Snowball There has been a sea-change in how we play. I can't say it was immediately obvious
but McAnuff-Kebe and Jem-Elwood are totaling 5 v 9 goals, the 9 in less than 2/3
of the minutes. If you take Boxing Day as the switch it's 3-11, an almost 4-fold increase in
goals scored by our midfielders, in 2/3 of the minutes. That's a six-fold better strike rate,
hardly likely to be an accident.
Whether it's confidence, or McD allowing them forward more, or the Roberts effect, it's hard
to be sure, but the change in where goals are coming from is very large.
I don't think there's been a 'sea change' but I do think having a centre forward combination up tops that are a bit more able to hold onto the ball, keep it longer and enable the midfield to join them, before them being able to bring them into play within shooting range, has made a bit of a difference in how we play.
The Roberts effect, as you call it, is quite significant. The side was calling out for a player who could do what he's added to the team. It was obvious to me and why I've been banging on about having a centre forward of his type (in fact Roberts himself as one example) for a couple of years.