Johnny Russell Appreciation

[TuffLuff]

I had decided to hold off from writing this over the last few games, as I thought the the comments against him might even out, but if anything it's getting worse.

Basically the work Russell is currently putting in isn't effective for him in terms of individual goals/assists etc, but it doesn't need to be. His work is for the team and it's invaluable for everyone around him. Defensively he has a good understanding with his LB and also tends to be a decent outlet for them (or as the 1st half showed yesterday, he would help make space for Anya to run into by pulling players inside). Attacking wise, you can't have two Tom Ince's on the wings. Ince is prospering being the main outlet upfront, and being allowed a more free role, but Russell needs to stick to his position more to keep the balance. Ince is allowed a more free role too because with Baird behind him he has a more defensive minded player and won't get caught out of position behind him, which is also why Cyrus will find it difficult to get back in this team as it stands.

Russell might not stand out as much but his job is just as important. The term I'd use is he is being industrious, it largely goes unnoticed but his shift is vital. A good example of this is when he got subbed yesterday, but when Camara came on he wasn't as tight positionally as Russell had been with Anya and Birmingham started getting a lot of space down our left side. That's not a slight on Camara, but the likes of him and Weimann struggle to have the more all round aspect of their game like Russell has, they will want the role that Ince currently has where they are a an attacking outlet with less positional duty.

Im not saying he's been outstanding, but I just want to point out another side of the story when people are saying 'he was awful' and he should be dropped. There's a reason McLaren pointed him out after the game yesterday. He's being consistently decent, and you need those players putting in those decent shifts that get the outstanding shifts out of others. See also for this: Chris Baird, Jacob Butterfield, Darren Bent.

[Coneheadjohn]

To even consider selling JR to Brighton is madness.

He's working hard and improving.

[sage]

10 minutes ago, TuffLuff said:

I had decided to hold off from writing this over the last few games, as I thought the the comments against him might even out, but if anything it's getting worse.

Basically the work Russell is currently putting in isn't effective for him in terms of individual goals/assists etc, but it doesn't need to be. His work is for the team and it's invaluable for everyone around him. Defensively he has a good understanding with his LB and also tends to be a decent outlet for them (or as the 1st half showed yesterday, he would help make space for Anya to run into by pulling players inside). Attacking wise, you can't have two Tom Ince's on the wings. Ince is prospering being the main outlet upfront, and being allowed a more free role, but Russell needs to stick to his position more to keep the balance. Ince is allowed a more free role too because with Baird behind him he has a more defensive minded player and won't get caught out of position behind him, which is also why Cyrus will find it difficult to get back in this team as it stands.

Russell might not stand out as much but his job is just as important. The term I'd use is he is being industrious, it largely goes unnoticed but his shift is vital. A good example of this is when he got subbed yesterday, but when Camara came on he wasn't as tight positionally as Russell had been with Anya and Birmingham started getting a lot of space down our left side. That's not a slight on Camara, but the likes of him and Weimann struggle to have the more all round aspect of their game like Russell has, they will want the role that Ince currently has where they are a an attacking outlet with less positional duty.

Im not saying he's been outstanding, but I just want to point out another side of the story when people are saying 'he was awful' and he should be dropped. There's a reason McLaren pointed him out after the game yesterday. He's being consistently decent, and you need those players putting in those decent shifts that get the outstanding shifts out of others. See also for this: Chris Baird, Jacob Butterfield, Darren Bent.

Spot on. He just needs a goal to get his confidence back but in the meantime he always gives a lot to the team. He is streets ahead of Weimann and Camara in terms of starting a game.  

[Titus Ramble]

I totally agree, I think it's far too easy for people to rag on players that don't fill up the stat sheet without actually looking at the work they actually do and how it affects the teams overall performance and style of play. Another similar player who has been shining recently is Bradley Johnson. The only reason he has a more recognisably "good game" is because the middle of the park is a high action area and he has the ball around him a lot more.

[Mafiabob]

As I've mentioned time and again, think he needs a recharge of batteries..... I'm not ragging on what he does..... just don't think he's as amazing as some make out.....

[TuffLuff]

9 minutes ago, Mafiabob said:

As I've mentioned time and again, think he needs a recharge of batteries..... I'm not ragging on what he does..... just don't think he's as amazing as some make out.....

That's the point though, I'm not saying he's being amazing, but what he's doing is getting better performances by those around him. And who do you replace him with he would do a similar job? Only Anya but that could take a few games now for him to get the same understandings as Russell currently has. We don't have the luxury point wise to allow us to do that

[TuffLuff]

Duplicate, sorry

[Mafiabob]

3 minutes ago, TuffLuff said:

That's the point though, I'm not saying he's being amazing, but what he's doing is getting better performances by those around him. And who do you replace him with he would do a similar job? Only Anya but that could take a few games now for him to get the same understandings as Russell currently has. We don't have the luxury point wise to allow us to do that

I think he's a good player..... don't get me wrong, but the amount of stick Ince has got for what he's done for Derby is absurd, I see we comparing with Weiman and Camara et al..... no one wants to compare him with Ince, for me he's streets ahead of all the others.... it's up to JR to keep his place now, he has competition from AW, IA and MC now..... I couldn't drop Ince..... he's a luxury worth having. 

