James Collins

[RoyMac5]

Why has our striker stopped scoring goals?

[duncanjwitham]

I don’t think we particularly play to his strengths. I think he’d benefit from being in a team that gets a lot of balls into the box - lots of crosses, lots of loose balls rattling around etc. We’ve tended to be a team that’s quite precise in how it approaches the box - we create a few really good chances, rather than lots of half-ones. And those good chances haven’t often fell to Collins.

And beyond that, I suspect he’s one of those players that needs to play every week.  When Warne first came in, he played every game and scored at a reasonable rate. More recently, he’s had bits and bobs, with the odd start every now and then, and looked miles off it.

[RoyMac5]

7 minutes ago, duncanjwitham said:

I don’t think we particularly play to his strengths. I think he’d benefit from being in a team that gets a lot of balls into the box - lots of crosses, lots of loose balls rattling around etc. We’ve tended to be a team that’s quite precise in how it approaches the box - we create a few really good chances, rather than lots of half-ones. And those good chances haven’t often fell to Collins.

And beyond that, I suspect he’s one of those players that needs to play every week.  When Warne first came in, he played every game and scored at a reasonable rate. More recently, he’s had bits and bobs, with the odd start every now and then, and looked miles off it.

I'd like to think it was that easy to solve - if so why doesn't Warne solve it? I'm not a Collins fan at all but when he started scoring, pre-sending off, he looked unstoppable.

Edited March 25, 2023 by RoyMac5

[duncanjwitham]

I think it’s a contrasting styles of play thing more than anything.  I think Warne wants us to be the kind of team where Collins does well (he said as much when he was appointed), but we don’t have the players to do it.  The only time the midfield balance has looked right is with Bird, Hourihane and Knight pushing on, and with McGoldrick having to play (because he’s our best player), there’s no room for Collins.  The spell where Collins did well, we were playing more of a regular 442 and while Collins personally did okay, the rest of the team didn’t function as well as in a 4231.

[rammieib]

I hope we let him go this summer. Don’t believe he is effective anymore.

[Ramarena]

I want to like him, but the constantly looking for trouble side of him really bugs me.

Whilst not great his almost one in three goal record is better than I thought it’d be. However he’s certainly is low on confidence at present and could do with a goal.

[MaltRam]

I love his work ethic, I don't mind his grumpiness, but...in my opinion he's the worst centre forward we've ever had as our main man. His second touch is always a tackle.

Connor Sammon was miles better.

Theo Robinson was on a different planet.

Sorry Collo, but he's got to go.

[FKANorwichExile]

He's a target man who can't hold the ball up or win headers. He's decent in the box and a surprisingly good finisher, but we are awful at getting the ball into the box. He doesn't press well, and when he does he ends up woefully out of position. I can't imagine him being here next season.

 

[BramcoteRam84]

Did well today when he came on. Wasn’t backed up which is the problem. He’s always living off scraps fighting lost causes.

[sage]

30 minutes ago, NorwichExile said:

He's a target man who can't hold the ball up or win headers. He's decent in the box and a surprisingly good finisher, but we are awful at getting the ball into the box. He doesn't press well, and when he does he ends up woefully out of position. I can't imagine him being here next season.

 

I'd say the exact opposite

[FKANorwichExile]

15 minutes ago, sage said:

I'd say the exact opposite

I think of him like Savage, running around a lot and showing that he's putting the effort in for the crowd, but never getting anywhere near the ball. When he does, he's somewhere near the corner flag and we've got nobody in the box. Didzy is the prime opposite in when he wins the ball back, it means something and leads to opportunities.

[DRBee]

He scored 3 goals for Cardiff in 26 appearances  last season - we knew he was poor when we brought him in. Of course

we had limited choices but he is quite the worst centre forward we have had for years. No hope with him, though Warnes tactics

don't help.

[Rich3478]

9 hours ago, NorwichExile said:

I think of him like Savage, running around a lot and showing that he's putting the effort in for the crowd, but never getting anywhere near the ball. When he does, he's somewhere near the corner flag and we've got nobody in the box. Didzy is the prime opposite in when he wins the ball back, it means something and leads to opportunities.

