Narcis Pelach has set Tom Cannon a trophy challenge for Stoke City’s season
Stoke City have one of the marksmen towards the top end of the Championship’s goalscorers list – but Narcis Pelach believes Tom Cannon can finish at the summit
Narcis Pelach believes Stoke City could have the Championship’s top goalscorer in Tom Cannon if he continues his excellent run of form in front of goal. Cannon, borrowed from Leicester City for the season, scored a wonderful goal in the 1-1 draw at Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
That was the forward’s fourth goal in five matches, while his quadruple on a memorable evening against Portsmouth leaves Cannon on eight for the season – all of them arriving across the course of his last 10 appearances. Seven of those goals have been in the league and Cannon finds himself joint third in the Championship charts alongside Emmanuel Latte Lath, Haji Wright and Vakoun Bayo.
Ahead of that cluster of attackers are Borja Sainz of Norwich City, who has 11, and former Stoke City loanee Josh Maja, who has plundered 10 for West Bromwich Albion this season. Indeed, Sainz and Maja both netted as the Baggies and the Canaries clashed at The Hawthorns on Saturday.
For Pelach, there’s no reason why Cannon cannot head the list come the end of the season, having seen already an improvement and a response from the young striker to the demands being made by his new boss.
“I have no doubts about that,” Pelach said, when asked if he could finish top scorer. “I told him when I first came that I expected a lot. Of course, I wanted more than 15. We will see if he gets there or not, but my demands and expectations with him are high. Hopefully he can take it, be strong and come through the bad moments as well and get the numbers we want.
“I believe a lot in my players and I believe in Tom Cannon. There are lots of things to improve with him, between both boxes, but since I came here I’ve seen one Tom and now another Tom. He takes criticism well – I criticise him a lot, but he takes it well, he wants to improve and take the next step.
“I want much more from him. I think he can score many more goals, but above all he’s defending properly, he’s pressing well, his set piece game is improving. Step by step we are helping him to get there and he can because he wants to do it.”
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