Dawkins

[North_Stand_Ram]

Dawkins will always be unappreciated by the average football fan. He isn't a goalscorer, and he isn't a defensive rock. He isn't a superstar, and he doesn't run himself into the ground chasing every lost cause. He isn't a character, and he doesn't pay up to the fans. He doesn't whizz up the wing and do nice step overs. He might give control, discipline, shape, neat play and make a lot of things tick really well, and contribute to the occasional goal or assist, but that is not good enough for the average football fan. Fortunately it is good enough for our management set-up who know a bit more than the average football fan and realise that winning football matches is not only about the glory moments, but often requires some hard work to be done, some balance to be given, and some sacrifices to be made. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but IMO our squad would be much the weaker in this division without a player to call on like Dawkins.

He was our 4th choice winger before injuries and recalls. Obviously our management team don't rate him that much!

[Bris Vegas]

Who was first Bris? Just out of interest.

 

Will Hughes, unsuprisingly.

 

Best midfielder in the league by a country mile when he's on his game (Hughes)

[Srg]

He was our 4th choice winger before injuries and recalls. Obviously our management team don't rate him that much!

Well that's just bullshit.

It's all about form. He was playing every week at the start of the year.

[RodleyRam]

All of our wingers offer something a little bit different. That's part of why they get rotated often. None of them shirk their wider role in the team and none if them are any less than good champ wingers.

When I've seen Dawkins at times I've been frustrated because he has absolutely everything right but sometimes just lacks that quality in the final decision. However, that's being hyper critical. I think his all round play and style are great for our needs, I hope he gets a run in the side. He'll undoubtedly score and be involved in some match winning goals in the run in if given the chance.

[North_Stand_Ram]

Well that's just bullshit.

It's all about form. He was playing every week at the start of the year.

Ibe, Russell and Ward (before his injury) surpassed anything Dawkins has produced this season. And with a seemingly imminent loan signing, Dawkins may be pushed out the side again

[RamNut]

He was better than usual tonight.

Possibly because in the first half he was turning up in central areas - which is where he is more effective.

[Bris Vegas]

Ibe, Russell and Ward (before his injury) surpassed anything Dawkins has produced this season. And with a seemingly imminent loan signing, Dawkins may be pushed out the side again

 

I disagree.

 

You're looking at individual moments to suit your own arguement - correct me if I'm wrong?

 

Dawkins is very much a team player, and his contribution to that is very much left out.

 

He does so much to our side. If we were a counterattacking team you'd want an Ibe type of player. But we're not... We're a possession-based side and we rely on players to create space, retain the ball and offer movement.

 

Dawks is arguably the best winger in this aspect. Ye, he doesn't score or 'assist' many, if he did he'd be a Premier League regular. But what he does do is he offers a link between the midfield and Martin, and he's superb at it.

[Duracell]

I bet there are people who'd swap Dawkins for Antonio because of his "end product".

 

When will people learn that it's important for the team to have that "end product", not one player? With Dawkins in the side, we're better at keeping the ball and moving it about and that's our most effective way of carving teams open.

 

If you hadn't noticed, Will Hughes' goal-scoring and assist records aren't exactly stunning either. 

[G STAR RAM]

Simon Dawkins pass rate vs Backburn - 91.4% - second best on the pitch and a good 30% better than Jamie Ward.

 

SimonDawkins - Three key passes - the most on the pitch

 

Haters are gonna hate

 

Dawkins doesn't run around like a headless chicken and 'hit the byline' therefore he must be crap.

 

I bet people on here think Nani is better than Andres Iniesta.

 

Everyone is allowed their opinion. But the majority on this thread are just ridiculous.

 

I don't care what his pass rate was to be quite honest and it is a completely pointless stat. First half nearly every time he got the ball his first touch was 5 or 10 yards back towards his own goal and then passed backwards, what is the point of having a 91% rate if that is all you are doing? He is a wide midfielder and creativity is just as important as ball retention.

 

And what are these 3 key passes? Once again a pointless stat, he did not set up any chances or goals so he did not do anything key to the game in my opinion.

 

I don't need any stats to tell me whether he was poor tonight or not, I could see with my own eyes and the saw exactly the same on Saturday.

 

I don't think he is enjoying playing out wide personally but it seems as though McClaren prefers others in the middle.

