Is Benni a “Big Game” Player?!?!

Clint has raised the question as to whether or not Blackburn Rovers forward Benni McCarthy is a “big game” player?

BEFORE you jump to conclusions (or indeed jump down his throat!) take a look at what Clint had to say…

I know Benni McCarthy has scored 12/13 Premiership goals and some crackers but just how many have been against the “bigger” clubs? I’m beginning to believe that he’s not a big game player, unfairly maybe, but the thought has just come into my head.

Let’s look at Benni’s record – (This is written before the Watford game) He’s scored 13 goals in 30 League matches, not a bad strike rate at almost a goal every other game. Half of these, well 6 have come against teams in the top eight/nine, teams vying for Europe (2 vs. Liverpool, 2 vs. Bolton, 1 vs. Everton and 1 vs. Reading – two of these were penalties vs. Bolton) the rest have come against “lower teams”. In the FA Cup he has 3 goals in 5 ties (1 vs. Arsenal, 1 vs. Everton – Top teams), UEFA Cup 3 goals in 8 ties (2 vs. Salzburg, 1 vs. Basel).

So in terms of goals against the top nine he has six goals 17 games (we still have Tottenham Hotspur and Reading to play again), the top four alone two in eight? (although he wasn’t available to feature in all eight, certain he missed Arsenal home and away, through injury and suspension?)

Clint adds:

A very good strike rate that’s not in doubt for his first season in England and I’m not doubting his contribution to the team but only really Liverpool I would consider one of the top teams (the top team he’s scored again in the league). Now I know he did score against the Gunners in the cup but I feel he’s not doing it against teams like Manchester Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal in the league. Now the team has played well against these three teams in the league this year without winning, my question is, is Benni a big game player??

I think he goes missing at times when we need him to score in important matches, like the Bayer Leverkusen game when Rovers were all over them and just didn’t score – 2nd leg. But I do believe that a player with his ability and scoring record he should be more of a threat against the big boys, after all that’s why he was brought in!

THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN USING CLINT’S THOUGHTS.

So is Benni a big game player? Have we been disappointed by his contribution against the bigger sides? You know what you have to do?


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