[Chester40]

As I posted elsewhere, JR is suffering in comparison to Ince.  As well as offering a threat Ince is working just as hard defensively and right to the end of the game he was running defenders down.  

[TelTheRam]

3 best chances of the game yesterday all created by JR

[jagerbob]

2 minutes ago, TelTheRam said:

3 best chances of the game yesterday all created by JR

what he said.

I dont get the stick he is getting at all.

I am not always Russells biggest fan, but the current situation just shows what i have read on another posts.

That is seems to be a derby county fans disease to have to have someone to slag off and aim all their negativity at. Now they cant do that at Johnson or Baird, who do they pick???

Russell i think is adapting well to being asked to play totally differently. AS others said every chance we created came through russell yesterday. he also looked a lot more likely to score than hughes, butterfield, etc etc.

 

[Mafiabob]

5 minutes ago, TelTheRam said:

3 best chances of the game yesterday all created by JR

Direct you to Alphas post on another thread for the seasons chances.....

[Carnero]

35 minutes ago, jagerbob said:

what he said.

I dont get the stick he is getting at all.

I am not always Russells biggest fan, but the current situation just shows what i have read on another posts.

That is seems to be a derby county fans disease to have to have someone to slag off and aim all their negativity at. Now they cant do that at Johnson or Baird, who do they pick???

Russell i think is adapting well to being asked to play totally differently. AS others said every chance we created came through russell yesterday. he also looked a lot more likely to score than hughes, butterfield, etc etc.

 

Spot on.

Russell & Olsson are the just the latest fall guys.

Been the same since I first started watching Derby, back then it was young Paul Williams getting the worst of it.

[Mafiabob]

17 minutes ago, Saul Pimpson said:

Spot on.

Russell & Olsson are the just the latest fall guys.

Been the same since I first started watching Derby, back then it was young Paul Williams getting the worst of it.

Constructive criticism is all I see..... no ones hating on the guy..... think it's a ridiculous over reaction myself.

[TelTheRam]

3 callers to RD after yesterday's game all jumping on the JR is rubbish bandwagon.

Had to smile when they played back the commentary highlights and most featured the chances he created.

[TuffLuff]

1 hour ago, Mafiabob said:

I think he's a good player..... don't get me wrong, but the amount of stick Ince has got for what he's done for Derby is absurd, I see we comparing with Weiman and Camara et al..... no one wants to compare him with Ince, for me he's streets ahead of all the others.... it's up to JR to keep his place now, he has competition from AW, IA and MC now..... I couldn't drop Ince..... he's a luxury worth having. 

I'm not comparing Camara and Weimann with Russell, im saying they can't do the job he's doing at the minute. You can only compare with Anya, who didn't look overly comfortable when he first came in. You can't compare Russell and Ince, as I've said they are doing completely different things. Ince is a luxery, a great one to have, but Russell can't afford to be that player.

Criticism of Ince came when he wasn't fitting into the system. It's clear to see 'now' why him and Christie didn't work. He now has space in which to work, because the likes of Baird and Bent give him that space. He looks ten times better for it. Some of his criticism was unfair, but that's hindsight.

As I said there is no comparison, what is great to see is that they are complementing each other's games and being a team. Take Russell out of it, and it wouldn't surprise me to see Ince's game go too

[Alph]

I'm not a big Russell fan but I don't think anyone looks especially close to taking his spot. 

He's just plodding along imo. There's loads of room for improvement and he's a long way from his best but he's not letting us down. He's defending well. Yesterday he spent a fair amount of time trying to pull defenders away from the flank for Anya. 

Does enough to keep his place and suits the team. Just be nice to get more out of him

[Grimbeard]

2 hours ago, Saul Pimpson said:

Spot on.

Russell & Olsson are the just the latest fall guys.

Been the same since I first started watching Derby, back then it was young Paul Williams getting the worst of it.

And going back further, as a kid I can remember people moaning about Hinton being too lightweight and not working hard enough and other lunatics asking what O'Hare did and making direct comparisons to Hector.

Is it just us, or do all clubs have fans that need an aunt sally?

[eddie]

Steve McClaren praised his tireless contribution yesterday.

That's good enough for me.

[YorkshireRam]

4 hours ago, TuffLuff said:

Im not saying he's been outstanding, but I just want to point out another side of the story when people are saying 'he was awful' and he should be dropped. There's a reason McLaren pointed him out after the game yesterday. He's being consistently decent, and you need those players putting in those decent shifts that get the outstanding shifts out of others. See also for this: Chris Baird, Jacob Butterfield, Darren Bent.

Only bit I'd disagree with is Jacob Butterfield, I've found this season he's been largely anonymous. He does various good things each game, so I'm not saying he's particularly doing anything wrong but 90% of the time he's passing sideways. Yes, he's retaining possession etc, but it leads to the type of football we saw yesterday, stagnant for the majority of the time.

Hughes and Keogh were the only players yesterday, especially in the first half, trying to create spaces, move the ball with urgency and create attacking chances and unfortunately Butterfield contributed to our ineffective attacking play. He's got an excellent passing range, I'd like to see him use it more because as it stands Bryson would be getting the nod from me next game as he is the definition of how you phrased it, ''industrious''.