In the world of football, transfers can sometimes feel like a strange game of Monopoly—players are bought at crazy prices, and sometimes, you end up with a bunch of hotels on Baltic Avenue that you didn’t even want. Enter Tom Cannon, Leicester City’s newest recruit last summer, who joined the Foxes from Everton for a hefty £7.5 million. With a striking roster that includes stalwarts Jamie Vardy, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Patson Daka, one can’t help but wonder why Leicester decided to invest in yet another young striker, particularly when their existing forwards seem to keep the scoreboard ticking—albeit sometimes at a snail’s pace.
Game Time and Goals: A Glimmer of Hope
Last season in the EFL Championship was a bit of a mixed bag for Cannon. While he was hardly the star of the show—starting just three league games—he managed to show flashes of brilliance by scoring two goals and contributing an assist. Not too shabby for a player who barely made it to the field. It’s almost like he was that kid in gym class who only ever got to play dodgeball during the last five minutes yet still managed to take out two kids before being eliminated.
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But let’s be real: when you’re surrounded by prolific players, how do you make your mark?
The Striking Conundrum: Too Much Talent?
Under the shadow of seasoned professionals, Cannon found himself in a pickle—or maybe more like a whole jar of pickles. Leicester’s head coach Enzo Maresca has a buffet of striker styles to choose from: Vardy’s relentless runs that would make a cheetah envious, Daka’s lightning-fast breaks, and Iheanacho’s ability to swoop in like a hawk from a false nine position. And then there’s Cannon, who—bless his heart—tries to be the Swiss Army knife of strikers. He can make those darting runs and is also capable of dropping deep to engage with the midfield, but unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to excel in either role. It’s a classic case of being the “jack of all trades, but master of none,” which sounds clever until you realize nobody really wants to be an unpaid intern in the football world.
This Season: The Plot Thickens
Fast forward to this season, and it’s not looking any brighter for our young prodigy. With Daka and Vardy sidelined due to injuries, one would assume this would be Cannon’s time to shine. Alas, it appears Steve Cooper, Leicester’s manager, feels otherwise. Apparently, he prefers sticking to the tried and tested, which meant that Cannon found himself being benched like the school kid nobody wanted on their dodgeball team. The irony? He’s on loan now after being placed on the transfer list, making him one of the hottest names among half the Championship squads. Talk about a confidence booster!
A Fresh Start with Stoke City: The Opportunity Awaits
Cannon has traded in his Foxes jersey for a chance with Stoke City, a team promising him regular game time—and possibly some actual fun. Let’s hope that this time he gets to play more than just consecutive minutes like a character in a bad sitcom. The Potters will likely feature him prominently in the lineup, and this season is make-or-break for Cannon. If he can seize the opportunity and showcase his talent, it may pave the way for him to return and challenge for a starting position with Leicester next season.
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It’s hard not to feel a touch of sympathy for the lad. After all, with players like Odsonne Edouard on loan and Daka’s future uncertain, Leicester’s forward line could look quite different in a year’s time. And who knows? Perhaps the legendary Vardy, at age 37, may just decide to retire and take up knitting in his spare time.
Should Cannon deliver a string of impressive performances while wearing the famous red and white stripes, he could very well rise from the sidelines of the King Power Stadium to become the lead striker everyone always hoped he could be. The stakes are high, and the pressure is on, but something tells me that Cannon could either be poised to break out or break down under expectations.
The Upcoming Challenge: A Personal Showdown
In a fascinating twist, Cannon will soon face off against a familiar foe—a Leicester teammate, Ben Nelson, who is currently on loan at Oxford United. Imagine the texting after their match: “Hey Ben, did we accidentally swap jerseys after that last game?” Nothing says camaraderie like a friendly rivalry on the pitch.
Will this be the season where Tom Cannon shines brighter than a disco ball at a Saturday night fever revival? Or will he continue to navigate the murky waters of misfithood in the Premier League? Only time will tell, but we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled (and our popcorn ready) for the latest developments in Cannon’s journey—that is, if he’s not stuck riding the pine again.
As the new season unravels, all we can do is tune in, share a few laughs, and hope for the best for young Cannon.