A Little to the Left...

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mothbanquet
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A Little to the Left...

Post by mothbanquet »

So assuming we don't win the playoffs, which is another topic for another thread, it goes without saying that we need to make some decisions re. transfers.

After a brief look at individual stats over the course of the season, one thing immediately leapt out at me:

Pablo Hernandez - RW - 35 starts - 12 goals - 12 assists
Luke Ayling - RB - 36 starts - 2 goals - 5 assists
Ezgjan Alioski - LB - 44 starts - 7 goals - 5 assists
Jack Harrison - LW - 30 starts - 4 goals - 2 assists

I know Ali started on the wing and was moved back, but his form improved dramatically as a result and this is the position he occupies playing for Macedonia, so I am counting this as his natural position.

I know there are many other numbers/factors to consider that tell more of the story - such as Ali's poor pass completion rate compared to Ayling's for one - and I know many of you will say I'm just stating the obvious, but that is pretty damning for Harrison. If we'd had the same quality on the left as we did the right (which also includes Clarke's 2 goals and 2 assists) we would be in a very different place right now.

To me, our problem has always been balance, an uneven distribution of goals and assists which makes our dangermen much easier to counteract. The LW position is, in my mind, undoubtedly the one we have to strengthen above all others this summer. But again, stating the obvious, so let me pose the following:

Pick one player, and one alone, whose back you'd be glad to see in the summer and name your (realistic) transfer target for that position.
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Re: A Little to the Left...

Post by Ratscoot »

Bamford and I’d take feck all
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Re: A Little to the Left...

Post by 1964white »

Bamford

Hopefully Harrison will be back at Citeh so they can fob him off to another club whilst paying him a 50k weekly salary :shock:
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Re: A Little to the Left...

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Ratscoot wrote: Tue Apr 23, 2019 4:15 pm Bamford and I’d take feck all
Ditto :tup:
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Re: A Little to the Left...

Post by Cjay »

Roofe, i honestly think this is as good as he will ever be and should sell him while his stocks high.

No idea who could buy to replace him, could always ask how much Brentford want for Maupay seeing as selling is part of the business plan
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Re: A Little to the Left...

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mothbanquet wrote: Tue Apr 23, 2019 3:31 pm So assuming we don't win the playoffs, which is another topic for another thread, it goes without saying that we need to make some decisions re. transfers.

After a brief look at individual stats over the course of the season, one thing immediately leapt out at me:

Pablo Hernandez - RW - 35 starts - 12 goals - 12 assists
Luke Ayling - RB - 36 starts - 2 goals - 5 assists
Ezgjan Alioski - LB - 44 starts - 7 goals - 5 assists
Jack Harrison - LW - 30 starts - 4 goals - 2 assists

I know Ali started on the wing and was moved back, but his form improved dramatically as a result and this is the position he occupies playing for Macedonia, so I am counting this as his natural position.

I know there are many other numbers/factors to consider that tell more of the story - such as Ali's poor pass completion rate compared to Ayling's for one - and I know many of you will say I'm just stating the obvious, but that is pretty damning for Harrison. If we'd had the same quality on the left as we did the right (which also includes Clarke's 2 goals and 2 assists) we would be in a very different place right now.

To me, our problem has always been balance, an uneven distribution of goals and assists which makes our dangermen much easier to counteract. The LW position is, in my mind, undoubtedly the one we have to strengthen above all others this summer. But again, stating the obvious, so let me pose the following:

Pick one player, and one alone, whose back you'd be glad to see in the summer and name your (realistic) transfer target for that position.
TBF those stats arent that helpful. Why evaluate defenders with goals and assists when they have been failing in their No1 responsibility?

Alisoki has been a liability at times and I have wondered if his charging forward every time has in fact overshadowed Harrisons development as the playmaker Bielsa wants him to be. He needs to be forming partnerships with his midfield not feeding off scraps half the time because Alioski has been overdoing it. ... I know MB will persist with the tactic but Ali really needs to be a better defender overall.

For me Harrison needs to go back now and James would be most obvious replacement. If the rumours are true that Milner is to offer his services once he is out of contract this summer that would be a great addition. Especially as Pablos' recovery times will be getting longer.

