In The Spotlight #23 – Jimmy Knowles

I am back with another episode of ‘In The Spotlight’.

The player in the spotlight today is Boston United front man Jimmy Knowles.

Knowles has been in strong form for The Pilgrims this season, having hit 17 goals in the league, and is one of the best attacking players in the National League North.

I take a look at what makes him such a threat and do a deep dive on his game.

About

Jimmy Knowles came through the youth-team at Mansfield Town.

He would go on to spend time out on loan at Notts County, Greenock Morton and Kettering Town.

Knowles then signed for Boston United on a permanent deal in the summer after his release by The Stags.

Playing Style

Jimmy Knowles scores twice for Boston United on the road in a 3-1 win over South Shields.

His first goal (at 2:50) sees Knowles drift in off the left flank, beat a couple of players with some neat footwork and close control, and then he manipulates it onto his right foot before firing home.

Knowles is capable of playing wide or more centrally in behind the front man, and so that position just in the “hole” is where he is at his best; getting on the turn, direct and running at opposition defenders, and he demonstrates that with this goal. The finish itself underlines the strength of shooting ability, and – like so many players that I have covered in this series – Knowles shows a good appreciation for the type of finish that is required. He opts for placement and precision to the right of the keeper, rather than simply lashing at goal.

His second goal (at 4:15) comes from Knowles having the awareness to be able to press the ball back to the goalkeeper and turn the ball over.

One thing that is evident in this passage of play is Knowles’ acceleration and speed. The way in which he is able to show a turn of pace to get to the loose ball is mightily impressive; he has to cover a lot of yards to get to the ball ahead of the goalkeeper, but he does so and in fact wins the ball with ease. That is what makes him such a threat as he has the athleticism to close down the opposition, set the press, and force defenders into mistakes. Having won the ball back, Knowles then finishes the chance with the composure that you would expect for a player of his quality.

In the match against Southport earlier this season, Jimmy Knowles is involved in both goals as The Pilgrims running out 2-0 winners; scoring once and laying on the other.

Knowles provides the assist for Boston United’s first goal at 1:17. Once again, he shows a real hunger and want to win the ball back, and is able to do so by being aggressive in his press. When he wins back possession, Jimmy Knowles shows a good appreciation for how the chance has opened up for The Pilgrims and is able to slide the pass to his left into the path of Keaton Ward, who is duly able to apply the finish. One thing that I see from Knowles’ game often is a care and attention in the final third when it comes to the weight of passes, and on this occasion he is able to set out out of Keaton Ward’s path with the right weight such that Ward is able to simply stride onto the ball without taking a touch and slot home.

While he doesn’t score, Knowles produces a lovely passage of play at 2:00. He is again picking up a position off the left-hand side, which allows him to go on the outside or cut inside onto his favoured right. Given his speed and agility, he wants to stand the defender up and be direct to isolate him into a foot race, and he does really well to manipulate the ball out of his path and away from the defender; showing his dribbling proficiency. What I like about the end of this move is that he has the intelligence to just put it into a dangerous area and force the home side into making a block.

One of Jimmy Knowles’ stand out games for Boston United this term is in a 3-0 win over Chorley recently, whereby Knowles helps himself to his second hattrick of the campaign.

Knowles’ first goal (at 0:46) is made by Knowles himself, and this provides a microcosm for what his game is about; looking to make movements in behind, utilising his pace and acceleration, and the composure of finish. At 0:39, Knowles shows good strength to outmuscle the defender. That is a trait which I have noticed about Knowles’ game. He makes use of his body well really well to draw in a defender, and has the intelligence to get his body between the ball and the man. For someone so technical, he has a real strength in possession.

From here, Knowles shows his acceleration in the first couple of yards to get away from the defender.

Knowles’ second goal (at 2:18) is a far more simplistic finish than some of his strikes this term, but one that underlines his intelligence to anticipate how the game develops. The reason why he often scores so much is that he builds a strong picture in his head of the game situation, and has the speed to be able to get there and position himself in time for an easy finish. On this occasion, that is exactly what he does. He anticipates where the ball is going to drop, tucks inside at the back post, and is alert to to the loose ball as it comes across the penalty area to tap home.

His third and final goal in the game provides us with another microcosm of what his game is about. He is on the left flank, and he initially keeps the width well to be able to isolate the defender. When the ball is played into him, he is able to show good close control with short, sharp touches whilst keeping the ball very central in his possession to be able to go either way. His first instinct is always to be direct, and he indeed gets at the defender and gets him on the back foot straight away. From here, Knowles shows his competency in dribbling and his intelligence to be able to manipulate a shooting opportunity, He works it really well onto his right, with a little drop of the shoulder, and then takes that extra split second before shooting at goal.

