Football League World
·7 September 2022
Football League World
·7 September 2022
Brentford signed winger Tariqe Fosu back in 2020 and in the 2020/21 season, he established himself as a core part of the side making 41 league appearances playing his part with four goals as the club achieved promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.
However, once the club were in the top flight, Fosu quickly fell out of favour and made just one Premier League appearance last season.
Therefore, a loan move back to the Championship was sanctioned this summer and the 26-year-old joined Stoke City this summer once the season was underway.
Despite making a large number of signings during the summer, Michael O’Neill’s side had a poor start to the season which may explain why another addition felt as though it was needed.
Fosu has played every game for his side so far since joining and started two games under O’Neill, coming on as a substitution in the other game.
As poor form continued, O’Neill departed the club with Alex Neil coming in to replace him although he seems to have stayed in favour playing in both games he’s overseen so far, starting in the club’s 2-1 loss against Reading at the weekend.
So far the 26-year-old has only played one full match, something he will no doubt be hoping to do more of as the season progresses.
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However, new boss Alex Neil has already admitted that he’s still in the process of figuring out his best starting line-up suggesting that he has an opportunity to stake a claim for a regular place in the side this season although may have to wait a few more weeks to get that chance as Alex Neil tries his different options.
It’s also worth nothing that Fosu was being used on the right of the pitch at the start of the season but played on the left under Alex Neil on Saturday meaning he may be in the process of finding his place in the side and nailing it down.
Therefore, it’s not been the most inspiring start for the winger at Stoke yet although he hasn’t been in a stable environment either with the managerial changes already happening so soon at the club.
What should be encouraging for the player is that Alex Neil has come in and used him in the squad suggesting the new manager does like the look of him and has a space for him in his side.
However, it’s not up to Fosu himself to perform when given the opportunities and show why he deserves a spot in the side which will be well supported with goal contributions.