and Los Angeles in his later days, he didn't fit the prototype Premier League striker anymore. He was maybe a bit unlucky with the timing as variations of front twos have come back into fashion a bit in recent years, including with ourselves.

Incidentally, also on Keane, I was off work for a few days this week with sick kids and I ended up looking through some of the old threads on here. The early pages of the Robbie Keane thread were unbelievable, the abuse he was getting from posters was ridiculous (I should say mostly by people who don't post here any more). This would have been around 2004-2005 so after he had already starred for us at a World Cup. I had to stop reading it after a couple of pages, it was so far removed from reality.

There really was a clear sense of entitlement with the support base back then that doesn't read at all well looking back on it. If we are to turn a corner in the next few years with the likes of Ferguson, Collins and others coming through I hope we don't see a return of that attitude - though the fair weather bandwagon support that drifted away would be back in force no doubt.

[Razors left peg]

The let's not get carried away stuff is starting to get on my nerves a bit.... if you can't get carried away with how this kid is playing do you even get any enjoyment out of football

[Jd2793]

im afraid to say its time to get carried away!!!

[paul_oshea]

Where's the marking. So much space , good powerful header though. He had to go across from distance.

Another way of looking at it is he finds the spot , the place to be. How often have Ireland hit crosses in like that and we've all gone "who's in there?!" Or " who was that to?!" Especially in the area where he connected with it.

[Razors left peg]

Where's the marking. So much space , good powerful header though. He had to go across from distance.

Another way of looking at it is he finds the spot , the place to be. How often have Ireland hit crosses in like that and we've all gone "who's in there?!" Or " who was that to?!" Especially in the area where he connected with it.

The marking is what you got from that? Really?

[passinginterest]

Another way of looking at it is he finds the spot , the place to be. How often have Ireland hit crosses in like that and we've all gone "who's in there?!" Or " who was that to?!" Especially in the area where he connected with it.

I think that’s the key. He’s sort of in no man’s land. I think most other players try to make a looping run back in towards the penalty spot, but he makes himself an option by spotting the space in front of him. It’s not the conventional run but it’s a really intelligent one and it gets rewarded.

[pineapple stu]

The marking is what you got from that? Really?
In fairness, he's also called out how Ferguson has a knack for finding a good spot, which looks fairly similar to poor marking if done well.

[Razors left peg]

In fairness, he's also called out how Ferguson has a knack for finding a good spot, which looks fairly similar to poor marking if done well.

Fair enough, I may have jumped the gun.

The other point is true though, he always looks dangerous. Stutts made the comparison to Idah who never seems to be in right place

[CraftyToePoke]

Idah who never seems to be in right place

If it was raining soup, that lad would be outside with a fork.

[pineapple stu]

Here is the goal (https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/12792108/leicester-2-2-brighton-premier-league-highlights) btw.

It's fair to criticise the marking, but Ferguson is the one who anticipates where the cross is coming and goes to attack the space. He deserves credit for that. And brilliant placement of the header too.

[paul_oshea]

Ya it found interesting that the two CBs are looking elsewhere and then at eachother like no one knew where's he come from or who should have picked him up to be fair it didn't look like either faes or armatey should be but the tracking midfielder. It's a very clever run alright. Ireland have been lacking that for a long time now even Robbie would often go back post or front post when it's clear he should have done something different. Ferguson seems to know where to be and that is interesting from an Irish perspective

2:20 for anyone who hasn't yet seen it. https://www.skysports.com/ipad/liveArticle/12478403?postid=5277096#liveblog-body

[Bottle of Tonic]

Arriving at the right place right time is a sort of innate attribute. Maybe you can coach it but as a player on the pitch it's mainly all about instinct in those areas. I knew it as a forward player who never seemed to be 'there' when I should have been. Ball watching or flat footed. Ferguson looks like a goalscorer who seems to be 'there' when it's needed. High hopes, high hopes.

