[Albion] Evan Ferguson **Loaned to West Ham 03/02/2025**

[Dibdab]

How do you know it is altitude that is stopping him working hard on the pitch? That seems extremely unlikely to me.

If its not attitude then its fitness/injury in which case you wouldnt expect him to be selected to play at all and wouldnt have expected West Ham to have taken him on?

 

[Seasider78]

My view is his finishing is exceptional and with the ball at his feet in and around the box he is a big threat at this level. Away from that he is not great at holding the ball up, is not a striker who runs at players or drops deep and links play. This is for me what is holding him back as modern sides want much more from strikers when they don’t have the ball. Really hope he gets the right next move for him to develop his game further as there is so much potential and we have seen how good he is when it all clicks.

 

[Clive Walker]

Appears like a guys who’s been dumped by the most beautiful woman on the planet.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I am not understanding how a loss of confidence/mojo stops you actually looking motivated and getting stuck in

Effort is the minimum I’d expect from any player playing for his club or country regardless.

That may be a health issue.
And running about like a headless chicken isn't an essential part of striker craft.
That big lad with the funny haircut at city isn't exactly jumpin' jack flash
So I remain unpersuaded Fergy is simply lazy and disinterested.

 

[Machiavelli]

That would be an interesting move. If he can't cut it in Belgium, we'll know for sure that something isn't right.

He was okay when he came on against Senegal, but absolutely miles off it last night.

I know it'll inevitably contain speculation but you've been a long-term observer of Evan, how do you explain the severe drop-off in form from that hat-trick versus Newcastle to now? Did we overrate his skillset back then? I really don't think so, and his finishing was better than anything I've seen in the flesh of someone so young. I doubt he's lost that part of his game, but the recent failure to get on the scoresheet is more to do with not getting in the right positions.

 

[CheeseRolls]

My view is his finishing is exceptional and with the ball at his feet in and around the box he is a big threat at this level. Away from that he is not great at holding the ball up, is not a striker who runs at players or drops deep and links play. This is for me what is holding him back as modern sides want much more from strikers when they don’t have the ball. Really hope he gets the right next move for him to develop his game further as there is so much potential and we have seen how good he is when it all clicks.

Very many top class forwards have not developed their hold up play until much older. Loads of examples to support this of players developing this side of their game in their late 20s.

 

[US Seagull]

Probably should have flogged him to Chelsea for £70m or whatever it was last summer like the rumours said…

Good call Captain Hindsight!

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I know it'll inevitably contain speculation but you've been a long-term observer of Evan, how do you explain the severe drop-off in form from that hat-trick versus Newcastle to now? Did we overrate his skillset back then? I really don't think so, and his finishing was better than anything I've seen in the flesh of someone so young. I doubt he's lost that part of his game, but the recent failure to get on the scoresheet is more to do with not getting in the right positions.

It's a mistake to look at Evan's early career form as one performance against Newcastle. He was banging them in and playing very well for a good period of time before that match.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

It's so weird because his best attribute is the thing you DESPERATELY try and improve in young forwards and accept isn't there to begin with, even if they have pace/work rate. His finishing is top notch. Just out the feet and BANG. A real throwback centre forward. That aspect is fine. He's also so BIG that you don't even think there's much need to let him develop physically. On paper, at still only 20, he looks a fantastic player to have in our squad.

Unless there's something else going on, he just strikes me as a player who, if he had a good pre season, could comfortably be back as a key player.

I have no idea what's gone on and I wouldn't dare speculate, but I really hope he stays with us. He's not fooled us with a few cheeky goals, he looked every bit the PL striker when he emerged.

 

[PlayMoran]

I know it'll inevitably contain speculation but you've been a long-term observer of Evan, how do you explain the severe drop-off in form from that hat-trick versus Newcastle to now? Did we overrate his skillset back then? I really don't think so, and his finishing was better than anything I've seen in the flesh of someone so young. I doubt he's lost that part of his game, but the recent failure to get on the scoresheet is more to do with not getting in the right positions.

