Sam Ricketts wants Shrewsbury Town attacker Abo Eisa to add consistency
Sam Ricketts has told Shrewsbury attacker Abo Eisa to work on his consistency after playing a starring role in the friendly at Cheltenham.
Eisa created Shaun Whalley’s opener before grabbing a late equaliser at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium on Tuesday evening.
The 23-year-old is naturally a winger but Ricketts used him in both central midfield and up front against the League Two side, where Eisa’s directness, pace and trickery shone through.
Ricketts said earlier in the summer he would be assessing Eisa, who went on loan to Colchester last season, during Town’s friendlies before deciding on his role this season.
“Eisa has got really good ability,” said Town boss Ricketts.
“I think that’s been the same ever since I’ve been in really. It was the same in January, why we let him out was because he wasn’t going to get the minutes with us and it was important he did elsewhere.
“He needed to play games. He went away and did well, everyone at Colchester was pleased with him. We had him watched and he did well.
“He’s still a young forward where, in some games, he does very well and can’t replicate it.
“It’s consistency which is the big one. I think that’s probably what he needs to add to his game.
“You could see in patches (at Cheltenham), he’s nearly unplayable and in other patches he still needs to improve. He’s got real good attributes.”
Eisa has made just six competitive starts in all competitions since Town beat off competition to bring him in from non-league Wealdstone in January 2018.
He picked up an injury this time last year which saw him miss the beginning of the 2018/19 season under John Askey.
Ricketts’ Shrewsbury will play 3-5-2 this season, using wing-backs rather than wingers for width, meaning that Eisa will likely be required to play centrally if involved.
“He played centre midfield and centre forward (on Tuesday),” added the manager. “The way we play in midfield was to get him driving with the ball and he can do that especially well.
“Playing him down the middle as a centre forward is how he was brought up before moving out to a wing.
“It’s not a position he isn’t used to. Pace and trickery is always hard to defend and he has that ability to be blistering as well.”
