I have to be honest that my scepticism surrounding Ivan Toney was high ahead of this season. Strikers who flourish in the Championship have found the step up to the Premier League a very difficult task.
Arsenal’s search for a striker naturally has seen players linked with the club after solid years in the second tier of English football. In fact, suggestions that Aleksandar Mitrovic’s 38 goals this season should prompt interest from the Gunners have already surfaced. Arsenal were linked with Toney’s predecessor Ollie Watkins and he, like Mitrovic, struggled to replicate his consistent goalscoring form when arriving in the top flight. Toney though could be different.
Brentford looked a side to have done enough to avoid entering the relegation scrap after some impressive early results. However, Toney’s four-goal contributions in the first six games suddenly stopped. Brentford won just three of the next thirteen games that Toney started in, of which he scored twice. The Bees suddenly looked in trouble but a transfer in January has made a massive difference.
