Ravel Morrison - overrated?

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

Love watching him play for us. Different level 

[Coneheadjohn]

Looks ok,probably exceeded my expectations.

Love to see him with Knight and Bielik.

 

Edited September 13, 2021 by Coneheadjohn

[DCFC1388]

Quality player, always seems to find time & space on the ball. Does need to be better in his decision making like Hull away I think it was when he could have put Sibley through but went himself.

I cannot wait to see him & Bielik play in the same midfield!

[Carl Sagan]

I love the way he's able to carry the ball forward out of defence and escape from opponent's clutches. I like how he isn't prepared to be bullied by opponents and has a physical side to his game. And he has great passing ability. But @IslandExileis right about his decision making in attacking situations. That's why I've advocated playing Ravel in the CDM role. He can still help provide an attacking threat at times, but he's not the best going forward. 

He's been one of our best players so far, if not the best, and a bargain signing, and seems ideal for the George Thorne role, at least until Bielik is back. I would only play one CDM so at that point, I'd move Ravel further forward, but given Rooney's insistence on two CDMs, he and Bielik would be great talents to have there and might actually make Rooney's system work.

[Anag Ram]

He's undoubtedly a good footballer with the important skill of being able to hold onto the ball under pressure. 

I just wish he would trust Bird to collect the ball deep so that he can take up more attacking positions. 

He must find it frustrating being surrounded by less able players. 

[angieram]

2 hours ago, IslandExile said:

Glad of this thread - "king is naked" and all that.

Clearly he's one of the best - if not the best - at the club at receiving the ball in tight places and retaining it.

But where I'm really disappointed is his decision making in the final third.

Similar to Lawrence, he will shoot when laying off a pass would be a better option. However, his shooting is nowhere near as good as Lawrence's.

The game against Forest showed us glimpses of what would be possible with an interchanging, fast moving, slick passing forward quartet of Jozwiak, Sibley, Lawrence and Morrison. But that's only going to work if the decision making is good and the passing sharp.

I keep wondering if Louie Watson would be better in the front four for that reason. And drop Morrison back alongside Bird/Shinnie/Knight in the defensive two CDMs.

This is what concerns me slightly about Ravel. Thought he was generous with his passes in the friendlies and as a consequence he looked a class above, but gradually seeing him a bit greedily wanting to create chances for himself rather than others in recent games.

His ability in receiving the ball and making good use of it further back isn't in question (well  from most) and if he can just trust others and get that final pass right, they'll trust him too and more goals will flow across the team.

[IslandExile]

17 minutes ago, angieram said:

Thought he was generous with his passes in the friendlies and as a consequence he looked a class above, but gradually seeing him a bit greedily wanting to create chances for himself rather than others in recent games.

Of course, it could be under instruction from the manager: "shoot on sight" or something like that.

Either way, I wish he'd try playing people in when they're better placed.

[EtoileSportiveDeDerby]

If we had 11 players on the pitch of the same quality in their position, we are going up, simple as that

[Elwood P Dowd]

Ravel will be more effective when he plays further forward I am looking forward to him and Belick playing together

[GB SPORTS]

My concern at present he is trying to do the lot, ie drop deep to receive the ball off of the back four and also finish off the move with a shot or assist, I think he would be better placed with Bird or Shinnie carrying the ball further and then being an option further up the park at present he playing with his back to the goal far too much he needs to receive the ball facing the opposition more. 

That said when Bielik returns he (Bielik) will carry the ball further from the back four enabling Morrison to have a more free role. 

Edited September 13, 2021 by I DONT MIND

[G STAR RAM]

4 hours ago, Sparkle said:

He did look tired against Birmingham which may well have been down to his international travels 

Tired, plus for a spell of about 30 minutes, he was kicked about 5 seconds after releasing the ball, think both caught up with him.

[Van der MoodHoover]

2 minutes ago, I DONT MIND said:

That said when Bielik returns he (Bielik) will carry the ball further from the back four enabling Morrison to have a more free role. 

This is DCFC...! 

What will happen is neither Bielik nor Morrison will know each others game, will therefore collide at full speed in midfield in the first match together and be out for the rest of the season..... ?

[GB SPORTS]

2 minutes ago, Van der MoodHoover said:

This is DCFC...! 

What will happen is neither Bielik nor Morrison will know each others game, will therefore collide at full speed in midfield in the first match together and be out for the rest of the season..... ?

Don't even think it 

[Rample]

Ravel is, by the look of this thread, underrated if anything.

