Bradley Johnson

[SaintRam]

On 18/08/2018 at 18:29, Norman said:

The worst part is.....

 

 

His passing was good today. For him.

81% with the joint highest attempted passes in the team (with Keogh, who succeeded with 92%)

By contrast, Millwalls CM's Saville and Williams achieved a pass % of 59 and 50 respectively, from 17 and 22 attempts.

 

When we don't have games like Reading / Leeds, which were very freaky, our passing is not our problem. We're far better than Champsionship average even when we're playing poorly. That's true of Johnson as an individual, too. 

[Dethorn]

I thought he improved us slightly when he came on for Ledley at half time against the dirties

[Kirkbyram]

I think he would do a much better job in the position Bryson is currently occupying. Adds much needed steel and size in midfield and can support the attack knowing he has Evans/Huddlestone behind him. Saying he had a bad game in DM is like putting Huddlestone on the left wing and moaning at him. I think BJ could be important for us this year as the traditional CM between the DM and AM. 

[Norman]

3 hours ago, SaintRam said:

81% with the joint highest attempted passes in the team (with Keogh, who succeeded with 92%)

By contrast, Millwalls CM's Saville and Williams achieved a pass % of 59 and 50 respectively, from 17 and 22 attempts.

 

When we don't have games like Reading / Leeds, which were very freaky, our passing is not our problem. We're far better than Champsionship average even when we're playing poorly. That's true of Johnson as an individual, too. 

Where does 81% put him in the team? I believe he was in the 70's all last season. Which is the worst part. He will probably get another game.

Do you have his tackling/interception stats?

I feel like him adding "steel" etc is just balls.

Does it also have stats for being nutmegged in one game? 

[SaintRam]

30 minutes ago, Norman said:

Where does 81% put him in the team? I believe he was in the 70's all last season. Which is the worst part. He will probably get another game.

Do you have his tackling/interception stats?

I feel like him adding "steel" etc is just balls.

Does it also have stats for being nutmegged in one game? 

So far this season (a very limited pool of data)

He is 7th in tackles per game - Tomori, Wilson (yes, Wilson) and Lowe top 3

He is 8th in interceptions per game - Tomori, Forsyth, Ledley top 3

He is 12th for pass % (72), and 7th for average passes per game (41.7)

 

Last season, just for comparison stake:

1.8 tackles per game (5th overall) - 2nd highest midfielder behind Huddz

1.3 interceptions per game (4th overall) - Top midfielder

21st in pass completion (67.6%) with 33 attempts per game. For reference, the league average last season is about 70%. So I was wrong in saying he's an above average passer, but he's still far closer than you'd imagine. We have a good passing squad.

 

So, on the face of it, he does seem to add a level of "steel" - but less so far this season than he usually does. But then you could say every player has done less so far this season than they usually do.

Worth noting, while talking about "steel" that he is leading the way so far this season in the number of fouls he's committed. That is a title that he's held every season he's been a Derby player (although, Tom Lawrence did manage to match his fouls per game last season).

 

To answer your initial question about Millwall more specifically @Norman - 7 starters passed better than him (the four defenders, 2 other CMs, and Waghorn) - all the rest, and the subs, completed a lower % of their passes.

Only Mason Bennett, Scott Carson and Tom Lawrence were worse than the league average with 50, 63 and, perhaps the most damning, 59 respectively.

[Norman]

10 minutes ago, SaintRam said:

So far this season (a very limited pool of data)

He is 7th in tackles per game - Tomori, Wilson (yes, Wilson) and Lowe top 3

He is 8th in interceptions per game - Tomori, Forsyth, Ledley top 3

He is 12th for pass % (72), and 7th for average passes per game (41.7)

 

Last season, just for comparison stake:

1.8 tackles per game (5th overall) - 2nd highest midfielder behind Huddz

1.3 interceptions per game (4th overall) - Top midfielder

21st in pass completion (67.6%) with 33 attempts per game. For reference, the league average last season is about 70%. So I was wrong in saying he's an above average passer, but he's still far closer than you'd imagine. We have a good passing squad.

 

So, on the face of it, he does seem to add a level of "steel" - but less so far this season than he usually does. But then you could say every player has done less so far this season than they usually do.

Am I right in thinking that last seasons data just shows how poor we were at winning the ball back?

I miss Hughes for his tackling lol.

Oh, and thanks for putting the effort in.

[SaintRam]

Just now, Norman said:

Am I right in thinking that last seasons data just shows how poor we were at winning the ball back?

I miss Hughes for his tackling lol.

