Matt Taylor has called Promise Omochere a “work in progress” while insisting that the goals will come after a frustrating night for the Bristol Rovers striker against Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday night.
The 24-year-old was significantly involved in most of Rovers’ flurries forward and was a presence at the top end of the pitch but should have come away with a goal when he unluckily saw a one-on-one effort hit the crossbar.
Having arrived at Rovers in the summer from Fleetwood Town as their club-record signing, with The Athletic reporting that the fee was as high as around the £700,000 as opposed to the previously reported £500,000 region, there has naturally been significant pressure put on the Irishman to score a healthy amount of goals.
However, at this moment in time Omochere has just two to his name, both of which coming against Cambridge United in a 2-0 win at the end of August.
Admittedly, the striker does also have three assists to his name but has still been subject to criticism from some fans for his lack of goals. Asked what he’s made of the 24-year-old’s start to life at Rovers, Taylor told Bristol Live: “Where I am with Promise, I know he is work in progress. But when you naturally spend money and put a fee to a player and bring him in as a big name in terms of what the club invested in him, there’s gonna be certain levels of expectation. But he’s where I expect him to be.
“Games like tonight and the Charlton game where he causes havoc and an absolute battering ram, I think the goals will come at a certain stage. If it’s not this season, that’s okay. He’ll still do a fantastic job for the team.”
In said the match against Charlton, Omochere picked up two assists and fully demonstrated his other talents besides goal scoring, using his physicality to his advantage at the top end of the pitch.
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Amid frequent changes being made to the side in the search of consistency, the forward has played in systems both with another striker and leading the line on his own with the latter the case in the 1-0 win over Shrewsbury.
The Irishman was a handful but, again, didn’t find the back of the net which is the feat he will ultimately be judged on as a striker, especially with his price tag.
But without the injured Chris Martin and Gatlin O’Donkor, Omochere is currently the Gas’ only available recognised striker with Taylor adding: “Let’s not forget that without Chrissy and Gats, he’s pretty much on his own at the moment and he’s never done that. He’s only been playing centre forward for the last year. People forget that and there’s a slight about the air and the atmosphere and the expectation around this club is people have to understand the context of it.
“We think Promise will turn into a fantastic centre forward for this football club but at the moment he’s a work in progress and we’ll give him all the love and support we possibly can because nights like tonight make us believe it even more. And then I believe he will go on to the goal scoring run.”