Why Cauley Woodrow now has the opportunity to impress at Fulham this season

Add as preferred source on Google

The departure of Moussa Dembele last week left Fulham with a worrying gap to fill in the striking department. Dembele had contributed 17 integral goals last season and formed a prolific strike partnership with Ross McCormack. But after Dembele’s transfer to Celtic, it is time for Cauley Woodrow to follow his lead and produce a breakout season for the Whites.

The 21-year-old English striker burst onto the first team scene on the last day of the 2013/14 relegation campaign. Woodrow scored a composed curling effort in the 2-2 draw, and many tipped him to be a vital part of the side in the Championship. Yet Woodrow was one of the countless young players who Felix Magath threw into the side at the beginning of the 2014/15 season, as part of a team that lost seven out of their first eight matches. Woodrow went on to make 29 appearances, yet only bagged five goals.

In the 2015/16 season, Woodrow began brightly and many believed he had finally found his form. He scored goals in consecutive appearances against Huddersfield and Rotherham in late August, both clinical strikes. But the goals dried up after that point, and Fulham fans had to wait until late December for Woodrow to hit the back of the net again. In a rampant 4-1 win over Rotherham, Woodrow bagged a brace, putting in an impressive performance, complete with dynamic runs and clinical finishing.

In mid-January, injury struck down another potentially promising campaign for the striker. Woodrow fractured his metatarsal in an FA Cup match against Sheffield Wednesday, an injury which ruled him out until March. Woodrow would go on to make a measly two appearances after the injury, both in disappointing defeats to Brighton and Bristol City.

Cauley Woodrow’s Fulham career has been underwhelming so far, characterized by numerous false starts and temporary patches of form. But much of this inconsistency can be put down to a lack of regular playing time, as he found himself behind Dembele and McCormack in the striking pecking order. Now that Dembele has left for pastures new, Woodrow has a fantastic opportunity to claim the forward position for his own.

A strike partnership between McCormack and Woodrow is an appealing prospect. McCormack’s creativity and vision would complement Woodrow’s raw talent and emphatic finishing, possibly replicating the success that Dembele and McCormack enjoyed last season.

Woodrow has looked raring to go this preseason, enthusiastically using social media to profess his eagerness at the new campaign. The young striker also appears to have struck up a meaningful bond with fellow British players Tom Cairney and Richard Stearman, improving team morale in a side that has lacked spirit for much of the past three years. The 2016/17 season is a perfect time for Cauley Woodrow to establish himself at Craven Cottage, hopefully offering goals and passion to the Cottagers.

Featured image: All rights reserved by _nukman