Star can be a Joel machine
DaDavid Martindale is grafting to get Joel NoNouble’s numbers up to catch the eye of the scouting stats geeks down south.
Livingston’s opening-day goal hero NoNouble gave Rangers defenders a torrid timtime and now has his sights set on DuDundee United today.
The Livi gaffer reckons he’s got a huge raraw talent on his hands – but Nouble neneeds to boost his goals and assists.
In the second half of last term the EnEnglishman failed to score in 16 league ououtings and two Scottish Cup ties.
Martindale has figured precisely whwhat the 26-year-old needs to do to hehelp lift Livi into the top six – and atattract big- money offers from ththe English Championship.
He said: “Everything is data-driven, people don’t sit and watch games for 90 minutes anymore.
“Once the profile’s there, the different data spits players out.
“If Joel wants to progress his career – to get that life-changing move – then we need to get his data up.
“We need his goals between eight and 12 and assists between six and 10. Then any team in England is going to have a look.
“I always knew the goal return was going to be a problem. Everything else was there.
“He’s quick, strong, got great feet. There’s bits and bobs that we’ll brush off, that’s what we as coaches can do to make him improve.”
Nouble was a parting gift from striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas as he headed for Aberdeen last summer.
JET, who played with Nouble’s brother Frank at Ipswich Town, urged Martindale to give him a look.
The Livi boss immediately put him out on loan at Arbroath to fast-track his development but brought him back midway through last term.
Martindale said: “He’s an intelligent player. He understands football and finds solutions. Since he came back in January we’ve been hammering him on his finishing work.
“His performance against Rangers highlighted his strengths, which will make the next game against Dundee United harder.
“United will be up there again in the Premiership this season. Their recruitment has been astute.”