It’s great to see goals coming from all over the pitch — 49 and counting — but there’s a stubborn old problem that won’t disappear: how often our frontman is left guessing where the ball will land. You can have a dozen different scorers and still a striker who looks short-changed. I don’t care who gets the goal, but the supply has to be purposeful.

Service before heroics

Back in the day wingers would glance in and pick their spot. The striker would then run to that channel and meet the ball. That pre-scan, that little bit of intent, changes everything. Modern play is quicker and more chaotic, true, but that makes the basic point even more important: the passer should be looking for the man in the box, not just letting rip and hoping.

It’s not clairvoyance — it’s coordination

You can’t expect a forward to be in the perfect place every time if the ball is being delivered to different patches of the box. Unless there’s a pre-agreed movement or a clear cue, the striker is reacting, not anticipating. And reacting is slower. Simple drills, obvious runs, one or two set patterns of play — they all help. We’re not talking rocket science, just better coordination and a bit of common sense in the final third.

What I want to see

More clipped, targeted deliveries when the striker is in a known channel. More rehearsed movements between winger and forward so the striker doesn’t have to gamble on positioning. And for the coaching staff to keep reminding players that a smart assist is as valuable as a smart finish. At the end of the day, goals win points — and goals from organised attacking play are easier to bank than lucky scrambles.

To be fair, variety in scorers is a strength. But let’s not pretend the lone striker should magically always be there if the supply isn’t consistent. Get the ball to the right place and the rest usually follows.

Written by Angus1812: 28 February 2026

Tags: injury