Johnny Russell Appreciation

[DEL]

16 minutes ago, eddie said:

Steve McClaren praised his tireless contribution yesterday.

That's good enough for me.

Agreed. 

[Mafiabob]

13 minutes ago, YorkshireRam said:

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''.

It amazes me what and how people see differently.

Butters is more often than not breaking up the play, he then gives it on..

Think he's been pretty sublime at home this season especially. Keeps it simple, and there is an element of safety in his play, but would you rather him lose it in his own half/halfway line with a risky pass?

Bryson is industrious not going to deny that..... but to say he should be getting the nod over Butterfield is wrong if you ask me..... if you're going to ask whose been anonymous when they've played this season I would 100 percent go with Bryson, other than getting cautioned and suspended of course.....

[RadioactiveWaste]

2 minutes ago, Mafiabob said:

Bryson is industrious not going to deny that..... but to say he should be getting the nod over Butterfield is wrong if you ask me..... if you're going to ask whose been anonymous when they've played this season I would 100 percent go with Bryson, other than getting cautioned and suspended of course.....

Having Bryson in the team instead of Butters means the balance is different - I really like Bryson but at present I don't see changing things to have him in there as benefiting the team overall - In a similar way Russell, the team is succeeding at present so it's in the hands of the starting 11 to keep their place by doing the business.

What will happen, sooner or later, is circumstances (through injury, suspension of form) will give the place to Bryson, if he gets a few games and the team works to make the best of what he brings, which is different to what Butters brings, we'll be having this conversation in reverse.

So, is Anya expected to continue as LB v Wigan? If that's the case then JR absolutely has to continue doing his role. 

[Rev]

6 minutes ago, Mafiabob said:

It amazes me what and how people see differently.

Butters is more often than not breaking up the play, he then gives it on..

Think he's been pretty sublime at home this season especially. Keeps it simple, and there is an element of safety in his play, but would you rather him lose it in his own half/halfway line with a risky pass?

Bryson is industrious not going to deny that..... but to say he should be getting the nod over Butterfield is wrong if you ask me..... if you're going to ask whose been anonymous when they've played this season I would 100 percent go with Bryson, other than getting cautioned and suspended of course.....

Hughes and Johnson stand out, but you could argue Butterfield is the unglamorous glue that holds it together.

Weird, as before we signed him he looked every inch a standout midfielder for other teams, which shows perhaps how much of his natural game he's given up to allow the team as a whole to shine?

We've gotten to the stage now when 7/10 performances are the norm, I think Jacob has sacrificed personal standout performances for the good of the team, and a cracking job he's making of it.

[Mafiabob]

Just now, reveldevil said:

Hughes and Johnson stand out, but you could argue Butterfield is the unglamorous glue that holds it together.

Weird, as before we signed him he looked every inch a standout midfielder for other teams, which shows perhaps how much of his natural game he's given up to allow the team as a whole to shine?

We've gotten to the stage now when 7/10 performances are the norm, I think Jacob has sacrificed personal standout performances for the good of the team, and a cracking job he's making of it.

Exactly. 

[Mafiabob]

2 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

Having Bryson in the team instead of Butters means the balance is different - I really like Bryson but at present I don't see changing things to have him in there as benefiting the team overall - In a similar way Russell, the team is succeeding at present so it's in the hands of the starting 11 to keep their place by doing the business.

What will happen, sooner or later, is circumstances (through injury, suspension of form) will give the place to Bryson, if he gets a few games and the team works to make the best of what he brings, which is different to what Butters brings, we'll be having this conversation in reverse.

So, is Anya expected to continue as LB v Wigan? If that's the case then JR absolutely has to continue doing his role. 

Fair point. Just think JR needs a recharge that's all. Think WBA game then back in for league..... 

[DEL]

1 minute ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

So, is Anya expected to continue as LB v Wigan? If that's the case then JR absolutely has to continue doing his role. 

Should do as it's a waiting game for Olsson injury news. JR got to start against Wigan then rest on Monday at Norwich which is sensible thing to do. 

[OohMartWright]

There is a great deal of sense being posted on this thread. We only see the players on match days, and the team dynamic is obviously working. Steve Mac sees them every day and I am more than happy to trust his judgement.

[Alph]

39 minutes ago, YorkshireRam said:

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''.

Bryson was poor at Fulham. When he wasn't falling over the ball, which he did a lot, he was doing what he's always tended to do, play the way he's facing. If he's not in the final third then he's pretty pointless in possession 

The stats say Butterfield passes forward are exact equal percentage to Hughes and he's created the most chances behind Ince and Hughes. 71% of his passes are forward. 21 chances created. 