Was going to say this, he tries to press but rarely if ever actually wins the ball or blocks a pass.

[derbydaz22]

11 hours ago, duncanjwitham said:

I think it’s a contrasting styles of play thing more than anything.  I think Warne wants us to be the kind of team where Collins does well (he said as much when he was appointed), but we don’t have the players to do it.  The only time the midfield balance has looked right is with Bird, Hourihane and Knight pushing on, and with McGoldrick having to play (because he’s our best player), there’s no room for Collins.  The spell where Collins did well, we were playing more of a regular 442 and while Collins personally did okay, the rest of the team didn’t function as well as in a 4231.

I think we need to try Bird and Knight as a two with Didzy behind Collins. It’s worth a try as we look so toothless at the moment with Didzy playing up top he drops deep and we have nobody in the box to get on a cross or pounce on a mistake.

[Caerphilly Ram]

49 minutes ago, derbydaz22 said:

I think we need to try Bird and Knight as a two with Didzy behind Collins. It’s worth a try as we look so toothless at the moment with Didzy playing up top he drops deep and we have nobody in the box to get on a cross or pounce on a mistake.

That’s a good shout, to get the best out of the two forwards we do have. Tell Collins to stay central, leave McGoldrick in a freer role, then use two of NML/Barkhuizen/Sibley/Dobbin/Springett out wide to get at the fullbacks and put crosses in. We might lose control in midfield but that’s been lacking a lot recently anyway. 

[MadAmster]

A fair few crosses yesterday. None of them going anywhere near the players in the box. Most well overhit.

Bird and Knight as the two is a good shout. Hourihane seems to need a rest. You're always faster without the ball than you are with yet he can't catch players who have the ball.

 

[Gerry Daly]

12 hours ago, Needlesh said:

I love his work ethic, I don't mind his grumpiness, but...in my opinion he's the worst centre forward we've ever had as our main man. His second touch is always a tackle.

Connor Sammon was miles better.

Theo Robinson was on a different planet.

Sorry Collo, but he's got to go.

You don't go back as far as I do given the players you have as examples to compare him with but you are still right. He's right up there with Bobby Campbell, Billy Caskey and Steve Biggins. He's a total donkey 

[MaltRam]

25 minutes ago, Gerry Daly said:

You don't go back as far as I do given the players you have as examples to compare him with but you are still right. He's right up there with Bobby Campbell, Billy Caskey and Steve Biggins. He's a total donkey 

Not quite as far GD. I do remember Bobby Campbell and Steve Biggins though. 

[HorsforthRam]

Collins constantly caught offside, gives fouls away and not great receiving the ball. Frustrated body language. However, I don’t know if he’s trying to do too much in interpreting Warner’s “gas out” instructions. Maybe if he held a position up front he might do better. At the moment, he presses like a bull running at a matador. Easily evaded. Runs back into our half to receive the ball and invariably has a poor touch. Doesn’t win many headers. Falls to the floor a lot…. So, inevitably, he looks like a poor footballer. Maybe the system we play (whatever that happens to be) isn’t for him…

[Steve Buckley’s Dog]

10 minutes ago, HorsforthRam said:

Collins constantly caught offside, gives fouls away and not great receiving the ball. Frustrated body language. However, I don’t know if he’s trying to do too much in interpreting Warner’s “gas out” instructions. Maybe if he held a position up front he might do better. At the moment, he presses like a bull running at a matador. Easily evaded. Runs back into our half to receive the ball and invariably has a poor touch. Doesn’t win many headers. Falls to the floor a lot…. So, inevitably, he looks like a poor footballer. Maybe the system we play (whatever that happens to be) isn’t for him…

Is the system we are playing involving a football? If it is then it probably isn’t for him. He really is very, very poor. He can’t control or hold the ball, doesn’t win anything in the air and never arrives in the box at the right time or the right place. I think Billy Caskey was better, although can’t remember a great deal, but Bobby Campbell and Steve Biggins are good shouts. It is what it is though, all we could get with an hour’s notice and no money.