Football League World
·30 September 2024
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·30 September 2024
Elliott is now adding goals to his game - and that could allow him to attract plenty of interest - which can only be a good thing for the Blues.
Ben Elliott's goal proved to be the difference on Saturday as Reading registered a 2-1 win against Huddersfield Town in one of the early kick-offs.
The Royals simply had to respond to back-to-back defeats, having performed poorly at home against Leyton Orient and suffered a heavy 5-2 defeat at Bolton Wanderers.
The Toughsheet Community Stadium was always going to be a tough place for Ruben Selles' side to go, but Bolton were in poor form at the time and an underwhelming defensive display was the key cause of the Berkshire side's downfall.
They responded well against the Terriers though, with goals from Harvey Knibbs and Elliot helping to guide the home team to a 2-1 win at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Aside from Chem Campbell and Sam Smith, pretty much every player on the pitch for Selles' side put in a decent performance, with David Button arguably a contender for man of the match.
Kelvin Abrefa also did well at left-back and the likes of Knibbs and Elliott were able to make a difference with their energy.
Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan also deserves a lot of credit, because his energy down the left side and quick thinking for the winning goal allowed the hosts to secure all three points in the end.
A lot of the attention after the game was on Button, because he put in a solid display and was unlucky to concede the first goal, but Elliott also deserves credit for his performance.
Since he came in last summer, Elliott has impressed at times.
He may not have been able to make that much of an impact out wide, but that isn't his natural position, and it's clear that he's much more of an asset in a central area.
Towards the end of last term, he was one of the first names on the teamsheet, and he did enough then and during pre-season to secure a starting spot in central midfield during the early stages of this season.
He only scored one goal in all competitions last term and that came against Exeter City in a 9-0 EFL Trophy win.
Considering his technical ability and potential, his lack of goalscoring contributions is probably the reason why he didn't seem to attract much interest during the summer window.
His excellent assist against Carlisle United (H) for Femi Azeez's goal showcased his talent - and he has been even more impressive this season.
Scoring twice in his last two games, he is adding goals to his game now, and that could allow him to attract plenty of interest in the next couple of windows.
Even if a takeover materialises, the Berkshire side could be vulnerable to losing him at some point.
What Elliott needs to do is continue impressing, with the Royals needing as many points as possible to try and ensure they aren't involved in a relegation scrap.
If he can continue to perform well, that will only enhance his chances of performing at the top level in the future.
Elliott made the move from Chelsea on a free transfer last summer, with the Royals unable to spend a transfer fee due to their embargo, which remains in place.
However, as part of this free transfer, you would expect the Blues to have a sizeable sell-on clause, which will allow them to profit if he's sold for a decent fee in the future.
It wouldn't be a surprise to see him move on in the next window or two if he can continue thriving - and his recent performances will please the Blues.
The more he shines, the higher chance there is that they'll receive a big windfall from his sale in the future.
It will be interesting to see if he can continue shining in the coming months.