Armando Broja is a participant I’ve at all times appreciated and have rated, even when he was within the academy.
Don’t get me incorrect, I’ve at all times seen components of his sport that should enhance, and people components are nonetheless there. It’s at all times been about growth and kicking on, and in the meanwhile he isn’t doing that.
We do must consider his massive harm, however there additionally appears to be an even bigger downside now hindering him, and that’s mindset and confidence.
Some gamers are confidence gamers, and it seems to be like Broja is one among them. He appears to be beating himself up and getting indignant on the pitch when issues aren’t going nicely or he will get a choice given in opposition to him. And Mauricio Pochettino has even pointed this out on the weekend.
After Broja scored in opposition to Preston on Saturday, Pochettino mentioned:
“It’s actually necessary for him however I have to be sincere, I feel he wants to make use of this sort of sport to attain a aim and really feel the online and to enhance. Enhance not solely in his health or his capability for work ethic, however in his physique language additionally. He must step up and go ahead, smile and be slightly bit extra optimistic.”
And that is what I like about Poch, his man-management. He’s spot on right here, and this wanted to be mentioned.
Broja has responded to it positively as nicely, and he agrees with the supervisor.
To these phrases from Poch, Broja responded:
“I’ve had many conversations with the supervisor.
“I felt I used to be going by way of fairly a troublesome interval getting back from my harm. Being out of the group for thus lengthy and never being concerned, you can say I felt down with every thing that was occurring.”
“As soon as I got here again, I used to be feeling far more like myself. I nonetheless really feel like there may be far more to return from me. And, because the gaffer says, I can get my physique language extra optimistic.
“I’m a bit harsh on myself at instances. That’s as a result of I anticipate lots from myself and I do know what I’m able to. The supervisor is simply making an attempt to take that weight off my shoulders and loosen myself up that little bit.
“I’m making an attempt to take that recommendation on board as a result of he has been serving to me day-after-day. I simply must smile extra and be a bit extra optimistic.”
Once more, that is all spot on and optimistic that they’ve each obtained these emotions off their chests and on the market.
It’s clear Broja has been struggling a bit mentally since getting back from his harm, and he’s additionally clearly feeling the pressures of taking part in up prime for Chelsea.
Broja continued: “Once you go on a run the place you aren’t scoring a lot, you may get a bit down. It’s not the best feeling, however getting a aim in a sport like this [Preston] makes up for it.
“In fact, it was an enormous one for myself and for the sport as nicely. It was nice work from Misha (Mykhailo Mudryk) to play to Malo (Gusto) and an amazing supply from Malo. I simply tried to get my head on it and it wasn’t a nasty header.
“It’s our job – we receives a commission to attain objectives. It’s what everybody sees as a striker, somebody who scores objectives. It’s troublesome as a result of everybody expects you to attain each sport however there have been nice gamers who haven’t accomplished that.
“The outcome comes first however personally I like to attain objectives. I’m a striker; it’s one thing that I like doing.”
And once more, he’s proper, he’s a striker, and a striker should rating objectives. The stress is at all times going to be a lot larger at Chelsea as nicely – time doesn’t watch for Chelsea.
Within the modern-day as nicely, you see gamers on their telephones on a regular basis, earlier than and after video games within the dressing rooms, and simply on a regular basis. They’ll see criticism and abuse, naturally. Some gamers it is going to impact, others not a lot.
Broja clearly sees the criticisms of late, you may inform that with a few of his posts on Instagram asking for endurance and so on. However that is all a part of being a modern-day footballer and it’ll by no means disappear, it’s all a part of it now and there may be solely ever going to be a method to reply to critics, together with your toes on the pitch – show all of them incorrect.
I’ll finish this by going again to my opening factors – I fee Broja, however I simply don’t suppose he’s growing but to the place he must be and he’s but to enhance on the weather that he lacks. Can he get there? In fact he can, he’s nonetheless solely 22-years-old (lately).
He wants to enhance his holdup play firstly as a result of he’s 6ft 3in tall and a bodily man, but he lacks a contact and the ball doesn’t typically persist with him because it ought to do. He additionally must get his head up and drop the ball off slightly earlier at instances.
I feel if he can good that facet of his sport then he could be a prime striker, and the irony in fact is he’s precisely the sort of body that we’d like and the sort of bodily presence that Pochettino loves. He could possibly be an ideal Pochettino striker if he imposes his presence extra and will get higher within the air in addition to again to aim.
We all know he can rating objectives, and that bit for me is confidence greater than anything. But when he can get higher with a few of his choice making and again to aim play, then I nonetheless suppose he could be a good striker.
Will that be at Chelsea? Nicely, that every one will depend on the following couple of weeks in my view. However I’m conserving the religion in Broja as a result of he’s a participant I’ve watched lots by way of the ranks at Cobham and I do see potential. However the query mark is whether or not he can develop and switch that potential into consistency and a extra well-rounded striker who performs with confidence.
