After a frustrating start, Elias Sorensen’s spell with Carlisle has gone from bad to worse in recent weeks.
After a disastrous stint with Blackpool last season, the highly rated Danish striker would’ve been hoping for more luck in League Two, however he isn’t fairing much better during his stint in Cumbria, playing just THREE minutes in their last three games.
Sorensen’s form for the U23’s last year was scintillating, so much so that Rafa Benitez was even criticised by some fans for not giving him a chance in the first team.
Those voices grew louder when he was sent to Blackpool on loan in January. Sorensen’s lack of game time on the coast vindicated Benitez and silenced those supporters, while several regular viewers of the U23 games have also said, that despite his impressive strike rate, his all round game isn’t any where near good enough yet.
Despite getting some game time in preseason in China, Steve Bruce (or should I say ‘loan manager’ Shola Ameobi) sent him out again on loan, and it was thought a move to League Two would be a better fit.
Sadly that has been far from the case. Here’s Sorensen’s game time so far at Carlisle:
- Mansfield (H) – Played 34 minutes from the bench.
- Cheltenham (A) – Unused substitute.
- Salford (H) – Played 31 minutes from the bench.
- Rochdale (A) – Played 26 minutes from the bench (Carabao Cup)
- Scunthorpe (A) – Started. Played 45 minutes & subbed off at half time
- Exeter (H) – Came on for 3 minutes.
- Stevenage (A) – Unused substitute, all while fellow NUFC U-23 Kelland Watts played the full 90 for Stevenage.
- Forest Green (H) – Unused substitute..despite fact Forest Green were up against 10 men late on and needed a goal at 0-0.
To summarise, he’s played 139 minutes out of a possible 720, averaging 15 minutes of action per game so far.
Now there are several issues that need addressing here.
Are we doing our homework, or more in particular, is Shola Ameobi doing his job?
On the surface it seems that the club couldn’t have done more than giving him competitive game time just 59 miles away, but then of course Carlisle simply can’t just guarantee a starting place if he isn’t worthy of one.
Is it Sorensen’s attitude, lack of physicality in senior football, or is he simply not ready? And if he isn’t ready, will he ever be?
It’s still early days – he’s only just turned 20 today – but it’s time for Shola to earn his money’s worth and see what’s really going on here.
