Paterson

[Lawnmower]

Interesting post from over a year ago, before Paterson had made a first team appearance for us. This was the night he scored a hat-trick for the DVP team from right back.

I was looking for this thread to find the article I'd posted about the 17-year-old Paterson at Hearts in 2012. The second line of it is interesting as he's now followed the same path here.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/...hearts-1338938

As Eric says in the other thread about Paterson, he's played other positions and I'm not sure why playing our top scorer in the Championship last season up front for now is that bizarre. He may well not be the long term answer there but in the kingdom of the blind the one-eyed man is king and all that. It's not like we've stuck Peltier up there.

Right now he appears to be the most effective no 9 at the club

[jeepster]

Right now he appears to be the most effective no 9 at the club

He is a player who give 100% every game

[Loramski]

He is a player who give 100% every game

Definitely. So did Revell though, it's an admirable quality but not enough in itself. For all the deserved praise he got for Saturday's performance, as soon as we draw a blank at home this board will be full of 'Paterson ran around like a headless chicken, we need some quality up front' type comments. It's interesting that Paterson went from full back to midfielder to striker at Hearts but the fact that he ended up back at full back again suggests that he didn't fulfil his early promise as a striker, we'll have to wait and see if history repeats itself here.

[Penarth Blues]

Definitely. So did Revell though, it's an admirable quality but not enough in itself. For all the deserved praise he got for Saturday's performance, as soon as we draw a blank at home this board will be full of 'Paterson ran around like a headless chicken, we need some quality up front' type comments. It's interesting that Paterson went from full back to midfielder to striker at Hearts but the fact that he ended up back at full back again suggests that he didn't fulfil his early promise as a striker, we'll have to wait and see if history repeats itself here.

That's a really interesting observation. I'm guessing it happened because they bought a specialist striker in to play a different type fo game, and still wanted to accommodate Paterson somewhere. For our current style of play I think Paterson's strengths suit the CF role perfectly but could easily see how a different formation might be more of a challenge to him.

I'm probably alone in thinking that Paterson has far more to his game than just strength and speed. He showed some really good touches on Saturday, shows an amazing awareness of where his colleagues are around him, and more often than not is able to find them.

I'm looking forward to seeing how he gets on against van Dijk next week - it'll be brutal if nothing else...

[the other bob wilson]

There's a video of Paterson's hat trick on this link.

https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news...-on-09-oct-17/

I think there might have been some resentment among a few City fans at least regarding Nathan Blake's comment about how other strikers at the club should be embarrassed by Paterson's selection in front of them. My interpretation of that comment was that it was not meant as a slight against Paterson in any way - look at many of the goals he scored last season and he does seem to have a knack for finding space in the penalty area. This may be easier to do when you are playing in a number ten type role, but I think there is enough evidence during the past year to say that Paterson does have some of the qualities you want in a good striker.

In the absence of Kenneth Zohore (who has weaknesses when it comes to the target man type striker we nearly always play with under this manager anyway) playing anywhere close to his potential, I'd say Paterson is the most effective player we have to fill that role - he's far more mobile than Madine, quicker than him, compares well with him in the air and, given there is nothing apart from a few pre season goals to judge him by in a City shirt, a better finisher than Madine appears to be. Ward, is not really a natural target man, but, at the moment, I reckon he'd be Paterson's biggest rival for the job if he was fit.

Neil Warnock went with Bobby Decordova-Reid as a lone striker at Bournemouth, but I can't remember City lining up without a target man striker in another game under this manager (Murphy would be a candidate as well if we ever did), so, if we assume that we are going to have a target man in 99% of our games under this manager, then Paterson seems the best bet for the role for now.