"Outstanding" Andre Brooks' perfect Sheffield United reaction could be coming-of-age moment with rival missing
"Outstanding" Andre Brooks' perfect Sheffield United reaction could be a timely coming-of-age moment with rival missing
As he raced away after achieving another boyhood dream and scoring his first goal in Sheffield United colours, it was fitting that Andre Brooks had another academy graduate with him to celebrate in Sydie Peck. The pair in many ways typify this Blades side making an impressive tilt at promotion to the Premier League and what they lack in experience they more than make up for in bottle and bravery.
Brooks made his first appearance in exactly a month as a substitute on Boxing Day against Burnley before being handed a rare start against West Bromwich Albion a few days later, marking it with a lovely finish for his first senior goal after a superb flick from Callum O’Hare. Brooks almost returned the favour a little later on after an outstanding run saw him beat two players and send O’Hare free, only for the United No.10 to be wiped out by Ousmane Diakite in the box.
With Jesurun Rak-Sakyi missing with a hamstring issue, Brooks’ excellent display was timely after losing his place to the Crystal Palace loanee earlier in the season. Asked about Brooks’ display after the Baggies draw, which saw United end the year in the automatic promotion places, boss Chris Wilder dropped a potential hint as to why Brooks spent a long time kicking his heels on the United bench.
"As a coach or a manager, you want a reaction,” Wilder said. “He started off the season really on the front foot and he's obviously been disappointed because Jes has come into the team. But how he needs to show it is being good on a Monday to Friday. He needs to show that consistency for me to go ‘bang’ and put him in the team. We've talked to him and he understands it.
“He's got himself pretty close and I'm delighted he's got his first goal. I thought his attitude to the game was outstanding. We're playing him in a different position this season as well. He's a left-footed eight and we're playing him as a right winger, coming off the line. He's learning about his game and his position as well. It was a great goal from him, his contribution was excellent, as it was from all the players."
Perhaps understandably after his time out Brooks cramped up later in the game but should be available for the New Year’s Day trip to fellow promotion chasers Sunderland. “He was coming off, he wasn't coming off, then he was coming off and then he wasn’t,” said Wilder. “I didn't want to take him off because he was outstanding for us."