Obikwu Stat-attack

I know we all love a good stats-based approach to things these days, so from the BBC sports stats page for League 2 it would seem that a certain Mr Obikwu is the most lethal striker in the division pound-for-pound.

7 goals in 15 appearances, so there's your magical 1-in-2 strike rate, but even better is that is actually 0.85 goals per 90 minutes, the next highest is Lowe at Walsall with 0.74, the McGoldrick 0.67 and the table leader is Stevens at the wombles with a measly 0.65. Nobody else gets close.

He also has a 52% shot accuracy- one of the highest- and a massive 33% goal conversion ratio, only Grigg at Chesterfield having higher and most being in the teens or low 20's.

For context, Mo Salah has a 0.93 per 90 mins ratio, 52% shot accuracy and only a 24% goal conversion ratio.  Haaland has a pathetic 0.77 per 90 and only 20% conversion ratio.

So, is he the real deal?  Is it all down to Rose supplying him ball?  And how long a contract have we got him on because I reckon bids will come in this summer if that form continues

Quoted from OddShapedBalls

  And how long a contract have we got him on because I reckon bids will come in this summer if that form continues

We'll be doing well if we get bids in for a player that's here on loan  

To answer your final question, he's not our player so that's not something we have the luxury of worrying about.  I do think he'll certainly attract bids but that'll be to Coventry's benefit rather than ours.

Is he the real deal?  Considering he's got just over 30 games under his professional belt and he's looking this good, I think it's fair to say that the lad has got some serious potential and I'll be surprised if isn't unleashed at a higher level than this.

He certainly benefits from having Rose alongside him (and vice-versa) but he's also looked fairly effective when playing up top on his own.  

Even with promotion to League One, I fancy we'll struggle to keep him here for another season but his growth and development whilst here is another feather in the cap to strengthen future signings in the future (both permanent and loans from higher levels).

I think Obikwu makes for a great case study of what we are trying to do here. Artell spoke again on Saturday about having to manage Obikwu's pubis synthesis. We were happy to bring him in knowing he was a few weeks away from being available to play when others weren't.

I think his goal in Saturday speaks volumes about his ability. His first touch to take it around Olowu, his next two to take the ball into the box and set up the shot, and finally the finish itself were reminiscent of a much more experienced striker playing at a higher level than League Two.

He still has some rough edges to his game; about 10 minutes before he scored he fresh-aired the ball in a really promising position in the box for example, but you look at his development in the past year from a languid, slightly lazy looking young kid to one of the best pound-for-pound strikers in the division, and you can’t help but predict great things for the lad.

Even last season, despite not always setting the world alight, he still scored 3 really important goals in 16 appearances often from the bench, which is a much greater contribution than most young loanees have done here in recent years.

Hypothetical question; assuming he were our player, and had a couple of years to run on his contract - how much would you want for him in the summer?

Quoted from pizzzza

We'll be doing well if we get bids in for a player that's here on loan  

Doh!  I had it in my head that we signed him for a year long contract, not a year long loan.......oops!

Makes some of the comments when he re-signed look very foolish particularly those on Twitter

Quoted from jamesgtfc

I think Obikwu makes for a great case study of what we are trying to do here. Artell spoke again on Saturday about having to manage Obikwu's pubis synthesis. We were happy to bring him in knowing he was a few weeks away from being available to play when others weren't.

I have never been involved with the physio side of life and showing my ignorance I had to google pubis synthesis. According to one explanation it refers to :-

"The pubic symphysis is a joint that connects the left and right pelvic bones at the front and bottom of the pelvis. It's made up of a fibrocartilaginous disc between the pubic bones. Function Absorbs shock and weight from the upper body,"

Quoted from Poojah

Hypothetical question; assuming he were our player, and had a couple of years to run on his contract - how much would you want for him in the summer?

I guess the recent example to refer to of a striker leaving this level for decent money has to be Ali Al-Hamadi who went from Wimbledon to Ipswich just over 12 months ago for a rumoured £1million.

After rattling around in youth sides and not doing much of significant note for a few years, Al-Hamadi found his feet in the first half of last season for the Dons.  23 games, 13 goals and 6 assists (one missed penalty against Town on opening day too).  A goal every 151 minutes and a goal contribution (goals and assists) every 103 minutes.

This season and a year younger than Al-Hamadi was at this stage 12 months ago, Obikwu has (over a slightly shorter run of games but with more to go) hit 7 goals in 15 games but no assists.  So his goals and contributions per minute sits at 1 every 105.  

Al-Hamadi is a very explosive player and sheer pace always attracts buyers.  Obikwu isn't slow but I think maybe an argument of him having a better all-round game.  

Said a few weeks back if we get 15/20 decent games out of him (i.e. starting, playing most of the match & not injured) in the second half of the season, he’ll do well. Very important that he has Rose alongside him to help him through - you don’t want to Mansaram the poor lad and have him doing all the donkey work & expected to finish at the end.