More devilment needed in Sam Cosgrove's game – Steve Cotterill
Boss Steve Cotterill has called for more ‘devilment’ in Sam Cosgrove’s game and praised the loan striker’s unselfish work.
Birmingham loanee Cosgrove teed up Rekeil Pyke from close range for the third in Tuesday’s 3-1 EFL Trophy win over Wolves under-21s.
Cosgrove recently lost his place to Daniel Udoh and Ryan Bowman in Cotterill’s League One team reckoning after a couple of disappointing displays.
But he got the better of a Wolves academy defender at the death on Tuesday before squaring to Pyke to tap home from inside the six-yard box.
“Rekeil’s part in it was the easy part,” Cotterill said of Pyke’s first goal in more than a year.
“The difficult bit was done by Sam Cosgrove, the unselfish bit was done by Sam.
“We do talk about those situations when you get one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Is the goalkeeper set right? Are you going to score?
“If somebody has a better opportunity to tap into an empty net, make sure you pass it and do the unselfish bit.
“It would’ve been easy for Sam to get in there (and shoot). The one thing he did show was in getting there, he showed a good bit of devilment, which is sometimes what he needs more in his game, more devilment.
“He got there, fought the lad for a good 25 yards, got away and passed an easy ball for Rekeil.
“It’s important he does that, because Rekeil will get an opportunity and will remember that now. It’s something I’ve encouraged at the club, to pass it if somebody’s in a better goalscoring opportunity.”
Cosgrove has two goals for Town since checking in on loan from Blues in August.