[Alph]

In fact in terms of forward passes he's done 600+ where Dale Stephens, Henri Lansbury and Conor Hourihane are all under 500. 

And only Stephens has a higher pass accuracy. 

Chances created show Lansbury and Hourihane are higher but they're also higher than Hughes. Wouldn't want to swap though tbh

[Sparkle]

5 hours 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 and great post

he spends games like yesterday covering our ever changing left backs and giving bent three opportunities to have efforts on goal and people choose to say he is not up to the job, oh yes he is and when he starts scoring again our results may look a lot more noticeable 

[DEL]

Some people need to pay attention properly tbf. 

[Sparkle]

1 hour ago, YorkshireRam said:

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''.

I am not a massive fan of butterfield but his positive side to the team this season seems to be when we are actually in front in games when his sideways Ray Wilkins passing has helped us retain possession quite well but we need goals from midfield as well and butterfield would be the one you would expect to have scored more than Hughes and Johnson 

[Wolfie20]

For the next 15-20 minutes after Anya replaced Olson, Butterfield dropped almost into the left-back slot with Anya moving further forward. Not sure if this was to let Anya find his match legs but it secured the left side of our defence during the period when we would have been at our most vulnerable. I would guess he was following orders and to me, demonstrates the high degree of trust McClaren has in Jacob.

Don't underestimate his importance to our side and how we play.

[YorkshireRam]

28 minutes ago, Alpha said:

Bryson was poor at Fulham. When he wasn't falling over the ball, which he did a lot, he was doing what he's always tended to do, play the way he's facing. If he's not in the final third then he's pretty pointless in possession 

The stats say Butterfield passes forward are exact equal percentage to Hughes and he's created the most chances behind Ince and Hughes. 71% of his passes are forward. 21 chances created. 

Interesting stats I must admit. Maybe I'm giving him an undeserved bad rep then, my post was based on his performance yesterday and an inability to remember a standout performance from him this season but maybe that was unwarranted.

In the same vein, Bryson hasn't had an extended run of games in the team so good form cannot be presumed or even expected. Under McClaren, Bryson was unbelievable so maybe I'm just hoping for a repeat of those days.

My ideal midfield as it stands is Thorne, Hughes and Johnson anyway, was just pondering over the reasons as to why our play was so apathetic yesterday...

[TelTheRam]

2 minutes ago, YorkshireRam said:

Interesting stats I must admit. Maybe I'm giving him an undeserved bad rep then, my post was based on his performance yesterday and an inability to remember a standout performance from him this season but maybe that was unwarranted.

In the same vein, Bryson hasn't had an extended run of games in the team so good form cannot be presumed or even expected. Under McClaren, Bryson was unbelievable so maybe I'm just hoping for a repeat of those days.

My ideal midfield as it stands is Thorne, Hughes and Johnson anyway, was just pondering over the reasons as to why our play was so apathetic yesterday...

It was quite a boring game but I put that down to playing against 2 banks of 5 for large parts of it.

[Alph]

1 hour ago, YorkshireRam said:

Interesting stats I must admit. Maybe I'm giving him an undeserved bad rep then, my post was based on his performance yesterday and an inability to remember a standout performance from him this season but maybe that was unwarranted.

In the same vein, Bryson hasn't had an extended run of games in the team so good form cannot be presumed or even expected. Under McClaren, Bryson was unbelievable so maybe I'm just hoping for a repeat of those days.

My ideal midfield as it stands is Thorne, Hughes and Johnson anyway, was just pondering over the reasons as to why our play was so apathetic yesterday...

Yeah yesterday I thought he was a bit laid back. I know he spent some time trying to cover Anya and some time trying to pull the Brum midfield open (did you notice how far apart him and Hughes went at times when Johnson or Keogh had the ball?) 

You're right about Bryson too. He's not had much to work with since Mac came in so it's probably not fair. Unfortunately when a team goes on a good run all you get is a bit here and there to impress.

[England Ram]

He didn't score though did he..........

Just being a pedant. 

I did have to admit to those around me yesterday that he did have a better game than he had been having. 3 chances created for others and 2 chances himself and kept the shape asked of him well. 

Credit where it's due, he helped keep the balance of the team and worked hard and could have had a few assists. 

[1967Ram]

8 hours 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.

Good post. Russell is an excellent team player. He will 'find his shooting boots' soon hopefully.

[RamNut]

3 hours ago, Alpha said:

The stats say Butterfield passes forward are exact equal percentage to Hughes and he's created the most chances behind Ince and Hughes. 71% of his passes are forward. 21 chances created. 

A couple of typos?

17% of his passes are forwards

1 or 2 chances created?