[SkStu]

Ya it found interesting that the two CBs are looking elsewhere and then at eachother like no one knew where's he come from or who should have picked him up to be fair it didn't look like either faes or armatey should be but the tracking midfielder. It's a very clever run alright. Ireland have been lacking that for a long time now even Robbie would often go back post or front post when it's clear he should have done something different. Ferguson seems to know where to be and that is interesting from an Irish perspective

2:20 for anyone who hasn't yet seen it. https://www.skysports.com/ipad/liveArticle/12478403?postid=5277096#liveblog-body

Agree - it wasn’t about being marked and either way it wasn’t on the CBs at all. They were more or less where they should have been (maybe a touch deeper) in terms of positioning. It was more about how the little fella could have tracked him better but Ferguson really just made a sensational late run from deep around the back of him and the finish was top quality.

Watching the goal again a few times; the run and finish were both top class. Could watch it over and over.

[Eirambler]

MOTD made a big thing about one of the Leicester centre backs (not Faes, the other one) being too deep and that was what opened the gap. That's probably true to a point, but that gap was small, it was there for no more than a second and he found it just at the moment the ball came across. And followed it up with an absolute pinpoint header in off the far post.

As someone else said, I'm not sure you can coach all of that. At least some of it is just pure natural talent.

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

I think those calling for calm heads and not to get carried away are basing it on experience of players bursting on the scene and then falling away but looking at the goal, it's not just his run and finish that's impressive, it's also what he does after he scores.

He doesn't run to the corner flag going ballistic after getting an equaliser. This fella is no show pony. You wouldn't have blamed a young fella going to claim the adulation but Ferguson wasn't having it. He ran in, grabbed the ball and told the other 2 who wanted to celebrate to get the **** out of his way, it was time to focus on getting a winner.

[Eirambler]

One thing I'll say about this group of emerging Irish players is that a lot of them seem to have an exceptional attitude relative to their ages to the extent that it gets referenced in nearly article or interview you would see about them. In particular Bazunu, Kelleher, O'Shea, Collins, Omobamidele, Knight and Ferguson stand out for this.

[Jd2793]

One thing I'll say about this group of emerging Irish players is that a lot of them seem to have an exceptional attitude relative to their ages to the extent that it gets referenced in nearly article or interview you would see about them. In particular Bazunu, Kelleher, O'Shea, Collins, Omobamidele, Knight and Ferguson stand out for this.

id put parrott in that category now aswell. big wake up call at the end of 2021, can see that in all his interviews since

[John83]

The let's not get carried away stuff is starting to get on my nerves a bit.... if you can't get carried away with how this kid is playing do you even get any enjoyment out of football
It mostly seems to be people anticipating it rather than anyone actually saying it, but generally I'd make the distinction between being excited by this guy's obvious potential and the kind of post that more or less assumes that every talented teenager is going to be a world-beater by 25. Ferguson's already done more than any of the talented young strikers of recent years though: of course we're all excited and hopeful.


Incidentally, also on Keane, I was off work for a few days this week with sick kids and I ended up looking through some of the old threads on here. The early pages of the Robbie Keane thread were unbelievable, the abuse he was getting from posters was ridiculous (I should say mostly by people who don't post here any more). This would have been around 2004-2005 so after he had already starred for us at a World Cup. I had to stop reading it after a couple of pages, it was so far removed from reality.
It continued throughout his career. If he didn't score in a game, there were calls to drop him (for whom, it was rarely clear). We were spoiled with him, and a lot of people hadn't a clue.

I had a little rummage through that thread myself and found this:

That'd be the level he's scored 5 goals in 6 games this campaign while not really playing consistently at club level, would it? The way people go on about Robbie Keane, I'd fecking love to see a good forward play for us. He'd have a thousand international goals to his name, his first touch would cure cancer and his off the ball movement would be so beautiful as to make grown men weep in joy.

[samhaydenjr]

Already halfway to matching the total Premier League goals scored by Connolly, Idah and Parrott combined.

It's early days yet, but there's a feel of Robbie Keane off this guy that I just haven't gotten with any of our other options

Ha! Told you there was a 45-goal striker amongst them - if that happens just need 3 25-goal internationals to his the 120-goal mark I set to be around the total scored by all our main strikers over the course of Keane's career (basically the same idea as in Moneyball)

Also, at this point it's no longer super-ridiculous to make this comparison (although it may still be quite ridiculous, but who cares?)

