Dowell won't qualify under the new rules it seems.
Another goal for Collins, this time against Barnsley. So that’s four goals in two matches now.
Video of goal here (poor quality but yeah): https://twitter.com/cslatts8/status/...926200832?s=21
Kind of odd how people are viewing Collins right now. I mean, if it was two or three years ago, the reaction to him would have probably been "fourteen goals in the Championship last year and off to a flyer this season... over 170 senior goals so he is clearly comfortable in front of the target ... sure, he's a bit of a late bloomer but he's in his prime and clearly on the up and fulfilling his promise... plus he scored within 15 minutes of his international debut (over a year younger than John Aldridge was when he broke his international duck)... he should definitely be in the squad at least"
Now the reaction seems to be "Meh... he was poor against Georgia... he's almost thirty... he doesn't have the speed of an Olympic sprinter... most of his goals were in the lowly divisions... plus we have half-a-dozen U21 strikers to blood in before the Slovakia game... he should be nowhere near the squad"
Fifth of the season for Collins today - with McGoldrick's retirement, and pretty much all our other strikers seeming to be on the fringes at their respective clubs, surely Collins should be given a shot in the upcoming games, with a view to him being a stop-gap in the World Cup qualifiers: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54714745
Luton up to ninth as well
Back in the squad for the upcoming games.
Scored a penalty for his third League goal of the season:https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55067477
scored a hat trick today v preston.
possibly our best option as things stand. deserves more of a chance given our current drought..
16 games 9 goals so far in all competitions, I wouldnt start him unless a bottom half premier team or Celtic buys him, but a good valid option from the bench to have around, looks smaller than his real height 1, 88 mts
Bit of a gap since that hat-trick, so good to see that Collins hit double figures for the season today against Huddersfield: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55866865
Collins doesn't get the credit he deserves. There seems a certain bias against him. If Maguire or O'Dowda or boy wonder Troy Parrott (had) scored as many Championship goals they'd be touted as WC starters. Collins is no Aguero or Calvert-Lewin, but he scores goals at a level more than good enough for our current standard. Maybe, to use that superfluous and snobby term, he's not "technically gifted" but if he gets the job done - i.e. he puts the little round thing in the net - he's good enough and deserves to be recognised as such.
I think it’s clear at this stage he’ll be our World Cup starter at centre forward unless Long really lights it up.
Is it that clear? Robinson and Long are better footballers but different players. Idah could go on a run but I think he needs more time. Otherwise, yeah, there ain't really any alternatives. I would rather one of the three I have mentioned here did something to make the position their's before Collins but it does look like Collins is in pole position for March at least and by default.
That all sounds very negative towards Collins. I don't think he's particularly bad or anything but he should be way down the queue based on the options we have had over the years and, instead, he is nearly our only obvious option i.e. an out and out centre forward playing regularly at the first or second level in England.
Looked who were the squad’s top championship scorers, just out of curiosity. Included Idah too, as mentioned. Overall was pretty surprising:
Long 39
Robinson 34
Hourihane 28
Browne 23
Hendrick 22
Collins 21
Maguire 21
McClean 21
Idah 1
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