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da betsson： The term ‘confidence player’ is consistently branded among footballing circles, and it applies to Cardiff City striker Kenneth Zohore more than most.
Aside from an uncharacteristic collapse against Watford last Friday, results and performances of late have been markedly impressive for Neil Warnock’s men. They rallied defiantly in a 2-1 defeat away at Arsenal, before recording successive top-flight triumphs for the first time since April 1962.
A commanding 2-0 victory at home against Bournemouth was coupled by a dramatic last-gasp win away at Southampton. Zohore was the hero on that occasion, slotting home an invaluable winning goal in the game’s concluding moments.
It was the Dane’s first career goal in the Premier League, and while the scrappy nature of the finish has mirrored his struggles this season, it could prove to be a defining moment for the 25-year-old, a stepping stone to improved fortunes that will in turn dramatically improve Cardiff’s hopes of survival.
Zohore, despite mostly being fit this season, has been restricted to eleven league appearances for the Bluebirds. Warnock has tinkered and alternated between personnel, but even the versatile Callum Paterson has been favoured as a make-shift centre-forward ahead of Zohore. Furthermore, the January addition of Oumar Niasse and the new-found form of Bobby Reid could conceivably further restrict his involvement.
However, Zohore is largely dependant on confidence, and his first league goal of the season could provoke a dramatic alteration in form. Between January and May 2017, the Dane embarked on a scoring streak of ten goals in 17 games for the Bluebirds. Unsurprisingly, that ended up being his most prolific campaign to-date, scoring 12 goals in 29 Championship appearances.
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The gulf in quality between the Championship and the Premier League is sizeable, and it would be unrealistic to expect a similar increase in output from the forward, but Zohore is more than capable of producing important goals as we enter a decisive period in the Premier League calendar.
Zohore is a powerful centre-forward, able to hold the ball up when required and bring other players into play. His goal-scoring record isn’t particularly prolific, but during his career as a Cardiff City player, the striker has amassed a catalogue of fine finishes, and generally, he’s a potent player in the opposition penalty area.
Chance creation is certainly an issue for promoted teams in the Premier League, Cardiff are positioned 18th for the most goals scored in the division this season, and they’re positioned 18th for most big chances missed – more of an indication of their inability to create chances rather than refined application in the final third.
Resultantly, a higher premium is placed on finishing, and considering the Bluebirds only average 39.7% possession in the Premier League, the margin for error in the final third is exceptionally tight. Simply put, when Cardiff create chances, their strategy dictates that they need to score them.
This is unfavourable conditions for a confidence player such as Zohore to impose himself on a game, especially during his inaugural season in England’s top-flight.
Nonetheless, his recent goal-scoring exploits should provide renewed optimism ahead of the remaining 12 games in the Premier League season. Cardiff were largely dismissed as a relegation-bound before the season started, yet they’ve been persistent in their efforts to defy expectations.
They’re characteristically stubborn and dogged in their determination. So don’t write Zohore off just yet – and if he starts firing, Cardiff’s chances of staying up will dramatically improve.