Minutes per goal in the Premier League this season:
Salah - 241
Nunez - 180
Rashford - 180
Mitrovic - 125 (incidentally, Obafemi was scoring at a similar rate to Mitrovic over the last four months of 2012/22)
Kane - 119
Haaland - 62
Ferguson - 60!!!!!!

[Olé Olé]

I think those calling for calm heads and not to get carried away are basing it on experience of players bursting on the scene and then falling away but looking at the goal, it's not just his run and finish that's impressive, it's also what he does after he scores.

He doesn't run to the corner flag going ballistic after getting an equaliser. This fella is no show pony. You wouldn't have blamed a young fella going to claim the adulation but Ferguson wasn't having it. He ran in, grabbed the ball and told the other 2 who wanted to celebrate to get the **** out of his way, it was time to focus on getting a winner.

He did the same v Arsenal. His first ever Premiership goal...

[DCWA]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2023/jan/23/premier-league-10-talking-points-from-the-weekends-action

Not that I think we have any real concern but number 3 in this article from the Guardian mentions Ferguson’s England eligibility. It may be the opening salvo from the English media in attempts to try and create something of a stir around his international future.

England will soon be in urgent enough need of a long term Kane replacement themselves…

[JR89]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2023/jan/23/premier-league-10-talking-points-from-the-weekends-action

Not that I think we have any real concern but number 3 in this article from the Guardian mentions Ferguson’s England eligibility. It may be the opening salvo from the English media in attempts to try and create something of a stir around his international future.

England will soon be in urgent enough need of a long term Kane replacement themselves…

Blame Paul Rowan for his **** article which got it all started recently. English FA would have known he's eligible for them two years ago when he joined Brighton. Luckily for us Barry Ferguson wasn't good enough to play in England and returned home to play in Ireland.

[ColourfulPeanut]

Don't know who's demanding Ferguson be capped to tie him down, completely baseless claim on top of pure speculation. We're demanding he play because he's playing and scoring in the Premier League.

[Exgrad]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2023/jan/23/premier-league-10-talking-points-from-the-weekends-action

Not that I think we have any real concern but number 3 in this article from the Guardian mentions Ferguson’s England eligibility. It may be the opening salvo from the English media in attempts to try and create something of a stir around his international future.

England will soon be in urgent enough need of a long term Kane replacement themselves…

John Brewin wouldnt have a clue what hes talking about here. Ignore.

[placid casual]

I must admit I like brewin whenever he appears on the Guardian football podcast, but reading that article it looks a poorly written, lazy affair. We need Ferguson right now to arrest our slide into the international football wastelands, not just some committal-to-country exercise.

[Exgrad]

Brewin is fine but its all top of the head stuff, would imagine it would come as a suprise to him that Ferguson all ready has two Ireland caps.

[Olé Olé]

Could also be a little off the cuff ranting into his ear from his colleague Barry Glendenning who I do rather like but is prone enough to same and he didn't know of Ferguson until his recent goal v Arsenal as he admitted on the podcast which was a surprise in many ways and suggests Glendenning isn't quite near the pulse of Irish football.

[OwlsFan]

Not getting too excited about Ferguson yet. We heard it before recently with Connolly and Parrott and even Idah. Fingers crossed but very early days.

[Kingdom]

Not getting too excited about Ferguson yet. We heard it before recently with Connolly and Parrott and even Idah. Fingers crossed but very early days.

Booooooh!!!!!

Then again, at your age, calmness is the order of the day :)

[liamoo11]

Could also be a little off the cuff ranting into his ear from his colleague Barry Glendenning who I do rather like but is prone enough to same and he didn't know of Ferguson until his recent goal v Arsenal as he admitted on the podcast which was a surprise in many ways and suggests Glendenning isn't quite near the pulse of Irish football.

I never got got any sense that glendenning has anything but the most superficial knowledge of irish football

[backstothewall]

Don't know who's demanding Ferguson be capped to tie him down, completely baseless claim on top of pure speculation. We're demanding he play because he's playing and scoring in the Premier League.