It is that extra second or so before he strikes the ball which I like. He realises that he has done the hard work to be able to work the yard space and work the ball back onto his stronger shooting foot, and his touch is big enough such that it takes the right-back out of the game and stops him from making a challenge. From here, he composes himself and rather than smashing at goal is able to place it pass the goalkeeper into the bottom left-hand corner and completes his hattrick. The move all told shows direct dribbling, close manipulation of the ball, and a good finish.

Jimmy Knowles scores for Boston United in a 2-1 away win against King’s Lynn Town earlier this season.

The goal (at 3:05) is a really clever finish, but it is everything around that which I like. He has the intelligence and presence of mind to realise that it is a crowded penalty area. He doesn’t want to get involved with that, but instead keeps himself onside and involved in the play, angling his body ready to receive the ball when it is played into him. When the ball is indeed played into his path, he lets it run across his body and opts against taking a touch in order to use of the speed of the pass into it, instead placing it expertly into the top right-hand corner of the goal.

Jimmy Knowles scores another hattrick, this time for Notts County earlier in his career in a National League game against Woking.

Knowles’ first goal at 7:04 is another example of his pace to get in behind and stretch teams. He initially shows good anticipation to pick up the loose ball, but from here he displays his dribbling proficiency. The touch out of his path is good – enough for him to run onto but not too heavy that it draws the defender in – and he then gets his body between the ball and man again to protect it, in turn giving him the time and space to be able to compose himself for the finish. Again, Knowles shows an appreciation of the type of finish that is required, and the decision to go with his left foot as well also ensures that the defender can’t get across and get a block in.

Notice that Knowles again positions himself well such that he is between the right centre-back and the full-back, ensuring that when he wins the ball back and makes the move in behind he takes both players out of the game. That makes it much harder for the defence to stop him as he runs throw, and that extra little detail is so intelligent.

Knowles’ second goal (at 7:50) shows a number of little details about his game which I really like. First, as the ball is played up to the striker, he is not standing still, but instead is alert to on the one hand anticipate where the ball is going to drop and the awareness of how the play is developing, but the desire to want to get to the loose ball. While he does often pull wide onto the left flank, he does really well to then tuck back into play and keep himself an option as the play develops, and that is key; making that move from being an option wide-left to then picking up that pocket of space in behind the striker and operating more as an advanced midfielder.

The touch he shows to take the ball around the goalkeeper is really clever. From here, the finish is again appreciative of how the play has developed; a side-footed lob, ensuring it is off the ground and makes it harder for the defenders to make a block. While it could be overlooked, the intelligence in his play in that split second to lift the finish is smart, and speaks volumes of someone who is playing with such clarity in their game.

His third goal at 9:27 is another goal that epitomises what he is about; clever positioning, acceleration to make a move in behind, and a composed finish. We are seeing that movement – between the full-back and centre-back, in behind the opposition – so often, and it is clear that Knowles has worked on this. He times his move really well on this occasion, too.

The final goal of Jimmy Knowles’ here is one that he scored for Kettering Town last year in the league against Leamington.

Jimmy Knowles gets the goal from the spot, and it shows up Jimmy Knowles’ game really well as he is the one who wins the penalty at 2:46. Knowles is a rather unique profile in that he has the pace to get in behind, but he is also a decent size and well-built, and so he provides his team with the option of playing into chest or playing in behind the opposition backline.

Indeed, before the ball is played up to Knowles, he shows a strong positional awareness to provide his team with the option to bring him into play indeed either on the ground or in the air. I have seen it in a number of the clubs whereby he is positions himself just between two of the defenders. Not only does this ensure that both defenders are committed to marking him, it allows the ball to be played in between the defender for him to run onto and that is able to take both defenders out of the game. Rather than just standing at the top end of the pitch, Knowles’ understanding of being in between the two defenders gives his team mates better options in their final pass, and that is indicative of a player who both studies their game and has been well-coached.

From here, Knowles again shows his speed and power; the acceleration off the line to get onto the end of the pass, and the physicality and strength to hold off the defender – and a powerful one at that in Theo Streete – and he is then dragged down for the penalty. A little detail which I like is that Knowles makes use of his head well to touch the ball out of his path away from Streete to draw the contact; in many of these clips, Knowles shows the intelligence to use his head to manipulate the ball.

Conclusion

Jimmy Knowles may only be 22 years of age, but the forward has played a lot of football.

He has had the hit of having to recover from a long-term injury, and he is now up to full fitness and back to his best; and, I think he is now up and running with his career.

He is showing a level of consistency with Boston United that I think is indicative of someone who has matured and who is overly confident in his abilities, and a player who has refined his skillsets.

I think that after the knockback of dropping into non-league and perhaps taking one step backwards, he is now capable of making two steps forward and I feel he is an EFL player in the making.