Johnny Russell and a perceived lack of end product

[brady1993]

I've noticed that pretty much since the start of the season there seems to be a lot of negativity aimed towards Russell, with plenty of calls recently for him to be dropped and I think quite a bit of it is unwarranted.  Personally whilst I don't think he has been playing particularly well over the past few games, I do think he has been turning in solid performances. Could we potentially get a better player than Russell ? Yes but I don't think we currently have a better player to replace him with. 

What I really want to try to address though is Russell's perceived lack of end product by some. First off I guess you have to define 'end product' somehow because it seems to differ slightly from person to person so I will purely define it as either the player scoring or assisting. If you define end product this way there wasn't a more 'productive' wide player in the championship last season. With 10 goals he scored more than any other wide championship player, and with 8 assists he had the equal most for a championship wide player.

 

 

 

 

 

[i-Ram]

6 minutes ago, brady1993 said:

I've noticed that pretty much since the start of the season there seems to be a lot of negativity aimed towards Russell, with plenty of calls recently for him to be dropped and I think quite a bit of it is unwarranted.  Personally whilst I don't think he has been playing particularly well over the past few games, I do think he has been turning in solid performances. Could we potentially get a better player than Russell ? Yes but I don't think we currently have a better player to replace him with. 

What I really want to try to address though is Russell's perceived lack of end product by some. First off I guess you have to define 'end product' somehow because it seems to differ slightly from person to person so I will purely define it as either the player scoring or assisting. If you define end product this way there wasn't a more 'productive' wide player in the championship last season. With 10 goals he scored more than any other wide championship player, and with 8 assists he had the equal most for a championship wide player.

 

 

 

 

 

Was there some end product intended for this post 

[ollycutts1982]

For me he's become a very frustrating player to watch. He doesn't do what he does best anywhere near enough as he should. His movement has been slack and at times he just stands still and offers no options. I really like him but just not doing it. Watch him Saturday and you will see. That goal he scored against forest seems well beyond him at present. In the past his work rate has masked a lot. When his workrate stops he looks bang average at best. As said I like an in form Johnny and hope SM can get him firing again. 

[eddie]

Got to have a scapegoat now Ince, Johnson, Bent et al have been transformed by Steve McClaren into world-class megastars.

[brady1993]

6 minutes ago, i-Ram said:

Was there some end product intended for this post 

Haha yeah I'm not super sure what I did there with all the white space.

[brady1993]

4 minutes ago, ollycutts1982 said:

For me he's become a very frustrating player to watch. He doesn't do what he does best anywhere near enough as he should. His movement has been slack and at times he just stands still and offers no options. I really like him but just not doing it. Watch him Saturday and you will see. That goal he scored against forest seems well beyond him at present. In the past his work rate has masked a lot. When his workrate stops he looks bang average at best. As said I like an in form Johnny and hope SM can get him firing again. 

I agree he can be frustrating at times but so can all attacking wide players in the championship. They are usually at this level because they are inconsistent. 

[ollycutts1982]

1 minute ago, brady1993 said:

I agree he can be frustrating at times but so can all attacking wide players in the championship. They are usually at this level because they are inconsistent. 

I appreciate that it's just that he will skin a full back once and beat him hands down and then not do it again. 

[McRainy]

He hasn't played well for the last two seasons. When he gets the ball I always have feeling he'll lose it almost straight away, and he usually does; misplaced passes, blind alleys, duff crosses, wild shots. I dread seeing his name on the team sheet as much as I used to dread seeing Sammon's, it's that bad. 

[froggg]

6 minutes ago, Lambchop said:

He hasn't played well for the last two seasons. When he gets the ball I always have feeling he'll lose it almost straight away, and he usually does; misplaced passes, blind alleys, duff crosses, wild shots. I dread seeing his name on the team sheet as much as I used to dread seeing Sammon's, it's that bad. 

Boo, just think back to the screamer against the scum in the 5-1, I rate his work rate and derring do.??????

 

[Mr Tibbs]

31 minutes ago, brady1993 said:

With 10 goals he scored more than any other wide championship player, and with 8 assists he had the equal most for a championship wide player.

I think that's the point though mate, people don't think he's doing it enough this year. 

He quietly went about his business last year because stats like those for a winger at this level are very good IMO. Didn't get anywhere near enough recognition. You could probably could say the same for Ince and Martin too. 

Fingers crossed he can get back in the action now Macca is settling in. 

[Millenniumram]

It seems to me to be the opposite IMO, across Russell's time here he's received very little criticism despite some abosolutely dreadful performances, he seems immune in many fans eyes because he works hard so all the abuse has been aimed at the much better and more consistent Ince, who has produced on far more occasions than Russell. This is not to say he's a terrible player, he isn't, just that even more so than our other wingers he blows very hot and cold, he can have stunning matches which makes you think he's a world beater, but then other games where he can't even control the ball, yet alone pass it to a teammate.

