Hotshot happy Hogan keeps his eye on the prize!

SCOTT Hogan is one of eight players sitting atop the Championship scoring charts.

Jay Rodriguez, Viktor Gyokeres, Ben Brereton-Diaz, Iliman Ndiaye, Jerry Yates, Oli McBurnie and Josh Sargent have, like Hogan, found the back of the net nine times so far this season.

However, none has a better goals-to-shots ratio than Hogan who, contrary to what the ‘eye test’ might tell you, scores with 25% of his attempts. Only Blackpool’s Yates, with 24%, and Sheffield United’s Ndiaye, with 22, come close to Hogan’s conversion rate.

If the eye test tells you he should score more, well, shouldn’t most strikers? If the eye test tells you he should convert more one-on-ones, it should also tell you his one-touch finishing is up there with anyone’s outside the Premier League.

The eye test should also reveal just how crucial to John Eustace’s iteration of Blues the 30-year-old is. The side is set up to create chances for the man most likely to put them away. But he has to play his part.

This season his totals for tackles, interceptions, clearances, aerials and fouls won are higher in virtually every category than in the previous two. Indeed, he has never won more tackles, interceptions and clearances in a Blues shirt than he has this term.

He is thriving and it’s not just the stats that say it, so too does Harlee

Dean, who has played with Hogan for both Blues and Brentford.

Dean told the Post: “I do see a different Scott. I have known him for eight or nine years. Last year, he was chasing centre-halves into the box, but that’s not his game. The manager knows him from Ireland and we know what his strengths and weaknesses are, and we are playing to those of every player – with a structure which is essential for a Championship football club.”

Only Maxime Colin has played more games with Hogan than Dean –but 100 spread over two clubs and going back to 2014. While former boss Lee Bowyer would often allow his frustrations to lure him into criticising Hogan, Eustace has been full of praise. He has also backed up his words with deeds, by recognising Hogan as the most likely source of goals in a team that has struggled on that front for seasons – and by making sure he is given chances.