Pressure is on for Jozwiak to deliver goals and assists
THREE goals and four assists in 17 matches isn’t a bad return for a winger
Seven goal involvements – averaging just shy of one in every other game – can make a difference to a team.
They are good numbers for Derby County winger Kamil Jozwiak, though the problem for him is that is his return for Poland since he arrived from Lech Poznan in September last year.
It’s one goal and three assists in the black and white of Derby, a poor return from a winger who should be Wayne Rooney’s creatorin-chief and it is frustrating because Jozwiak is clearly talented.
Jozwiak divides Rams fans and that is perhaps an understatement with the reaction online to his good performances for Poland ranging from maybe humorous to downright disrespectful.
There are mitigating factors behind the Poland star’s poor form for Derby, the main one being that he was tasked with moving countries during a pandemic.
He arrived in Derby having not long turned 22, with restrictions on daily life and travel curbs stopping his family and friends coming over at will.
It is a fallacy to suggest that players should simply be able to brush this off and ‘get on with the job’.
And there was the lack of supporters in Pride Park, something that a winger thrives off and the loss of his close friend Krystian Bielik to another serious knee injury will not have helped
Jozwiak divides Rams fans and that is perhaps an understatement with the reaction online to his good performances for Poland ranging from maybe humorous to downright disrespectful. Richard Cusack
him acclimatise to life in the Championship.
Nor will the manager who signed him, Phillip Cocu, being binned off two months into his time at Derby and the team’s generally awful form over the year.
Rooney stuck up for Jozwiak after the Peterborough United game earlier this season, one Derby lost 2-1 after a pair of late goals consigned them to defeat.
Jozwiak came on as a substitute and switched off defensively for Posh’s first.
“I think sometimes people forget how young he is, he is a young lad, he is still trying to improve as a player and he is a very honest
player,” Rooney said.
“It hasn’t always come off for him over last season but what he does is work hard every game, so I have no criticism for that.”
There can be no doubts about Jozwiak’s work rate – that is not in question – and he has settled in well and speaks very good English.
But Derby need more from the winger and if he wants a move away from the club in the summer and does not fancy League One, then he needs to get in the goals and rack up some assists too.
The pressure is on for the 22 year-old to deliver, for himself and for the club.