Never before (nor hopefully since) has a player who has barely scored a goal nor even registered an assist generated so much debate.I must confess that to some extent I've always felt guilty that I was probably responsible in part, so convinced was I and am I that Aron Sasu is going to be very good. The opinions on the kid amongst our fans form just about the broadest spectrum of any player I've ever come across. There's been a few believers at one end, then some in the middle but lots and lots of doubters.Those doubters have formed a sub-section all of their own, from those who say "he needs a loan" to those who say he'll never make a footballer while he's got a hole in his arse. Listen to some and Sasu wouldn't get minutes in their Sunday League team.
For my part, there have been plenty of occasions when I've watched him and had to remind myself that I really HAD seen a player in there at some point. I really had seen that little dip of the shoulder and an explosion from a standing start. I really had seen that awareness and head movement which always reveal quality in a footballer. I'd really seen that step, that glide of a good player in possession. I had to remind myself because there has been occasions where his performances have lacked all of those things, times when at best he has been ineffective at best and insipid at worst.
But I know what I've seen when I've seen it, so I've had to wait. Much like Johnnie Jackson (who incidentally deserves huge credit for sticking with the kid), I've copped my fair share of ridicule and derision for my belief in Sasu, but you can't unsee something so significant, can't forget something so potentially exciting.
And what is it that the kid has? Well pace obviously, in it's most blistering and brutal form, as well as the ability to go both sides, hit it off feet. His heading has improved a lot but still has some way to go, ditto his awareness and ability to get his body in the right position to protect the ball better. I've always felt though that with young footballers you're far better off talking about what they CAN do rather than what they can't. If as is the case with this boy the "can'ts" are readily teachable while the "cans" are things shared with only a tiny percentage of footballers and stuff that you really either have or you don't, then you have something really worth working on. That's what Aron Sasu is, a footballer who is REALLY worth working on.
And at last he showed it, by scoring four goals in one match. Pay no mind to those neighsayers who tell you the goalie wasn't very good and Cardiff didn't have their first team out, for any striker in any game of professional football to score four times without penalties is an extraordinary achievement. Haaland likely wouldn't score four times against non league Cup opposition, to do it at ANY level is incredible.
Does that settle the debate as to whether he'll make it with us? Of course it doesn't. I personally think it settles the "Has he got huge potential?" discussion, but much like the "Is his best position as a striker?" argument, my stance will surprise nobody.
Hopefully from here, what last night has done has settled the debate in the PLAYERS head, that's often the most important bit. Hopefully from here Aron Sasu goes on to achieve something like his full potential. Even partially fulfilling that would see us in my opinion have a striker who is far too good for League One.
No comments:
Post a Comment