Simon Dawkins

[YorkshireRam]

4 days ago people were singing his praises. 

Miles better than Ward. Feint feint smash it

He was no worse than Christie, Hendrick, Buxton, Keogh, Forsyth or Bent. 

Even Ince wasn't much better in the first half.

But I suppose they aren't called Simon Dawkins which helps. He's taken the Leon Best hate figure role really well. 

Bring back Tyson with all his sprinting down the line. 

I'm starting to wonder if we have any good players. 

[IlsonDerby]

Around me Dawkins is the scapegoat for everything that goes wrong. 

Every miss placed pass by any black player receives a "fxcking get Dawkins off" 

 

hes  a players who could hold onto possession for such a long period, he's so technically gifted and granted he doesn't have that final ball very often but it's a confidence game and when the fans groan at everything you do you're gonna be short of it.

 

derby fans are our own worst enemy this season, it's ridiculous.  

[YorkshireRam]

Around me Dawkins is the scapegoat for everything that goes wrong. 

Every miss placed pass by any black player receives a "fxcking get Dawkins off" 

 

hes  a players who could hold onto possession for such a long period, he's so technically gifted and granted he doesn't have that final ball very often but it's a confidence game and when the fans groan at everything you do you're gonna be short of it.

 

derby fans are our own worst enemy this season, it's ridiculous.  

[JAT]

I think Dawkins would play better in a more central role. Should the worse happen and Hughes be out injured or even a suspension I think he would be the best replacement. 

If we played a diamond I think he could play behind the front two.

I think if we get into the prem we may have to be more flexible with our formation and I think Dawkins is a player that would be very useful.

[YorkshireRam]

I think Dawkins would play better in a more central role. Should the worse happen and Hughes be out injured or even a suspension I think he would be the best replacement. 

If we played a diamond I think he could play behind the front two.

I think if we get into the prem we may have to be more flexible with our formation and I think Dawkins is a player that would be very useful.

[Curtains]

​To be honest, I think I agree.

Dawkins play does not suit the winger role that we play. Playing in midfield where ball retention is more crucial could suit him quite well. However, we've not got any games left this season where we can risk testing him in that role.

Maybe friendlies next season?

[Ambitious]

What Dawkins allowed us to do yesterday was to hold the ball up higher on the pitch. He created several chances, none clear cut, but on the edge of the box in the first half he nearly slipped Hughes through with an incredible pass.

He's technically on the same wavelength as Hughes. I'm with Bris in the fact, I think he should play in CM. He has more ability than Bryson and Hendrick and he has got more intelligence. I know it's impossible to say whether he would out perform either of them, but he's too good of a footballer not to find a permanent role in the team. 

With the ball at his feet in tight spaces, only Hughes can compete with him IMO. I don't see any reason why he couldn't play that role at all. I think Dawkins, when out wide, plays exactly to how I would expect Hughes to play when outwide. 

[Alph]

If feint feint smash it is trying to create something then yes, Ward tries to create more than Dawkins. 

No thread for him. He was almost pointless v Bournemouth and rubbish  v Rotherham. Since his injury I think he only played ok v Cardiff

But he looks busy and his name isn't Simon

[Shuff264]

The same fans saying Dawks offers nothing are probably the same fan who still thinks Aaron Lennon would get in a side ahead of Andres Iniesta,

Did you know Ward actually has more goals/assists than Iniesta this season. 

Buzz buzz buzzzzzzz

English fans eh. Couldn't tell their ****from their elbow.

No wonder we've never won a World Cup in donkeys years when our whole mentaity from grassroot football upwards lauds fast running and charging wingers and completely disregards quality ball-playing players who focus more on possession, guile and movement.

BUZZ BUZZ feckin BUZZIN around

[angieram]

Dawkins did come to the line and win the corner for our first goal yesterday.  

[IlsonDerby]

​I would like to think I don't blame all our problems on Dawkins and therefore don't treat him as a scapegoat of any kind.

However, as an attacker, a final ball is fairly essential to playing well. It's not even that we know he can't do it, in his loan spell with us, he was fantastic. This makes his current form/style of play all the more frustrating.

