Newcastle United loanee Adam Armstrong has been praised by Bolton Wanderers manager Phil Parkinson, after the Toon academy graduate netted his first goal for the Trotters.
Armstrong has found it difficult to find stability on-loan in the Championship but finally found the back of the net in this weekend’s 2-1 victory over Norwich City, his first goal for Bolton in 14 appearances in the second-tier.
The three points were significant as it lifted Bolton off the foot of the table, with Newcastle fans having the added bonus of seeing arch-rivals Sunderland slip to rock bottom as a result.
Armstrong had failed to win over the fans and his selection was criticised by some at the weekend but Parkinson, speaking to The Bolton News, praised the young striker for his courage.
“I could feel the rumblings – why are we still picking Armstrong? But I think he’s put in some terrific performances. He has been desperate for that goal and you could see he was getting a little bit flat but he deserved things to change because of all the hard work he has put in on the pitch and in training.”
“We are on to him all the time about areas of his game he can improve but he has got quality, and he can and will get better. He has had a spell like Gary Madine where things were not going for him, being cleared off the line, hitting the post but we stuck with Gaz and we’ve stuck with Adam.”
Armstrong’s struggles on-loan echo the sort of problems that Newcastle have themselves found in front of goal this season, as the Magpies are yet to find stability in attack.
