ANALYSING: SWAPPING SCOTLAND FOR GLOUCESTERSHIRE,
LEAGUE TWO'S DYNAMIC WING-BACK, NICKY CADDEN.
FOREST GREEN ROVERS | WING-BACK / WINGER, SCOTLAND, 25
BACKGROUND:
In recent times, the relationship between English League Two & the Scottish Football Pyramid has been growing fast for the transactions of players both to and from Scotland. No more than Forest Green Rovers, who in recent seasons have seen players arrive and depart from Scotland. One of their biggest departures is striker Christian Doidge who joined Hibernian in the 19/20 season for £200,000, similarly, people like Elliot Frear and Chris Stokes who also made the move they're to Hearts and Kilmarnock respectively, so there's clearly a relationship with the Scottish market. And recently the tides have turned the other way Midfielder Regan Hendry joined from Raith Rovers.
However, the signing of Winger turned Wing-back Nicky Cadden from Greenock Morton on a free transfer in the summer of 2020/2021 has become a very astute piece of business from Forest Green's recruitment department and especially Rich Edwards. Since signing, Cadden has contributed effectively in the attacking sense, 9 goals and 13 assists in 56 appearances;
(2020/2021: 3 goals and 7 assists in 33 L2 appearances)
(2021/2022 - so far: 5 Goals and 4 Assists in 14 L2 appearances)
Originally a product of Motherwell’s youth system, Nicky Cadden, has appeared for various clubs in Scotland before his move to England. Clubs such as; Airdrieonians FC, Livingston FC, Ayr United and Morton where he made a combined 164 appearances, with 30 goals and 34 assists, majority for this period predominantly featuring as a left midfielder/left-winger.
FGR's identity in their success has been built on a 3-4-1-2 formation, with attacking wing-backs being integral in ball progression, to create space for other players in the team to thrive upon, with the main aspect to create opportunities for their two strikers, commonly this season Jamille Matt and Matty Stevens.
The wing-backs are more or less auxiliary wingers, based on the positions that they take up.
STYLE OF PLAY
Christian Doidge, Hat-trick hero - (c) Daily Record
Nicky Cadden signs for Forest Green Rovers (Forest Green Rovers FC)
Carlisle United vs Forest Green Rovers - Positoning of Nicky Cadden.
The fact that Cadden's attacking numbers for G&A has been consistent throughout the last couple of years shows his consistency in the final third and willingness to be involved in goal contributions. In 2020/2021, Cadden was the top wing-back in the division for assists (7) with 2.0 Key passes. meaning that a high number of the chances that he created for others resulted in either a goal or a shot on goal.
So far this season, with the 3 assists in 14 games, he's boasting slightly higher key passes at 2.4, which will lead to a chance of taking over last season's total of 7. In terms of goals, last season he managed 4 throughout the whole season, he currently already has 5 bettering that result in much fewer games.
Despite adding goals to his game at wing-back, last season 3 of the 4 goals that he managed was from dead-ball situations, most commonly free-kicks. Having a set-piece specialist, who's adept at scoring goals from other situations, as well as providing for other teammates is an integral outlet to have when he isn't the team's main goal-scoring threat.