[curb]

I thought a forum would be a good place for fans to discuss what they like/dislike about the players?

 

Seems some would just prefer to come and pat themselves on the back every time we win?

I'll try not to enjoy us winning so much next time if that makes you feel better.

Or worse, whichever you prefer.

[Duracell]

I don't care what his pass rate was to be quite honest and it is a completely pointless stat. First half nearly every time he got the ball his first touch was 5 or 10 yards back towards his own goal and then passed backwards, what is the point of having a 91% rate if that is all you are doing? He is a wide midfielder and creativity is just as important as ball retention.

 

And what are these 3 key passes? Once again a pointless stat, he did not set up any chances or goals so he did not do anything key to the game in my opinion.

 

I don't need any stats to tell me whether he was poor tonight or not, I could see with my own eyes and the saw exactly the same on Saturday.

 

I don't think he is enjoying playing out wide personally but it seems as though McClaren prefers others in the middle.

Despite my previous post, I have to agree here. Was probably his poorest performance for us.

[Leicester Ram]

Dawkins is extremely consistent too, even when he's "off-form" like tonight, he's racking up extremely high pass percentages. If I see Dawkins in the starting 11, I never flinch, something I always get with Ward and Ibe.

 

Also, we've seen what he can do when it is his night too, that performance at Fulham is just as impressive as anything Ward's done in a Derby shirt these last 4 years. When Ward's off form, he's absolutely atrocious and completely kills the team with his failed flicks.

[G STAR RAM]

I'll try not to enjoy us winning so much next time if that makes you feel better.

Or worse, whichever you prefer.

 

So is it not possible to enjoy winning but also analyse the match?

 

If you just want to be happy and not read others thoughts about matches I would suggest not logging on for a few days after matches?

[Bris Vegas]

I don't care what his pass rate was to be quite honest and it is a completely pointless stat. First half nearly every time he got the ball his first touch was 5 or 10 yards back towards his own goal and then passed backwards, what is the point of having a 91% rate if that is all you are doing? He is a wide midfielder and creativity is just as important as ball retention.

 

And what are these 3 key passes? Once again a pointless stat, he did not set up any chances or goals so he did not do anything key to the game in my opinion.

 

I don't need any stats to tell me whether he was poor tonight or not, I could see with my own eyes and the saw exactly the same on Saturday.

 

I don't think he is enjoying playing out wide personally but it seems as though McClaren prefers others in the middle.

 

I don't think playing left-wing is his ideal position unless we're going to attack down the left and he can cut in and allow Forsyth to be the left winger on the overlap.

 

As for pass completion rate... Yeh, such a pointless stat. For a possession-based side, I don't think it would make any difference if everyone of our players averaged Jamie Ward's 62%.

 

I mean, that's 4 out of every 10 passes not finding a white shirt. But who cares, as long as he can take somebody on right?

 

Dawks offers tactical discipline also. Not sure if you noticed, but our entire midfield went AWOL against Forest.

 

But then again, that doesn't require hitting the byline or swinging over a cross. So you probably didn't notice that afterall.

[AmericanRam]

Obviously not at the match,but the times I have watched Dawks this season via a stream or highlights,I think he has been pretty solid all around.

His passing is always pretty good even if other areas may perhaps be lacking during a match.Even that 'lack' though imo is not that large as it were.

Dawks is not really a flashy player,he doesn't need to be imo.His style of play fits with exactly what Mac and Simmo want from him.

I watched him in Caribbean Cup with Jamaica and he was very good there also.

Yes I perhaps agree we need another winger for depth(Mainly as Ward has been meh),and until we do get one in I will be fine seeing this guy on the pitch.

[Rev]

I think the problem people have with Dawkins is we keep calling him a winger, he really isn't, won't beat his man, indeed rarely attempts to, and won't hit crosses at every opportunity.

Try seeing him as a footballer however, and a different picture emerges. Great touch, rarely loses the ball, always available for a pass, even when tightly marked, makes his pass then moves to receive the ball back.

He's possibly too lightweight for the middle of the park, but out wide with clever players like Martin, Hughes and Bryson to play with, and he'll show you a different way to skin a cat.

Someone posted earlier this week he's a player they'd pay to watch train, so would I.

[Rev]

I bet there are people who'd swap Dawkins for Antonio because of his "end product".

