From rags to riches?

Leon Best.

Leon Best.
Is Leon Best coming of age?.
I think it’s fair to say that Leon Best has kind of been thrust into the action. The departure of Andy Carroll along with the injury to Shola Ameobi now means that Leon Best is top of the pecking order with regard to strikers.

Ideal? Probably not, but there is a feeling, certainly from me anyway, that Leon Best can actually prove to be pretty useful this season, although to be fair I think it’s more a case of him having to be pretty useful.

Still, credit where credit is due, and Nottingham born Leon deserves his share of the credit after being written off by many a fan. Don’t get me wrong, he is not the answer to our striker problems in the long run, but he has stepped up to the plate and has played rather well since he made his Premier League debut at the turn of the year.

Best has scored four league (it would have been five but for an incorrect linesman decision) goals in just six appearances this season, including a cracking hat-trick against West Ham. That is not bad for a player who had failed to hit the target at all since his move from Coventry City thirteen months ago.

What has impressed me about Best is his ability to cause problems. He is pretty quick, fairly strong, can hold the ball up, distribute it and so on. The most important thing for me though is that there is room for him to improve, especially in the aerial department.

Aspects like that can be worked on, but it’s nice to see that Best can do the basics well, which is a start. If he can continue to improve now that he is getting some time on the pitch then who knows? Perhaps those failure tags will be left behind?

Best was written off before he had even had a chance, which is unfair on the lad, but I’m glad that he is starting to change the opinion that people have of him. Like I said, he is not ideal and I’m sure we’d all like some prolific striker instead, but we haven’t got one so now we should just get behind the lad with the shirt, who happens to be Best at this time, and support him.

If he manages ten goals before the end of the season you would have to say that would be a success for Bestie. After all, he did miss the first half of the season, so ten goals in half a season wouldn’t be a bad return, would it? I mean it’s pretty much the same as Andy Carroll managed to be fair.

Some people will never take to Best, but I actually like him. I was uninspired by his signing at the time, but I’ve also been right behind from day one. He has a good attitude and wants to play for us, to the point where he was banging down Alan Pardew’s office door to try and force his way into the team. Credit to him for that, credit to him for wanting to play football, unlike Xisco who was happy to ‘wait’ for his chance.

He can continue to prove people wrong by scoring today mind!

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

13 thoughts on “From rags to riches?

  1. Say what you like about Leon Best, but hats off to the lad to the way he outmuscled the Arsenal back four in the legendary 4-4 draw…

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  2. I put Best in the same category as willo. Both solid players who can look really poor at times but I do feel we have seen the best of them both.
    Best has a bit of class to his game but I think he’s a bit soft and that prevents him from being anything more than an average to above average player.
    Willo’s problem is stiff hips, and lack of pace. I like them both but not to be penciled I’m as starters for a whole season.

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  3. Leon Best (6 games – 4 goals)
    Shola Ameobi (19 games/13starts – 4 goals)

    He’s not the best, but he’s way better than Shola Ameuseless. He has better work rate too and actually shows a bit of movement off the ball.

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  4. Sorry off topic,Joe Cole the latest body to be linked,lets hope this is another no goer.personal opinion ,but I think Cole is one of the most overated footballer in English football.Nowhere near good enough for Newcastle.

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  5. Totally agree with your last paragraph.

    We forget so quickly how we sign these so called international players who couldn’t care less about the club and are here for all the wrong reasons, and ultimately fail. But with Best we have a player who cares, who wants to prove his worth and who wants to improve.

    Yeah, maybe some of the players we have aren’t a technically gifted as players we’ve had in the past, but if a person is driven, motivated, a willing listener and always wants to improve, then they can go on to be as good as they want to be.

    The togetherness and attitude we seem to have now within the squad is great to see and long may it continue.

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  6. Didnt think he was good enough before he signed and did nothin to show other wise until he got a run in the team! 4 aols is a decent return and hopefully get a few between now n end of season

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  7. I recall Best was injured for quite a while, but now he’s getting a run in the team we’ll see what he’s made of. Pity he’s the main striker now, and has to carry the full expectations of the fans for the forthcoming weeks. But maybe we all get a big surprise and Best and Ranger go on to form a good partnership, the potential is there.

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  8. Don’t want Joe Cole… he was a great player, but his career is finished now.

    Gervinho is a way better option on the right.

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  9. Joe Cole shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near the toon…never rated him. Yet another aging 70 grand a week man who is going to warm the bench at Anfield rather than take a wage cut and move on. a loan deal just waiting to happen, no-one else is stupid enough to buy him…

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  10. The best thing I can say about Best is that he seems to be in the right place in the box when he is supposed to be there. I’m hoping he can keep himself on sides and that he gets low service that will not easily be headed away by the Rovers big central defenders. Best is as good as the midfiled is at getting it to him. Not that he cannot do it, but we have not seen him take the ball for a run and attack at goal.

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  11. Best was bought as a squad player, someone happy to sit on bench and be brought on when we needed him, he’s done okay and as mentioned above has potential to step up, he’s actually a tidier player than I thought and seems to be well liked in dressing room
    We will need to buy a striker in the summer with poss Lovenkrands going out (and cookie monster) but reckon we should keep Best, if he can get 10 goals a season he’ll be doing better than Oba.

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  12. Harper; Simpson, Colocinni, Williamson, Enrique; Barton, Tiote, Nolan, Gutierrez; Best, Lovenkrands.

    Lover on the right again or up front? Soon see eh

    Anyone know of a sopcast chanel for the game? Can’t find one as of yet

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