Baker can enhance impressive Pompey goal tally

GARY ROBERTS has tipped Carl Baker to be an increasingly influential attacking weapon for Pompey this season.
Carl Baker celebrates scoring against Mansfield. Picture: Joe PeplerCarl Baker celebrates scoring against Mansfield. Picture: Joe Pepler
Carl Baker celebrates scoring against Mansfield. Picture: Joe Pepler

Two late strikes from Baker helped see off Mansfield 4-0 at Fratton Park last weekend.

He’s already returned an impressive six goals in 16 games since his Blues arrival in the summer.

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Roberts, who plays alongside Baker behind the striker for Pompey, feels the attributes the former MK Dons and Coventry City player has make him a difficult player to shackle.

Ahead of today’s trip to Cheltenham, he is confident the goals will continue to flow for his team-mate.

Roberts said: ‘Carl can use both feet.

‘You don’t see many players who can come in on their left foot and on their right foot like he can.

‘He sees the goal, he sees the goal posts and he shoots straight away.

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‘Carl will get you 10 or 15 goals a season and he is on course for that.

‘He’s judged on his goals, he’s a forward player.

‘Carl has got six goals so far and he’s not far off one in two, which is not bad.

‘He will want to do better as well, he will want to get his goals up.

‘Goals win games and if he can produce a few more it will be smashing for the team.’

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Paul Cook’s side have so far netted 27 goals in 16 matches in League Two this season.

They are the joint-second-highest scorers in the division.

Leaders Plymouth have the most with 28.

Since August, only Accrington have stopped the Blues from scoring.

Kyle Bennett has targeted 12 goals for the campaign, while Conor Chaplin has five under his belt already.

Roberts himself has seven in the league.

The victory against Mansfield saw Pompey strike four times at home for the second time this season, after beating Wycombe 4-2 in September.

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Roberts knows with the attacking quality in the squad, opposition defences should have their work cut out trying to stop the Blues.

He added: ‘You look at the front four who played Saturday – you have myself, Benno, who is a terrific player, and Carl Baker, who has scored tons of goals throughout his career, Conor Chaplin, who is deadly, and even the lads coming on.

‘You look at the forward players. We have got some fire-power.

‘We have been quite strong at the back. If we can keep that up, the way the lads have been defending in the league in the past couple of games, then you know we are going to get goals.

‘There’s goals throughout the team.

‘Even when Danny Rose pops up from midfield.

‘We shouldn’t really get clean sheets kept against us with that fire-power, so we have got some good players.

‘We are strong at the top end of the pitch.’