For those who think Bamford needs to go and is culpable, just remember that he had scored 8 of his goals since his return from his knee injury. 8 in 15 games isn't too shabby. t It would be madness to move him on. How much would be need to spend to replace him?
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Re: A Little to the Left...

Post by hector »

But Bamford has the pace of a striking sloth....... my granny on her zimmer can get to the box quicker than him.... :)
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Re: A Little to the Left...

Post by 1964white »

hector wrote: Tue Apr 23, 2019 5:38 pm But Bamford has the pace of a striking sloth....... my granny on her zimmer can get to the box quicker than him.... :)
Sign your granny up & get shot of Bamford
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Re: A Little to the Left...

Post by Irish Ian »

1964white wrote: Tue Apr 23, 2019 5:47 pm Sign your granny up & get shot of Bamford
Bamford needs to compensate for his lack of pace by building up his upper body strength I reckon.. Make his harder to move off the ball.

Perhaps Hectors Grannie would loan him her set of weights this summer. :)

Ps I have just for the first time saw the penalty shout from last night.

I am spewing again :evil:
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Re: A Little to the Left...

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Irish Ian wrote: Tue Apr 23, 2019 5:25 pm TBF those stats arent that helpful. Why evaluate defenders with goals and assists when they have been failing in their No1 responsibility?

*snip*
Because in Bielsa's system, defence isn't their number one responsibility. They're used as extra attacking players, which is the prime weakness of Bielsaball and one that was picked up on long before the Christmas period, since West Brom so ruthlessly dismantled us at the Hawthorns.

Alioski is caught out of position so often because he's told to leg it up the pitch to support an attack, same with Ayling. If the oppostion defence hoofs the ball upfield or, even worse, we give the ball away in midfield as happens too often, not even Usain Bolt can get back to defend quickly enough.

In any case, this was a very brief look at some obvious numbers, not really an in depth analysis but I don't think you need that to see Harrison has been less effective on the attack than our defenders.

4 goals and 2 assists from a winger is a disappointing return in any team. In a Bielsa team, where they have such an overload of attacking elements, it's simply shocking. I just had to express that shock.

Very true about Bamford's strength though, I've rarely seen such strong-looking forward so kittenlike with the oppostion. Maybe he's subconsciously afraid of getting injured again?
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Re: A Little to the Left...

Post by The Subhuman »

How has Bamford gone from very good striker to get rid so quickly, I'm critical yes but there's a good player there in the right system. Like Phillips it's his lack of pace that is his downfall.
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Re: A Little to the Left...

Post by The Subhuman »

Someone said somewhere after Kalvin got pulled off for Forshaw, "good move, will give us more pace in the centre of the park" !! Which it did but Forshaw isn't sharp himself
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Re: A Little to the Left...

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faaip wrote: Wed Apr 24, 2019 1:10 pm How has Bamford gone from very good striker to get rid so quickly, I'm critical yes but there's a good player there in the right system. Like Phillips it's his lack of pace that is his downfall.
I agree mate and at the end of the day, despite his limited game time, he's into double goal figures for the season. I do think he's got some psychological barriers to overcome - he's admitted as much himself - and I think his injuries are a big part of that.

Pace and physicality are rarely two things that co-exist, which is why strikers like Mbappe are the holy grail. Harvey Barnes is another good example off the top of my head, which is why WB were so especially lethal before Jan and Leicester nicked him back. At this level it's very difficult to find a player with both those traits; maybe we're better off with pace rather than strength? That might help or hinder us in equal amounts.

In any case, I didn't mention either Bamford or Roofe because the way I see it, they've scored goals proportionate to the quality of service offered - that is to say, only effectively from one flank.

I'd like to say I've been patient with young Jack H all season but he's become the focus of my ire since Wigan. Not only for those games, but for all those extra goals and assists that someone even a little better could have gained, and by extension the points that would've ensured autos.

If Bamford had good service from the left as well as the right he'd be scoring more, his confidence would be better and we'd all be smiling. That's the clear position to improve over all others in the summer, without a doubt.
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