A 3-1 triumph against Wimbledon was the source of much relief following a series of three successive league defeats. And, despite our problematic start to the new Premier League season, there have been some pleasing aspects. Most notably, Robert Snodgrass seems to be transformed since the appointment of Manuel Pellegrini.
Having transferred to the club from Hull City in January 2017, the Scottish international failed to impress and was unable to score in the 15 appearances that he made for us during the 2016-17 season. This was bitterly disappointing when considering that he netted seven goals in 20 appearances for Hull City.
A loan move to Aston Villa followed, where the Scottish international thrived. In 40 Championship appearances for Steve Bruce’s side, the 30-year-old contributed towards 21 league goals – scoring eight and registering 13 assists. He is valued at £6.3M by transfermarkt.
Despite his admirable displays with Villa, at his age, many expected that Snodgrass would have left the London Stadium this summer – myself included!
Nonetheless, since returning from his loan spell in the Championship, Snodgrass has worked exemplary and has displayed an impressive work ethic. Throughout our pre-season fixtures, he was continually among our top performers, and he has emulated that during our first few league games.
Naturally, given the fact that Andriy Yarmolenko is among those competing for a place in the team, it remains to be seen whether Snodgrass will be able to retain his position in the starting eleven. However, his efforts warrant praise, and he was impressive once again last night against Wimbledon, and he also registered an assist for Ogbonna’s goal.
His performances have been mightily impressive, and while collectively, we’ve endured a difficult start to the new season, he has been a bright spark in what has otherwise been a troublesome first three games. Let’s hope that his form continues.
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