Austin’s direct replacement will have to come in the form of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (JET). Though not nearly the prolific goalscorer his fellow Englishman has turned out to be, JET will no doubt make an appearance. He is currently one of the only available centre-forwards in the squad, with Jamie Mackie and Sebastian Polter also suffering injuries, while Tyler Blackwood has been sent on an emergency loan to Newport County. A product of the Arsenal youth academy, the 24-year-old is not without his merits though. A different type of player to Austin, JET’s strengths lie in his ball control and an ability to find space in the box. He also offers pace in attack, having played many games as a winger.
The wing, however, will no doubt remain Matt Phillips’ domain. The Scotsman has two goals and two assists this campaign, but he will need to step-up in the absence of Austin. Phillips’ crossing and pace make him an excellent addition to any team with a good target man and Chris Ramsey will now look to him for more goals. The winger has looked dangerous this season when cutting in from the right and letting fly, going particularly close against Huddersfield and Wolves. Cnsidering some of the screamers he has put away in recent seasons, Phillips can no doubt find the back of the net.
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