Ive always been very meh about Russell, don't dislike him as a player but it doesn't concern me not to see him on the team sheet, he's capable at this level but imo to be a very top championship winger he needs to more intelligent in his play and movement, just basic thinking before you move the ball on is his problem. I'd personally prefer to see weimann in there, he's underrated by our fans at this level, he offers just as much energy to the team but with better defensive abilities and his link up play is more intelligent- but there is the issue of his goal scoring record so I can see the arguement for Russell on that account.

[SaintRam]

To be honest, warranted or unwarranted criticism aside, we have enough depth at that position to rotate players who are not playing so well they're undroppable - which he definitely isn't regardless of where you stand. Every time he's been subbed recently I've thought his replacement has done better.

[Mr Tibbs]

10 minutes ago, Lambchop said:

He hasn't played well for the last two seasons. 

I don't think he's started very well this year but last year he was very good without being over-zealous. If you can churn out 10 goals and 8 assists helping your team to reach the play offs whilst not playing well then you've struck lucky, around 18 times. 

[McRainy]

4 minutes ago, froggg said:

Boo, just think back to the screamer against the scum in the 5-1, I rate his work rate and derring do.??????

 

I know, I really liked him at first, but he's frustrated me for far too long. With Ince there's always the sense that something exciting can happen because he has that ability. I just think Russell's lost it, if he ever had it in the first place. 

Also, there's a woman with a really nasal voice who sits behind me, and she always used to screech, eeeeeeaaaaaw, bring Sammon onnnnnnn! Russell has replaced the fish as her firm favourite, so it's a no from me. 

Eeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaw gooooooo Johnny Ruuusssselllllllll!!!!

[brady1993]

16 minutes ago, Mr Tibbs said:

I think that's the point though mate, people don't think he's doing it enough this year. 

He quietly went about his business last year because stats like those for a winger at this level are very good IMO. Didn't get anywhere near enough recognition. You could probably could say the same for Ince and Martin too. 

Fingers crossed he can get back in the action now Macca is settling in. 

I can understand that but in fairness we've as a team had to get out of the mire that Pearson left us in. I think given time he will be able those sort of numbers this year.

[Sexydadbod]

Stats can be misleading. No-one is saying he is a bad player. Russell's issue is that he is inconsistent. He plays spell for 5 games which inflate his stats then he plays crap the next 5 games. I want to see the Russell that played against Hull away in the play offs more often, not the Russell who falls over his own feet when attempting to dribble. As Mileniumram said above, Russell avoids criticism more than any other player in the current Derby squad. If you contrast him to Baird who hasn't done anything wrong since he has been here. It's one rule for one player and another for another player for Derby fans.

[brady1993]

20 minutes ago, Millenniumram said:

It seems to me to be the opposite IMO, across Russell's time here he's received very little criticism despite some abosolutely dreadful performances, he seems immune in many fans eyes because he works hard so all the abuse has been aimed at the much better and more consistent Ince, who has produced on far more occasions than Russell. This is not to say he's a terrible player, he isn't, just that even more so than our other wingers he blows very hot and cold, he can have stunning matches which makes you think he's a world beater, but then other games where he can't even control the ball, yet alone pass it to a teammate.

Ive always been very meh about Russell, don't dislike him as a player but it doesn't concern me not to see him on the team sheet, he's capable at this level but imo to be a very top championship winger he needs to more intelligent in his play and movement, just basic thinking before you move the ball on is his problem. I'd personally prefer to see weimann in there, he's underrated by our fans at this level, he offers just as much energy to the team but with better defensive abilities and his link up play is more intelligent- but there is the issue of his goal scoring record so I can see the arguement for Russell on that account.

I agree with you here for the most part. In the past he has been overrated, it's just recently I get the impression that opinion has completely and unfairly swung the other way with several people claiming he doesn't have an end product.

The only thing I really disagree with you is about Wiemann (I'll just preface this by saying I do think Wiemann is a decent championship player), personally I don't see what he provides over Russell , I think Russell's link-up play is better and he is the bigger goal threat. For example I can't see Wiemann having the involvement Russell did in the second goal against hull last year.

 

[DesertRam]

I could never write JR off, just yet, still remembering all those pinpoint passes to Martin.

Think he needs to get some " MAC"  time and he'll be fine - same as everyone else really!!!

[Millenniumram]

2 minutes ago, brady1993 said:

I agree with you here for the most part. In the past he has been overrated, it's just recently I get the impression that opinion has completely and unfairly swung the other way with several people claiming he doesn't have an end product.

The only thing I really disagree with you is about Wiemann (I'll just preface this by saying I do think Wiemann is a decent championship player), personally I don't see what he provides over Russell , I think Russell's link-up play is better and he is the bigger goal threat. For example I can't see Wiemann having the involvement Russell did in the second goal against hull last year.

 

Yeah it's videos that make you frustrated by him, because he's clearly got the technical ability, he just can't seem to consistently put it together sadly, but there's no need to change anything at the moment, we're scoring goals and that's all we can wish for haha!

[ollycutts1982]

At times he has the footballing brain of Jeff Hendrick. Interpret that's as you please.