Er, you don’t have to. But, you’re welcome…

Cantwell is at Blackburn crossroads with tag he must shift

Having embraced the role of marquee signing in the summer, Todd Cantwell has become a conversational lightning rod at Blackburn Rovers.

The early signs from the mercurial talent were encouraging. Cantwell made all the right noises about proving doubters wrong and proving himself as a Premier League player through performances at Ewood Park.

Once fit, it was clear that he was a step ahead of other team-mates, without being disrespectful. The speed he could move the ball and change the tempo of a match immediately stood out.

When he sat down with the media in December, Cantwell was unequivocal that the best was to come, describing his levels at '70%'. This was on the back of the Leeds United win where he scored his first league goal from the penalty spot. Even though he missed two more big chances that day, he was having an influence, getting in the right areas.

Cantwell has always seemed quite self-aware and I'd love to know his view on how his season has panned out. It has been a disappointment if we're all being honest. We have not sat down with him since.

The early-season swagger has gone and his impact in the final third has waned. Only one more penalty has followed and whilst the 26-year-old might not want to obsess with numbers, that is a measly return for a player in his position and of his talent.

Talent has probably been the word most associated with Cantwell's career. It is quite obvious he is naturally gifted. But as Valerien Ismael put it, he has got to start delivering on that ability.

"I think that Todd is a flexible midfield player. He's an attacking midfield player. I know him well from Norwich time, so we know his quality, what he's capable of," Ismael explained.

"I think we didn't see the best version of him at the minute. He can do more and better. He's able to have an impact on the game.

"He's an X-factor player. My job with my staff is to make him feel comfortable, to get the best out of him.

"At some point, you are not any more a talent. There's a danger if you say all the time you speak about the player as a talent, but he's not any more a young player. I think now, with his experience, he's moved to a different club.

"He has the capability to have the impact, to take responsibility on the pitch. It's my expectation that he takes his role. The best of him is what he can get.

"It's still a process to get to know him, to get to know all the squads. The best way to get to know the players is to see them in a game, in different situations, and to give a clear assessment after that."

If Ismael wants to move to a more possession-based style, Cantwell should be suited down to the ground. But he has only started two of the Frenchman's first four games and was ineffective.

Fans have grown frustrated and they're not unjustified. Cantwell should be one of the first names on the team-sheet but he has not proven he's indispensable in recent months.

Having signed a three-year deal last August, the onus is on him to prove he should be a centre-piece moving forward.

Posted By: Cellophane Flowers on April 2nd 2025 at 09:26:32

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