I don't think he was overrated back then. He was doing remarkable things as a 17/18 year old.

There have been rumours that he hasn't been looking after himself off the pitch. That could just be internet gossip. I hope it is.

There was also speculation that his knee issue if difficult to treat. It could be permanent. His patellar tendon. Maybe he was playing through pain. And then he obviously suffered a bad ankle injury last year as well. His body probably can't do what he wants it to do now.

I don't think he's going to fulfil his potential, but I hope that I'm wrong. He took his goal well vs Bulgaria a few weeks ago. He didn't play well in terms of general play though.

 

[Machiavelli]

It's a mistake to look at Evan's early career form as one performance against Newcastle. He was banging them in and playing very well for a good period of time before that match.

It would be a mistake, yes. I wasn't a mistake I was making, and stated that that was the endpoint of a previous Evan rather than a punctual moment.

 

[y2dave]

I’d like us to keep him around until the January window, give him a fair chance to regain sharpness and see what he can contribute. He’s a natural finisher in and out of the box but he’s probably been trying too hard to influence games while being someway off his physical best.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

There was also speculation that his knee issue if difficult to treat. It could be permanent. His patellar tendon. Maybe he was playing through pain. And then he obviously suffered a bad ankle injury last year as well. His body probably can't do what he wants it to do now.

Something like this seems the most likely. With hindsight, maybe we exposed the lad to too much playing time and too much rough treatment at too young an age. It's a tricky one when you've got a 15 year old in what seems like a man's body, not to think he can take it.

I think if he was falling out of nightclubs at 4am in the season, there would be photos / evidence / anecdotes from locals.

The great liklihood is that what we are witnessing with Evan is growing pains. Certainly some injury, maybe some illness, maybe some lack of confidence in the body's ability to resist injury. I just think though, this is a moment in time for him. I think we should be keeping him at the club. Let's spend a season working on his condition and building the muscle he needs to avoid these injuries. If he's 4th choice, he's 4th choice. He and us need to be thinking longer term. He's still very young

 

[Seasider78]

Very many top class forwards have not developed their hold up play until much older. Loads of examples to support this of players developing this side of their game in their late 20s.

I don’t disagree but he is caught it that situation (like connelly was) where you have some good examples of performances in the PL that make a step out of the division feel like moving backwards when the reality is he needs games in a less pressurised environment than the PL to develop that side of his game and then return the complete player.

 

[pigmanovich]

I don’t disagree but he is caught it that situation (like connelly was) where you have some good examples of performances in the PL that make a step out of the division feel like moving backwards when the reality is he needs games in a less pressurised environment than the PL to develop that side of his game and then return the complete player.

This - if it’s true his camp wouldn’t countenance a non PL loan last season they have a lot to answer for.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Just hope Evan has a good summer and get himself ready for pre-season. Given his recent form I would guess Ferguson will remain with us to begin with, leaving us with Welbeck, Tzimas, Koustolas, Ferguson and you could add Rutter up front. Finally some depth rather than just err......Danny Welbeck on his own.

 

[Seasider78]

Everton interested in buying according to this article

 

[Robinjakarta]

I don't think he was overrated back then. He was doing remarkable things as a 17/18 year old.

There have been rumours that he hasn't been looking after himself off the pitch. That could just be internet gossip. I hope it is.

There was also speculation that his knee issue if difficult to treat. It could be permanent. His patellar tendon. Maybe he was playing through pain. And then he obviously suffered a bad ankle injury last year as well. His body probably can't do what he wants it to do now.

I don't think he's going to fulfil his potential, but I hope that I'm wrong. He took his goal well vs Bulgaria a few weeks ago. He didn't play well in terms of general play though.

This looks rather ominous. I hope you're wrong, too, but this and such an extended drop off in form don't look good at all. There clearly is/was a potential great player in there but memories of that are becoming distant. We can but hope. A strange case.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Old fashioned centre forward play is such a dying art that no one knows how to serve him.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Old fashioned centre forward play is such a dying art that no one knows how to serve him.

There are still some managers left that do.........