This. He has to play. He's scoring goals in one of the big 4 leagues. Whatever his age is, that's something we've not had in quite a while now. Should start both games in March, and should probably be hooked at half time v Latvia. No sense risking an injury ahead of France

[sbgawa]

This. He has to play. He's scoring goals in one of the big 4 leagues. Whatever his age is, that's something we've not had in quite a while now. Should start both games in March, and should probably be hooked at half time v Latvia. No sense risking an injury ahead of France


We have one striker scoring goals in the Premier league and we have ......................................tumbleweed.. ..............what is there to even think about?

[Poor Student]

We have one striker scoring goals in the Premier league and we have ......................................tumbleweed.. ..............what is there to even think about?

Simple as this for me. He's demonstrated game intelligence and composure in multiple EPL appearances.

[backstothewall]

We have one striker scoring goals in the Premier league and we have ......................................tumbleweed.. ..............what is there to even think about?

I am legitimately convinced Kenny will overthink this and do something batsh*t crazy like starting Hogan against Latvia, then Obafemi against France.

[Razors left peg]

I am legitimately convinced Kenny will overthink this and do something batsh*t crazy like starting Hogan against Latvia, then Obafemi against France.

Starting Obafemi against France would be ok if it was the Obafemi of this time last year. I've been critical of Kenny recently but in fairness to him he has capped Ferguson twice before any of us were calling for him to be in squad.

He's done plenty to annoy us lately but I don't think we need to be making up what he might do when he was ahead of anyone on here in regards to Ferguson

[elatedscum]

it's a pretty good quote, when he had to defend the selection:

'I know it’s an early promotion for Evan,' Kenny added. 'I suppose the way I have to look at it: if Evan goes on loan in January, which is quite possible, between March and June, which is a key time for us, we can’t predict how he will do, but if he went and did well and got regular gametime and scored goals, he could easily come into the picture in March or June.
'It can change that quickly. Everyone’s first loan isn’t always a success and we can’t count on that. He scores different types of goals, he scores great headed goals which is rare enough now, we are not producing that type of player.He’s a natural goalscorer and it will be good experience for him in the squad.'

Basically, decent chance Evan will be in the squad entirely on merit by March, so I'd rather bed him in now where there's an opportunity than wait till March when the competitive games start and it's more difficult...

[Razors left peg]

Ferguson has obviously even blown the expectations that a loan spell would go well out of the water so there's every reason to believe that he'll be our first choice if his form continues.

As I said we've plenty to complain about but this is not one of them there no point in manufacturing outrage that he might not be picked.

[elatedscum]

It's a bit of a tough one. I think in general, Parrott and Obafemi have built up a good partnership. Obafemi's pace can hurt any team in the world.He's genuinely got Mbappe level acceleration. I think both Obafemi and Parrott can pick out a pass for the other, Parrott can win the aerial battles, both hold up the ball well, both can shoot from distance. Think the Parrott goal home against Scotland and Lithuania, Parrott's miss away in Scotland, Obafemi's goals against Scotland and Armenia.

Obviously Evan should probably play - but not sure who his partner should be. Almost certain we'll play a 5-3-2. Parrott is probably the more natural partner, in that he can drop deeper, Parrott's 10 to Ferguson's 9. But there's a real lack of pace then with no wingers. A team of players without the pace to beat someone. You'd like to have someone like Ogbene at RWB just to provide some electricity. But that won't happen cause he's never played there for ireland and he's not gonna be picked ahead of Doc.

If all fit, Kenny's side against france will probably be:

Bazunu (Should play Kelleher)

Doherty
O'Shea (wouldn't be surprised with Seamus or Andy)
Egan
Collins
McClean/Brady/O'Dowda

Cullen
Molumby (Hendrick or Hodge an outside chance)
Knight (same with McGrath, Browne)

Parrott (or Oba)
Ferguson

-

I know everyone thinks it's crazy but I'd play Duffy. I know the drawbacks but he's such a threat in the opposition box. It's chaos. I think it's worth it. Every set piece feels like a potential goal and sometimes the goals just come from nothing. While out of possession, I trust his defensive instincts. I know he'll hit a few stray passes a game trying to play out and over the course of 10 games, it might cost us a goal or two - but it's not like we're immune to mistakes without him. I also think that Egan has played significantly worse building from the back when in the central position. So Collins-Duffy-Egan would be my selection.