Thierry Ennui Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 All taken from whoscored.com 2013/14 – 2015/16 128 apps 8038 mins 187 shots 25 goals 13.37% shots are goals A shot every 43 minutes A goal every 322 minutes 2016/17 - 2017/18 39 apps 2678 mins 69 shots 2 goals 2.89% shots are goals A shot every 39 minutes A goal every 1339 minutes Less than 3% of Johnny Russell’s shots since the start of last season have been a goal. He scored a goal every 22 and a half hours. He takes more shots than ever but scores a pitifully small amount. Russell is good at getting into shooting positions and always has been. His finishing, however, has dropped from being average, to dreadful. I'd be surprised if there is a forward in the league with worse numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srg Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 I wish shooting was the only issue with Johnny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kennington Ram Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 He also has the habit of ending our passage of play from what I've seen over the last season or so. It will often go to Russell, who will try to do something, it won't come off and then the other team are right back us, and under McClaren we'd often committed a lot of bodies to the attack. if he does shoot, as you pointed out, he misses and they're back in control. It's enormously frustrating and wasteful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thierry Ennui Posted August 16, 2017 Author Share Posted August 16, 2017 5 minutes ago, Srg said: I wish shooting was the only issue with Johnny. It’s not but it’s easily his biggest issue. He is a very good dribbler, hard-working, has a great first touch, gets into good positions and is a team player. His main weaknesses are his finishing (obviously), and his decision-making. Both of which seem to have regressed a huge amount. There’s a talented footballer in there. Cardiff’s bid of £4m-ish was more than justified considering his first few seasons here. Why he’s dropped off so dramatically is a mystery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCFC1388 Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 2 minutes ago, Penelope Pendrex said: It’s not but it’s easily his biggest issue. He is a very good dribbler, hard-working, has a great first touch, gets into good positions and is a team player. His main weaknesses are his finishing (obviously), and his decision-making. Both of which seem to have regressed a huge amount. Have to disagree with you on this, his first touch and dribbling are awful. Most of the time he runs straight into the opposition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smyth_18 Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 Jamie Ward was a much better player in my eyes but unfortunately it was his injuries which didn't get him a new contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Willow Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 He himself has already admitted twice; in two separate interviews (this year and the last year) his performances weren't up the expectations. It tells you everything you are supposed to know; he's honest with himself, he's not longer good as he used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srg Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 Just now, DCFC1388 said: Have to disagree with you on this, his first touch and dribbling are awful. Most of the time he runs straight into the opposition. Correct. He can't trap a bag of cement most of the time, and that dribble he had in the first half last night where he ran head first into the defender really summed him up on that front. By far the most infuriating part of his game is his inability to want to make a run off the ball. He just stands there, and walks about, usually as close as possible to a defender to effectively mark himself so no one gives him the ball - he hides. Wouldn't be half as bad if he was comfortable receiving it in such tight positions, but due to the aforementioned first touch, it renders him useless half the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thierry Ennui Posted August 16, 2017 Author Share Posted August 16, 2017 1 minute ago, DCFC1388 said: Have to disagree with you on this, his first touch and dribbling are awful. Most of the time he runs straight into the opposition. The ball sticks to him, his first touch is great. And he rarely dribbles into the opposition. He has an incredible knack for passing it straight at an opponent, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papahet Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 He needs a fresh challenge more than any player at the club. He's a good player, but he's become scale for too long Only thing folk can get me on his what he did 2 seasons ago oh' and "effort", not actual quality. Lawrence and Weimann for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 His apparent decline may well have run alongside our midfield being injured and the replacements being decidedly average with the constant changes up front and at managerial level but hay ho and let's see come the end of this season? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCFC1388 Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 Just now, Sparkle said: His apparent decline may well have run alongside our midfield being injured and the replacements being decidedly average with the constant changes up front and at managerial level but hay ho and let's see come the end of this season? Didn't stop Ince from scoring and being a threat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramit Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 i believe Russell can still do a job for us, he has attributes that have seen him chosen by multiple managers. Now that there is competition for his position it will spur him on if there is any fire in his belly and i think there is. Doesn't have to start all the time for me, but a useful player to have. Go Johnny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nottingram Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 4 minutes ago, Srg said: Correct. He can't trap a bag of cement most of the time, and that dribble he had in the first half last night where he ran head first into the defender really summed him up on that front. By far the most infuriating part of his game is his inability to want to make a run off the ball. He just stands there, and walks about, usually as close as possible to a defender to effectively mark himself so no one gives him the ball - he hides. Wouldn't be half as bad if he was comfortable receiving it in such tight positions, but due to the aforementioned first touch, it renders him useless half the time. Not blaming the fans as he is frustrating but basically from the first minute yesterday the atmosphere towards him was pretty nasty, at least that's how it felt. Seems to have done a complete 180 from how he used to be viewed, as now I think he gets a harder time from the fans than anyone else. I don't think it helps at all and no wonder he hides and takes the easy decision a lot of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coneheadjohn Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 He would be the first to admit that he's not been good enough and can do better. I was pleased to see glimpses of an upturn in the 2nd half last night. Probably naive on my part but I'm going to take the unusual approach of putting an arm round him and supporting him through it,in a similar fashion to when one of my kids school reports is a bit crap. Rather than booing them,telling them they're a s**** waste of space and to f*** off to Birmingham I'll be patient,encourage and support them,help them through it,try and get the best out of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheron85 Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 Yeh - I mean I remember last season and everyone else was great, and everything was rosy, and we had a great manager and we had solidity and cohesion and consistency and there was never any trouble and we created loads of chances and our midfield was awesome and we didn't rely on our CB to do all the link up play and we had a recognised centre-forward who was actually AT the club and we never changed formation and we didn't change the style of play and no-one could possibly have been affected by any of that and it's definitely just that one player - One single player - Is the main problem we had last season... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srg Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 1 minute ago, nottingram said: Not blaming the fans as he is frustrating but basically from the first minute yesterday the atmosphere towards him was pretty nasty, at least that's how it felt. Seems to have done a complete 180 from how he used to be viewed, as now I think he gets a harder time from the fans than anyone else. I don't think it helps at all and no wonder he hides and takes the easy decision a lot of the time. Well he's had an easy ride of playing like this for over a year now, so blaming the fans for that is just daft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrm14 Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 Just now, DCFC1388 said: Didn't stop Ince from scoring and being a threat Ince also contributed a lot less defensively and at times was equally as frustrating as Russell, he was just capable of a bit more magic. It's no surprise that Russell has declined at the same time our midfield has declined. A similar story can be said for our strikers also. Our midfield is exceptionally poor compared to what it once was and as a result our forward players are getting much less chances but are still expected to have the same number of goals and assists. This decline in quality in midfield has also come at a time where teams come to Pride Park for a draw (or at least in the past few seasons they have) and just park men behind the ball. Our forwards have less space and significantly worse service, that's probably why they've not done as well recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carnero Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 I think what he really needs is for us to all get on his back and sarcastically cheer when he gets substituted (only when we're losing though, obviously). If that doesn't help him to improve then nothing will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 We may as well have a thread about a dozen players some who get selected some who don't - if Will Hughes was still here what would record look like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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