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Player of the Season Nomination: Marlon King
But for a troublesome knee injury, this year could have been even more successful than last year was for Marlon King. Fourteen goals in thirty appearances put him comfortably at the top of the Blues scoring charts and barring a Zigic-style massacre in one of the remaining five matches will keep him there.
It’s been a tough one for Marlon. A troublesome knee injury that has been with him since before he signed the club finally forced him out of the side for a length of time but not before he had broken double figures once again for Blues. At times the only goal threat in what has been a misfiring Blues forward line, Marlon has coped with the pressure admirably and his goals have won Blues a fair few points – the last gasp winner at Burnley, two against Middlesbrough, the winner against Bolton, a hat-trick at Millwall to rescue a draw from absolutely nothing and an equaliser against Blackburn all are marked against King’s name this year.
It’s not like he’s had a settled strike partner either – Blues have had to rotate through their strikers heavily this year and thus King has not really had chance to strike up a proper partnership with anyone. It’s difficult for a striker to get into an established routine if he’s unsure of where his partner might be going for the ball or going to make a run to receive it but King has coped admirably and at time looked absolutely deadly in front of goal – scoring six in six games in November including a run of a goal a game in four consecutive games. That sort of form has been key to Blues not falling away – whilst they haven’t performed as well as they might have done, Blues have looked like scoring in almost every game that they’ve played (barring the disasters that were Barnsley and Watford at home).
Indeed, when it was confirmed King was going to be out injured with his knee I think panic set in in some quarters as people started wondering just where the goals were going to come from whilst the London-born Jamaican was stuck on the sidelines. The fact that Blues have done okay is more down to the emergence of other players rather than the lack of importance of King in the team; I can honestly say that I agreed with the sections of fans who thought that his potential sale/transfer in the January window would doom us to a proper relegation fight.
I can understand that people might not agree with the nomination of King as will have missed a third of the season through injury come May 3 but the fact remains for me that without him we’d have truly struggled. If a player is to win “player of the season” it has to be because they’ve stood out from their teammates and King did – particularly in the early part of the season when so many of his colleagues in Blues shirts didn’t play well. Marlon enters the final year of his contract next season and should he remain at St Andrews he has a chance of a crack at Paul Furlong’s post-TF record of 50 league goals for the club – in a much shorter space of time than Funky took. That alone would be an achievement and I hope he’s around to give it a go.
Tags: Marlon King
16 Responses to “Player of the Season Nomination: Marlon King”
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Had Marlon King been younger, premiership clubs would have queued up to sign him because his goalscoring is much sought after. He has been a terrific signing for Birmingham and had he stayed fit then im sure there would be no competition when it comes to player of the season. The 3 players shortlisted here are the ones really worthy of serious consideration but im still going with Jack Butland, since the turn of the year in particular and his subsequent move to Stoke, the kid has produced some stunning saves to earn Blues points.
You say, and I quote
” If a player is to win “player of the season” it has to be because they’ve stood out from their teammates and King did”
I can’t argue with that, he stood out that far he was always Off-Side.
Sorry, KP, but you overly harsh on King. The reason he is offside sometimes is the same as Thomas, cos he plays on the shoulder of the last man.
14 in 30 games is an impressive record, as is his overall record of 32 in 79. He’s the most consistently clinical striker we’ve had since Forssell IMO
I have to defend Marlon King on the offside thing. He is and always has been, a player who plays on the shoulder of the last defender. His strength is to receive the ball and turn the defender, or, turn the defender and move on to a through ball and get a shot off. That’s how he’s always played. And very successfully too.
But, to do that, he needs the ball to feet quickly…. not hoofed over the defence time after time. Also, most of the time, our final pass has been delivered too slowly, hence Marlon King being caught offside so many times. He’s experienced enough striker to know when to make his move. It’s unfortunate that our midfielders don’t always think as quickly. But, when that final ball IS played in quickly, it gives the striker a chance (as we’ve seen with Wes Thomas in recent games – the Ravel Morrison pass springs to mind.)
Of course, that’s just my opinion, for what it’s worth. :-) (I voted for Marlon btw)
Cannot knock your summary Dan, before Marlon came to blues there were few blues fans who didnot want him at the club due to his past. Great to see HOW players prove fans wrong…love it. His record for blues is excellent.. If blues are going to mount play-off or higher next season. Can Marlon stay fit or is he now prone to more injuries, and is it worth him having another crack in this division. Sorry to say I wouldn’t doubt his commitment and desire but can blues carry a player who might be more injury prone next season possibly…. For me Marlon is top notch….But i stand by first choice Butland who I said some time go would rise through the ranks, be 1st choice keeper at blues, and eventually play for England. IF ONLY MY LOTTERY NUMBERS WOULD COME UP LOL
Dan regarding your quote barring ” a Zigic-style massacre in one of the remaining five matches will keep him there.” Not a chance of Zigic passing him….it would take Zigic three seasons to past that record lol. It shame we could not keep hold of Chris woods…….
Mark – Zigic v Leeds (who we have yet to play at home) last year equalled five goals.
do not discount the big lad.
without a doubt Dan I wont be discount the big lad its just IMO always back the blue shirt…… do you find it a excellent return from a player who has cost the club a lot of money both in salary, and transfer fee. But there are 23 teams in this divsion Dan, sorry to say mate you just cannot turn it on for one or two games.. IMO I believe Zigic could have contributed far more this season from the times I seen him ,and giving away silly red cards, and he could have been the real back bone of our forward line. When he made his debut against Sunderland he frighten their defense…the championship should have been extremey worried ., sorry if this is going off your subject slightly….. it also appears he like scoring against leeds ….http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_%C5%BDigi%C4%87
Chris Woods – wasn’t he a goalkeeper? :)
Sorry I was recalling 2011–2012 chris wood who was on loan to us who played 23 games scored 9 goals. sorry i put the ‘s’ on the end of wood, sorry if this confused you.
Clearly, King is our best player and should get the award. Butland has been similarly effective at the other end of the pitch.
if king had seen out the season he would have scored 20 goals,
so he would have won it no problem, but he didnt so its curtis
for me. but land didnt start the season at all well but has looked
better as the season gone on and hed be third benind king in second.
king is our best striker but not player, that would go to callum riley, the
guys gonna be mint and has all the boxs ticked for me.KRO.
I was very doubtful about Marlon King because of his past things, but it seems like Birmingham City FC is a good club for players that have had problems in their past. Look at Jermaine Pennant and Ravel Morrison, they really like to play for our club, and so does Marlon. And they have never had any problems as far as we know. It seems like BCFC is a kind of psychiatrist for people with problems and I am very happy for that.
3 valid player of the season nominations, Butland and Davies were poor the first third of the season for me with Davies especially seeming to be putting in some very lacklustre displays.
King always seemed to me to be playing with a knock, he just learnt to play through it, that night at Millwall sticks out in my mind this season, and overall he has been proberly been our most consistent player when fit, and those who say he can’t get it because he has missed the last third of the season I say there is a reason we are where we are in the league and some of last seasons top performers have been no where near what they were last season, Burke and Davies to name a couple.
Its a good thing we do not listen to the political correct brigade, otherwise Bowyer, Pennant, Morrison, King would never have signed and all did wel.,
We need Footballers not Choirboys I for one am not the slightest bit interested in who we offend as long as we get a good player. King gets my vote.
I’m afraid King doesn’t get my vote. Firstly he hasn’t played for half the season, and secondly he is a convicted sex offender. Whilst some can forget that I’m afraid I won’t be voting for him.