Re: Birmingham City boss Aitor Karanka makes Scott Hogan promise

Super Hans

Rosalita

Hogan's touch count is very poor in games. Juke's is actually higher. Both have a low pass completion %.

Leko's completion rate is worse.

It’s what Hogan does without the ball that helps so much though.

Definitely.

I love a good stat, but a forward not touching the ball much, often says something about the rest of the team to be honest.

I mentioned it at the time but the Bristol City game that had the ridiculously zoomed out camera angle, helped to show what Hogan is all about. He was constantly peeling off the shoulder of their last man, always looking to get in behind. If he keeps running in behind but we never have the passing range from midfield to thread him through, his "touch count" is low but he's constantly occupying the defenders and giving them something to think about, thus creating more room for the Number 10.

He kept being judged offside against Reading which I think was a mix of his ring-rust and also our midfielders not being quick enough to release him, but that 1 on 1 in the second half showed that he is effective if everything is timed right.

I think it's mad to judge any of our strikers on their "touch count".