When will people learn that it's important for the team to have that "end product", not one player? With Dawkins in the side, we're better at keeping the ball and moving it about and that's our most effective way of carving teams open.

If you hadn't noticed, Will Hughes' goal-scoring and assist records aren't exactly stunning either.

We need an assists the assist stat, if that makes sense.

[North_Stand_Ram]

I disagree.

You're looking at individual moments to suit your own arguement - correct me if I'm wrong?

Dawkins is very much a team player, and his contribution to that is very much left out.

He does so much to our side. If we were a counterattacking team you'd want an Ibe type of player. But we're not... We're a possession-based side and we rely on players to create space, retain the ball and offer movement.

Dawks is arguably the best winger in this aspect. Ye, he doesn't score or 'assist' many, if he did he'd be a Premier League regular. But what he does do is he offers a link between the midfield and Martin, and he's superb at it.

Not really individual moments. Ibe and Russell stepped up their game, taking them onto another level

[G STAR RAM]

I don't think playing left-wing is his ideal position unless we're going to attack down the left and he can cut in and allow Forsyth to be the left winger on the overlap.

 

As for pass completion rate... Yeh, such a pointless stat. For a possession-based side, I don't think it would make any difference if everyone of our players averaged Jamie Ward's 62%.

 

I mean, that's 4 out of every 10 passes not finding a white shirt. But who cares, as long as he can take somebody on right?

 

Dawks offers tactical discipline also. Not sure if you noticed, but our entire midfield went AWOL against Forest.

 

But then again, that doesn't require hitting the byline or swinging over a cross. So you probably didn't notice that afterall.

 

Sorry I didn't mean a pointless stat, just a pointless stat if you are trying to make out that he made any telling contribution to the game.

 

I notice there was no answer about these 3 key passes he made...anything to do with it being another nonsensical stat?

 

So would you rather Ward headed back towards his own goal every time he got the ball rather than try and beat his man? Sometimes that is fine but when it is nearly every time it becomes predictable, why not mix it up and try and beat your man every now and again? Is it because the passing stat would go down?!

 

Offers tactical discipline? Does that really even mean anything? Are you suggesting that he would have been the man to stop Forest rampaging through our midfield?

 

There is a reason why Ward's stats are lower, because he always tries to make things happen. A lot of the time they don't work and he looks **** but I think his goal and assist stats are important to us over a season.

[Bris Vegas]

Sorry I didn't mean a pointless stat, just a pointless stat if you are trying to make out that he made any telling contribution to the game.

 

I notice there was no answer about these 3 key passes he made...anything to do with it being another nonsensical stat?

 

So would you rather Ward headed back towards his own goal every time he got the ball rather than try and beat his man? Sometimes that is fine but when it is nearly every time it becomes predictable, why not mix it up and try and beat your man every now and again? Is it because the passing stat would go down?!

 

Offers tactical discipline? Does that really even mean anything? Are you suggesting that he would have been the man to stop Forest rampaging through our midfield?

 

There is a reason why Ward's stats are lower, because he always tries to make things happen. A lot of the time they don't work and he looks **** but I think his goal and assist stats are important to us over a season.

 

You have to find the right balance, that's why it's vital to have both a goal scoring threat and tactical discipline.

 

Hendrick and Bryson IMO is a poor CM partnership and there have been occasiosn this season where they've been utter tripe together - Forest at home being a standout.

 

But partner one of them with Hughes and it's completely different. Why? Hughes rarely scores, rarely assists. But he offers positioning, tactical displine, complete reliability with the ball and above all football intelligence.

 

Dawkins is exactly the same in this regard. He offers football intelligence. Against Forest, who knows what would have happened had he played? But one thing you can also count on from Dawks is he makes himself available, he's intelligent and he's tactically/positionally aware - the complete opposite of our shambolic midfield last week.

 

As for key passes - these are passing stats that lead to chances created. Whether it's a defence splitting pass or one which opens up the space for those to run into.

 

I don't think Dawks needs to mix it up, and I don't think Ward should change his style of play either. They both have particular attributes that they thrive at and they should be encouraged to do what they do best.

 

What drives me up the wall though is a large majority side with Ward because his attributes make him look more lively, more progressive and more positive.

 

Dawks' attributes and what he offers the team are different, massively underrated and harshly judged by the typical gung-ho mentality of the average English football fan.