Gav says…
He looked canny, didn’t he?
Obviously it’s going to be very different when he’s trying to go off on mazy runs against fit, experienced Premier League defenders and not tiring low-end Championship players, but it was good to see him come on and be positive.
I wouldn’t want to place too much pressure on the lad this season as the likelihood is that we’ll barely see him much, but when he does get opportunities, it’ll be during late cameos like that where he can be most effective in short bursts.
What excites me about Ta Bi — and pretty much everyone else we sign, for that matter — is that because he’s young and moldable, if he’s any good, his rate of improvement will be rapid.
Our coaching is brilliant and we’ve fostered an environment that allows young players to flourish, so I really don’t see how Jocelin doesn’t fit in here if he’s prepared to put the work in. The talent is there — which is what got him this move in the first place, as weren’t signing a finished product.
Now, it’s down to him and his coaches to see how much he can blossom. I’m pretty excited, but won’t be getting too carried away just yet — it’s a huge jump from the Israeli top division to the Premier League, so let’s give him time.
Ciaran McKenna says…
Yes, he wasn’t on for long and he was up against lesser opposition, but Ta Bi appears to be an exciting prospect.
He was direct and progressive with the ball — clearly eager to show us fans what he can do, and his feet were quick as he swerved his way in and around the Oxford defenders.
He’s still rough around the edges, but the talent seems to be there. Whether or not he’s able to perform at Premier League level is yet to be seen, but after a good showing on Sunday, maybe we’ll see him coming off the bench in the coming league games.
I love this type of player — a quick, skilled right winger with a good left foot who gets the fan on their feet. I’m sure he can sharpen his skills under the wing of Bertrand Traoré, and maybe even live up to the iconic Patrick Roberts, whom he follows in the footsteps of.