Wants to play for us, and even his effort is a bonus compared to some in recent times. That leads to frustration but its better that than complacency.

Has the nous to play reliably in numerous roles, I expected a technical player but have been pleasantly surprised by his selflessness, willingness to take responsibility and make tackles.  I think its fair to say he is plugging gaps for us at present rather than being able to play his own game, due to the issues both behind and in front of him.  Hopefully we will see what he can really do when other players return, starting with Knight.

For the wages and our situation I'd say he's a bargain and a genuine asset.

 

 

[thelovebelow]

He could well be the difference between staying up and going down. 

[jono]

2 hours ago, DCFC1388 said:

Quality player, always seems to find time & space on the ball. Does need to be better in his decision making like Hull away I think it was when he could have put Sibley through but went himself.

I cannot wait to see him & Bielik play in the same midfield!

That’s the thing. You can see he is skilled and a canny budget signing so far but we won’t see the best until the unit surrounding him is a step better in ability … but more to the point, self believing and confident enough to be more front footed. 
 

what pleases me is that his temperament is pretty normal aggressive sportsman. No saint, but no lose cannon either. 
 

One man won’t win matches … ever … but one man can glue a team together in the right way and make those moments that turn games happen. 
 

Lot to do, but I’m happy with what I’ve seen 

[brady1993]

2 hours ago, Carl Sagan said:

I love the way he's able to carry the ball forward out of defence and escape from opponent's clutches. I like how he isn't prepared to be bullied by opponents and has a physical side to his game. And he has great passing ability. But @IslandExileis right about his decision making in attacking situations. That's why I've advocated playing Ravel in the CDM role. He can still help provide an attacking threat at times, but he's not the best going forward. 

He's been one of our best players so far, if not the best, and a bargain signing, and seems ideal for the George Thorne role, at least until Bielik is back. I would only play one CDM so at that point, I'd move Ravel further forward, but given Rooney's insistence on two CDMs, he and Bielik would be great talents to have there and might actually make Rooney's system work.

Ehhhh I'm not so sure. His positioning at time is questionable, doubly so defensively and he has a tendency to roam which would become big problems if deployed as a lone DM. Because of that I think he's honestly really unsuited to that role. I think he's a player that tactically needs an amount of license to roam around because it's partly what he will do anyway. You could possibly get away playing as part of 2 DMs (and that's something I'd be thinking about right now) because you have the bit more cover if he roams. Personally think his best position would likely be one of the more advanced roles in a 433 but he is the most suited in the squad to playing at 10 for what we want in that position. The thing with his decision making is there is a chance that is mostly rustiness after playing so little game time over the years and it might fade over the season.

[samwcave]

Couldn’t agree more, but at the same time think he could be key to what might be an OK season from us. 

at times I wonder if he thinks he is too good for the championship, hence his sometimes selfish plays. for example taking long shots when there is an obvious pass to play in a winger (especially jozwiak vs f*rest), trying to play an insane diag ball out to a wide player from deep which only come off every now and then. That sort of thing. 
 

overrated possibly the wrong word, as he has only played a few games while also gaining match sharpness, however he needs to start making the right decisions at the right time to be the best version of himself as a player. I think Rooney can get this version of him to show, although only time will tell. 
 

Glad this thread has been made however. I think a lot of people daren’t badmouth a player of Ravel’s ability, especially being a new player, but when his last couple of performances have been as poor as they have been then he should be questioned, judged, and criticised just as all the other players are. 

[B4ev6is]

2 hours ago, samwcave said:

Couldn’t agree more, but at the same time think he could be key to what might be an OK season from us. 

at times I wonder if he thinks he is too good for the championship, hence his sometimes selfish plays. for example taking long shots when there is an obvious pass to play in a winger (especially jozwiak vs f*rest), trying to play an insane diag ball out to a wide player from deep which only come off every now and then. That sort of thing. 
 

overrated possibly the wrong word, as he has only played a few games while also gaining match sharpness, however he needs to start making the right decisions at the right time to be the best version of himself as a player. I think Rooney can get this version of him to show, although only time will tell. 
 

Glad this thread has been made however. I think a lot of people daren’t badmouth a player of Ravel’s ability, especially being a new player, but when his last couple of performances have been as poor as they have been then he should be questioned, judged, and criticised just as all the other players are. 

Well me personal he needs time and dont for get only played a few games I am sure him and selby could make a good partnership or jasion knight.

[Lander]

Always finds space, always wants the ball when in said space. Seems to do pretty well from that point as well even if he's not quite up to speed yet. I think we could do much worse and spend millions in the process.