I don't know if we were poor at it per se, but we didn't put much effort into doing it (on Rowett's orders) - so its true to say that there is perhaps a negative bias towards our overall stats in that department.

[Norman]

2 minutes ago, SaintRam said:

I don't know if we were poor at it per se, but we didn't put much effort into doing it (on Rowett's orders) - so its true to say that there is perhaps a negative bias towards our overall stats in that department.

Yeah, I think last seasons stats for interceptions etc are probably abysmal across the squad. Maybe we just haven't played to his strengths. Like someone said earlier, he might actually be able to do the job Bryson is finding it hard to do.

[EulogyForEvolution]

Johnson was our strongest midfield performer for most of that game, but he needs to be played further forward.

We need to figure out who our starting DM is, when we figure that out we will know our strongest midfield is, with backups.

For me it would be this:

                             Thorne (if fully fit)/Huddlestone/Evans
   Johnson/Ledley                     Mount/Bryson
 

[Duracell]

I’d be concerned if we were trying to play a high-pressing, energetic brand of football with Huddlestone and Johnson as two thirds of the midfield. Combined age of 60+ and combined weight of Sinfin.

[cannable]

19 minutes ago, Duracell said:

I’d be concerned if we were trying to play a high-pressing, energetic brand of football with Huddlestone and Johnson as two thirds of the midfield. Combined age of 60+ and combined weight of Sinfin.

This is the issue. We need to sacrifice some energy and get some technique and control in the side. 

[Duracell]

20 minutes ago, cannable said:

This is the issue. We need to sacrifice some energy and get some technique and control in the side. 

Sacrifice some - not most.

[Anag Ram]

I know a lot of people on the forum would like 10 Will Hughses in front of Carson.

Whilst this would produce some lovely football it would also struggle against the more physical teams in the championship, especially when it came to defending set pieces.

We are already poor at defending these this year in the absence of Huddlestone and Jerome who were valuable assets to our defence.

We need a Johnson or a Huddlestone to support the back four because we are so poor in the air otherwise. 

Johnson may not be Pele but he's the only player who didn't get bullied by Millwall. 

[Bob Gnarly]

At times Bradley can be a half decent footballer, yeah he seems to always want to pass the ball either to the opposition or the corwd but he works hard.

For me, if he wasn't our record signing at one point, he would not get the bashing that he gets at the minute. However, when we pay money like that for a player, you expect something amazing.

As I have seen earlier in the thread though, he should be the one running into the box, he has a wicked left foot on him. He is NOT a holding midfielder.

Either way, he will end up going back to Norwich. 

[Van der MoodHoover]

Remember seeing him score a good goal against MK Dons back in the day. Kind of Lampard-esque with a late burst and shot from the edge or the box.

Perhaps that could be his forte rather than sitting deep.?

[EnigmaRam]

1 hour ago, Duracell said:

I’d be concerned if we were trying to play a high-pressing, energetic brand of football with Huddlestone and Johnson as two thirds of the midfield. Combined age of 60+ and combined weight of Sinfin.

To be honest I haven’t seen much of a high press from us since pre season. Plenty of teams employ it on us mind.

[biellaram]

8 hours ago, EulogyForEvolution said:

Johnson was our strongest midfield performer for most of that game, but he needs to be played further forward.

We need to figure out who our starting DM is, when we figure that out we will know our strongest midfield is, with backups.

For me it would be this:

                             Thorne (if fully fit)/Huddlestone/Evans
   Johnson/Ledley                     Mount/Bryson
 

I think that's a good shout but reckon my preferred/ideal would be 

                       Thorne

           Evans                Mount

 

however, not sure re Thorne's fitness or proximity to first team. So may be more realistic to go for 

huddlestone          Evans

                    Mount 

[Philmycock]

Johnson should never be anywhere near the DCM position, he's an attacking midfielder, neither should Bryson, surely Frank can see this?

[Animal is a Ram]

At times in the last few seasons, he's been the only midfielder with any physicality about him, and so it continues to be.

On 20/08/2018 at 16:15, HantsRam said:

Remember seeing him score a good goal against MK Dons back in the day. Kind of Lampard-esque with a late burst and shot from the edge or the box.

Perhaps that could be his forte rather than sitting deep.?

He might have had a bit of an easier time of it if he hadn't cost £6m/called us Derby City

[jono]

On 20/08/2018 at 16:19, EnigmaRam said:

To be honest I haven’t seen much of a high press from us since pre season. Plenty of teams employ it on us mind.

I kind of think that has been spotted by opposition managers .. hey Derby don’t have much grunt until you get to the back 4 and if you get at em they panic and the ball never reaches their sexy attacking players .. so press high and kill their game.