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League One

Scouting report: Gary Hooper, Scunthorpe United

The 20-year-old Iron forward has a good touch and can play at breakneck speed
Gary Hooper, Scunthorpe United
Gary Hooper, Scunthorpe United. Photograph: Neal Simpson/Empics Sport/PA Photos

Gary Hooper's all-round game during Scunthorpe's recent 2-0 defeat at Southend was disappointing, although it is never easy going back to a club you have just left and coming up against players who were your team-mates a short while ago, something I know only too well. It also did not help Hooper that Southend's big centre-half, Peter Clarke, got into him both physically and verbally and managed to knock him out of his stride in what was an undoubtedly awkward game for the 20-year-old.

Although there were not many of them, Hooper did still manage to prove some moments of quality, particularly when a sniff of a goalscoring chance presented itself. There were two moments when Hooper looked really sharp and showed just how capable he is; once in the first half when he accelerated between the two centre-halves, leaving them both for dead, and dug a shot out with the outside of his right foot. Unfortunately for Hooper, the Southend goalkeeper, Steve Mildenhall, stood up and did not commit himself by going to ground. The second moment came late in the second half when Hooper received the ball on the right-hand side of the penalty area, took a touch, keeping his body between the ball and the advancing defender, and hit a fierce rising drive from the angle that Mildenhall did well to turn away.

Hooper clearly has a good touch, although on too many occasions against Southend he received the ball on the move, meaning he never got settled and so either had to look for a first-time pass or lost possession with a loose touch because of the pace he was playing at. In fact, much of Hooper's game is played at either breakneck speed when he is involved in play or at walking pace when he is not. In this respect, it is vital for his development that he gets more involved.

Hooper also loves to play off the last man but he has to get the balance right to ensure the player on the ball has time to pick him out so he can make the run in behind or, when the player on the ball is in a tight area, offer an option short in order to provide his team-mate with a yard of space to play in.

I would also like to see Hooper work harder to get closer to his striking partner, particularly from throw-ins deep inside Scunthorpe's half, and when the ball is played long out of defence, to do more to get in front of his marker and not allow that player to have a free header back towards the Scunthorpe goal. This is certainly something he can do as once or twice against Southend he gained free-kicks just by showing good body strength and standing his ground.

But despite all these shortcomings, I still left Roots Hall with the definite impression that Hooper is a genuine goalscorer. This was a hunch borne out by the brace he got away to Leeds on Saturday, which took his tally to a more than impressive 24 for the season. If he improves his all-round game then there is no doubt in my mind that Hooper can progress to a higher level.

Age 20

Born Loughton

Position Forward

Height 5ft 9in

Weight 11st 2lb

From Southend United

Heading 7/10

Pace 9/10

Passing 7/10

Shooting 9/10

Team responsibility 7/10

Valuation £750,000

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