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View: Aston Villa loanee Cameron Archer to hit goal trail for Middlesbrough amid stat reveal
Aston Villa made the right call by sending Cameron Archer out on loan midway through the January transfer window, with Middlesbrough now the 21-year-old’s home.
Chances and opportunities were always going to come at a premium at Villa Park, and it was vital the Villans ensured the youngster was playing week in and week out, which is what the move to the North East provides.
So, how exactly has the young attacker faired since making the move to the Riverside? Here Villa News takes a deeper look at his four Championship games to date.
Archer was a substitute in his first game, a 1-0 win over Preston, and also the 2-0 loss to Sunderland. However, he has started in Middlesbrough’s last two matches, which have resulted in two convincing wins for Michael Carrick’s side.
His overall expected goals during his time at the Championship club is currently 0.39, which means he should be expected to score once in every three games. It’s a good start for the youngster and could well indicate that a goal is just around the corner, particularly if he’s being given the chance to start (stats from Wyscout).
The 21-year-old is known for his predatory instincts inside the box, and that’s certainly something which has continued at the Riverside, even though the goals haven’t quite flowed as of yet. He’s managed six shots so far (33 per cent accuracy) and they’ve all been typical Archer attempts.
In Middlesbrough’s win over Watford, Archer managed three shots, with two of them being on target. The first effort was a typical effort we would expect from the youngster. He receives the ball in a congested area in the box and then comes alive.
His ability to shoot with both feet is clear for all to see with this effort. He moves the ball quickly onto his left foot before hitting a low shot towards the goal. This is a staple of his play and it’s good to see it in practice already in the North East.
His second effort against the Hornets was surprising, and actually quite refreshing. Instead of receiving the ball in the box, Archer picks the ball up 30 yards away from goal before beating two defenders to give himself a shooting opportunity.
He uses his pace, strength and power to keep control of the ball before firing a shot at goal. He could potentially squad the ball to his teammate, but he’s a striker and having that clinical edge is a necessity.
Archer’s dribbling ability was yet again on show in the Teesiders’ win over Blackpool. As the image above displays, the 21-year-old picks up the ball out wide before making a direct one towards the box. He has a number of options but instead opts to go on his own.
He shifts the ball onto his left before shooting quickly, which earns his side a corner. The Aston Villa loanee is predominantly known for being a fox in the box, but it’s good to see him add further strings to his bow whilst out on loan in the Championship.
It’s been a promising start and considering the number of shots, his expected goals and the chances he’s getting, it won’t be long until the goals start flowing.
In other Aston Villa news, Carla Ward must find a contingency plan in case Rachel Daly gets injured for her women’s side this season.