For the countless scouts watching Fulham v Wolves at a freezing Craven Cottage on Saturday the first 38 minutes would have been underwhelming.
The fixture brought the Championship’s form side up against the runaway league leaders, but the scouts were only there to see one player- Ryan Sessegnon.
For 38 minutes the game went exactly as Sessegnon’s previous half at Craven Cottage had gone.
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On that day Aston Villa’s Axel Tuanzebe must have been wondering what all the fuss about, and whether his pockets would hold with the weight of Sessengon inside them.
But in the 52nd minute, having enjoyed the type of comfort not shared by those sitting on the Cottage’s wooden seats, Tuanzebe lost his man.
Within a flash Sessegnon has scuffed a right-footed finish home for goal number 12 of the season.
This is probably a good time to remind you that he is 17.
But we’ve got distracted. Back to Wolves.
With 38 minutes played Fulham hadn’t really got to grips with Wolves’s three-man defence.
Sessegnon, up against one of the best full-backs in the league in Matt Doherty, had struggled to make an impact.
Then it happened again.
Alexander Mitrovic was given the freedom of SW6 to get a shot in, forcing a brilliant reaction save from John Ruddy.
Doherty was caught on his heels, allowing Sessegnon to tap in number 13 for the season.
It might have looked easy, but on closer inspection Sessegnon was already at full sprint from the moment Mitrovic took the shot, which is the only reason he beat Conor Coady to the ball.
Not so much right time right place, more sensing danger and having the anticipation and athletic ability to react.
That’s Sessegnon’s biggest attribute.
Those who haven’t watched him but have seen him linked with £50million moves to Man United and Spurs, coupled with the ‘new Garth Bale’ tag, will be expecting a completely different player to what Sess actually is.
You can count on one hand the amount of stepovers he’s done this season and still have enough fingers to hold a beer.
He rarely beats his man directly, instead cutting sides apart with clever running and a telepathic understanding with his midfield trio of Tom Cairney, Stefan Johansen and the underrated Kevin McDonald.
The Bale comparisons won’t stop. Sessegnon’s transition from a young British left-back to an attacking winger will ensure that.
But if you want a comparison look no further than Thomas Muller.
The Bayern Munich forward can look a bit awkward on the ball and not particularly threatening, but before you know it he’s scored.
He’s the best player in the world without the ball, assassinating teams from the shadows.
Head down to the shadows of the Thames and you’ll see a similar job being carried out on most Championship sides that enter Craven Cottage.
Whisper it quietly, but England finally have a long-term solution to their left-sided problems, even if you don’t hear from him for 60 minutes of a game.
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