OH, PETER KIOSO!

Peterborough United have tonight (Friday 22nd August) announced the sensational return of Peter Kioso for a season-long loan.

Photo Credit : Joe Dent / Peterborough United

The maverick right-back spent half a season at Posh during the 23/24 campaign. 

He was electric from full-back, supporting Kwame Poku, before being recalled by Rotherham at the beginning of January.

Picking up where he left off?

Kioso’s final game for Posh was an exhilarating clash at Derby County, where Posh ran out 3-2 winners. 

It was obvious to the travelling fans that day that he had played his last game, given the way he was pushed towards the away end by his teammates.

Remarkably, only Archie Collins remains from that side 19 months ago. 

It will be interesting to see what lift Kioso can give this struggling Posh side.

He will join up with the side on Monday, following the match against Bradford City.

Phenomenal in attack, unanswered questions defensively

Kioso’s stats from that spell speak for themselves in terms of what he offered Posh going forward.

He completed over 44 passes a game at more than 80% accuracy, along with over 80 touches per game, nearly leading the league among full backs in all those stats. 

Defensively, he was patchy. 

The only area he performed above league average in was aerial duels, and even then he only had a 59% success rate. 

He rarely tackled, completing fewer than one per game, although this may have been skewed by the sheer amount of possession Posh had that season.

My Verdict

What to make of this incredible surprise? All of a sudden there is absurd depth at right-back, and you can assume Carl Johnston will be utilised more often at left-back.

For Fergie-ball, there is hardly a better signing in the EFL. 

Marauding full-backs have been a key tactical element of the Fergie era going back to the days of Tommy Rowe or Mark Little.

It will be interesting to see whether Kioso is able to adapt to a less dominant Posh, who are certainly more fragile than that side in 23/24 that led the league not long after Kioso left.

But while Kioso may be ill-fitting for many teams in League One, he is perfectly attuned for this manager. 

Let’s hope ‘PK’ can hit the ground running, and help Posh charge up the table.