 

[BondJovi]

If you listened to Simmo's team news chat, he explained that Dawkins has had family issues and has had to make frequent trips back to London and that they hope the situation is calming. Obviously the guy has stress at the moment in his personal life, he does his job here and tries his best, yet people give him flak. What he needs is that support, would it not give him that self belief, that boost if he had a full stadium cheering him on, chanting his name?

We should be applauding his technical excellence and not undervaluing the importance of his ball retention skills.

[YorkshireRam]

Yeah we know he can do it. That was when he was confident. 

We need him to feel loved rather than the constant groans at everything. We are lucky to have a player like Dawkins who can look after the ball it was his run which led to the corner that we equalised from.

[YorkshireRam]

If you listened to Simmo's team news chat, he explained that Dawkins has had family issues and has had to make frequent trips back to London and that they hope the situation is calming. Obviously the guy has stress at the moment in his personal life, he does his job here and tries his best, yet people give him flak. What he needs is that support, would it not give him that self belief, that boost if he had a full stadium cheering him on, chanting his name?

We should be applauding his technical excellence and not undervaluing the importance of his ball retention skills.

[rammieib]

 I would be a lot happier if we were winning games when he was on the pitch, but statistically it is proven that whilst he is on the pitch DCFC suffer their worst points return. The fact he scores few and creates little is a major contribution to that.

Yesterday what I saw was a player scared to use his pace, scared to close players down, one dimensional in always taking it infield instead of going down the line, and taking three touches too many. (Must room with Christie). There was one interplay where Dawkins had it in the box and could have slipped Forsyth in but he didn't slide it into him. 

So give me Russell and give me Lingard over him every day of the week. They both work their socks off, are more direct which suits our style of play and create more and score more. 

 

[BondJovi]

​If those issues are going to affect his game, he wouldn't be playing. Simple as that, we've got Ward on the bench who could have easily started.

His ball retention skills are of no value in an attacking role if there is no end product and he therefore can't do anything with the ball when he's got it... 

If Will Hughes received the ball then immediately turned his back to goal and passed it to one of the CBs, he would be nowhere near as good a player as he is when he picks the ball up and drives forward creating opportunities for other players with his immense passing ability. The way Hughes applies his technical ability is what makes him a good footballer, Dawkins has the capacity to play well but doesn't apply his skills correctly.

Ball retention and technical excellence are only useful when they're being used to benefit our overall play, not to enable a pass backwards to Forsyth, 9 times out of 10.

[Alph]

Did you guys not see the match v Bournemouth or Rotherham? 

Where's the Jamie Ward thread?

Don't quote assists at me. Hughes had the same amount as Best until last week. Paul Anderson has more than Silva and Yaya put together. 

His best performances have been away. You get the same amount of points for those. His contribution in the last 2 away league games have saved us 2 defeats. What has Jamie Ward done. 

Run fast? Look busy? Feint feint smash it? Shoot from 30 yards and miss like always?

[Bris Vegas]

​If those issues are going to affect his game, he wouldn't be playing. Simple as that, we've got Ward on the bench who could have easily started.

His ball retention skills are of no value in an attacking role if there is no end product and he therefore can't do anything with the ball when he's got it... 

If Will Hughes received the ball then immediately turned his back to goal and passed it to one of the CBs, he would be nowhere near as good a player as he is when he picks the ball up and drives forward creating opportunities for other players with his immense passing ability. The way Hughes applies his technical ability is what makes him a good footballer, Dawkins has the capacity to play well but doesn't apply his skills correctly.

Ball retention and technical excellence are only useful when they're being used to benefit our overall play, not to enable a pass backwards to Forsyth, 9 times out of 10.

[-JW-]

If we go up neither Ward or Dawkins will get a look in the first team, might play the odd cup game, then end up getting sold to a chamionship team like Huddersfield.

[TroyDyer]

Have said it a few times, but his ball retention against the better sides will be very important until Martin comes back. When Martin is playing, I would rather have a more attacking winger, but until then we need Dawkins, especially away from home when we have less of the ball. 

He may not start Tuesday, but I would be shocked if he doesn't start Saturday.