Jordan Rhodes - Disaster

[daveyboy66]

Just now, Widders said:

So back to the original statement. He should be sold if anyone will have him. 

 

60-70% of us think not. I'm in that camp. Give the lad a chance and get behind him. 

We won't get back what we bought him for...so the only way we'll make  our money back is if we start plying balls into the box...which most of the people have said

[vulva]

7 minutes ago, Wakefield owl said:

 

I think there were a few of us who though it wasn't a good signing at the time and the money could have been better spent elsewhere. I take no comfort from having thought that though.

Absolutely no problem with that. It's just that some have more faces than the town hall clock. 

[Wakefield owl]

8 hours ago, cookeh said:

 

err..

what do i think his main strengths are other than his main strengths?

I really have no idea what you're asking.. at least.. if i do understand what you're asking it seems like quite a silly question.

 

I can try and explain his strengths more clearly.. but i'll focus on his main one which is his movement.

Rhodes is not particularly strong or particularly quick.. but he does understand where the ball should go in order to make goalscoring opportunities and he knows how to get there ahead of his man.

 

Watch the Cardiff highlights again if you like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrbdCteP8TU

 

The move at 2:39 is an example of how we don't really use Rhodes well.

At the start, Palmer has come inside, so we have no width on the right at all.

Rhodes makes the run out wide, but Palmer ignores him and rolls it back to Reach.

Reach had seen Rhodes run and tries to play it out to him, but the pass is late and too slow, so the defender steps in.

Reach manages to win it back and he and Rhodes exchange passes.

Rhodes makes the right run in behind the defender, which would let him cut it back across goal, which is really dangerous.

Reach instead opts to put in a cross to 2 tightly marked players and it's so bad it doesn't beat the first man.

 

4:43
Joao squares to Wallace who shoots over.

Again look at where Rhodes is. He's lost his marker and Wallace could just roll the ball into him.

Bamba is wrong footed and if Wallace puts Rhodes in he's got time to turn and be 1 on 1.

Instead Wallace takes a touch and blasts it into the stands.
 

6:15

The Jones freekick.

This is actually really good movement. Rhodes sprints forward, and fakes running infront of the defender.

That makes the defender think that's where he should be and so he tries to muscle infront of Rhodes.

Rhodes knows the ball isn't going that far forward, so checks back, the defender has taken himself out of the game due to Rhodes movement, but unfortunately Rhodes doesn't quite off the ground quick enough and can't keep the header down.

The movement is great tho, excellent manipulation of his marker.

 

6:24

The shot that rebounds to Reach.

At 6:26 you can see Rhodes backing off into the middle. He's doing that to draw the Morrison more central.

Rhodes knows the ball down the outside of Morrison is the best one, so he's trying to create that angle for Joao.

He then holds up and dives in behind Morrison to get on the end of the pass from Joao.

It's not an easy finish as it's coming from behind him and he's got to take it quickly as Bamba is coming over, but he forces the keeper into a save and Reach should slot in the rebound (rather than try and break the net)

 

7:55

Putting Joao in 1v1.

To be honest this situation arises pretty much just from luck. However he jumps on the opportunity, cuts inside Bamba to make the angle for the pass and puts Joao thru perfectly. He knows where Joao should go and makes the angle, while also making Bamba turn so Joao has more time. It's good play, and Joao should slide it in the far corner.

 

8:38

The Joao header.

With 2 men on Wallace, Palmer has few options. Rhodes comes across, steps back into Bamba for a second, which is just enough to let the ball come across him and takes Bamba out of the game. Then delivers a good cross to the back post for the easiest chance of the game, which Joao should bury.

 

So just from the highlights reel of Saturday we have 6 examples of Rhodes play which show his movement and the goals he can score and create. From my memory watching it there were more than just these, but it's easier to just show you the ones on tape.

It's also worth bearing in mind that this is in a team playing 532, with only 3 other attack minded players in the team. Our delivery into the box was poor, and you can see from 2:39 and 4:43 that we need to make better decisions in the final third.

Combine that with more quality coming back or being added (Fox and Palmer are not good crossers of the ball, nor is Wallace these days) and hopefully we'll see more benefit from Rhodes movement. Also, with better finishing from Joao we'd have comfortably won the game, with the two chances that Rhodes made for him.

 

Overall, the Cardiff game gave me good hope that Rhodes is still the same player he was and that we can get the best out of him. He's making great runs and working for the team. If he carries on where he left off on Saturday then I've no doubt he'll make a real difference for us.

 

Have you ever played as a striker/forward. If so you will know that a striker is constantly moving and making runs and he's fortunate if more than 1 in 4 runs results in a pass to him and even then it's not always a good one.

[Guest RocketOwl]

From this debate so far on Rhodes it's clear there is a divide. Those who think he's going to magically come good because it's just a crisis of confidence that's lasted almost 2 years. If that's the case I'm annoyed we wasted so much money on a player with such fragile mental ability (if true).

 

Then there are those like me who believe football has progressed since the days you could have a goal hanger. 

 

Name another striker who who has no pace or skill - whose successfully scoring goals in the top two leagues at the moment ?

Edited January 23, 2018 by RocketOwl

[Wakefield owl]

I am not convinced that Rhodes will ever again score many goals at the top end of the Championship. He clearly is struggling with confidence (a problem before he came to us imo) and the best way forward would be to loan him to a good league one team - Wigan or Blackburn for example. This would give him the opportunity to score goals and regain his confidence and then he would be worth giving another try in the Championship. 

[pazowl55]

4 minutes ago, RocketOwl said:

From this debate so far on Rhodes it's clear there is a divide. Those who think he's going to magically come good because it's just a crisis of confidence that's lasted almost 2 years. If that's the case I'm annoyed we wasted so much money on a player with such fragile mental ability (if true).

 

Then there are those like me who believe football has progressed since the days you could have a goal hanger. 

 

Name another striker who who has no pace or skill - whose successfully scoring goals in the top two leagues at the moment ?

Leon Clarke.

[Guest RocketOwl]

Just now, pazowl55 said:

Leon Clarke.

Would say Leon has speed.

[owls101]

I bet Boro couldn't believe their luck when we took Rhodes off their hands. Sadly we won't find anyone as charitable as we were.

[ChinaOwl]

Just now, RocketOwl said:

Would say Leon has speed.

 

I used to think he was on it looking at his eyes. 

[vulva]

30 minutes ago, RocketOwl said:

Nope. It was a thread suggesting potential songs for the new signing. 

 

Thats it. A* for trying.

Discredited helmet. 

[daveyboy66]

6 minutes ago, A12owl said:

Have You?

Yes and half the runs are taking defenders away for runners to come through...which is not happening atm

 

[gurujuan]

Perhaps disaster is a little strong, it depends if paying that fee has left us unable to significantly strengthen in this window Clearly he's not been a success, so if it were possible to offload him, we have to take it

Edited January 23, 2018 by gurujuan

[Costello 77]

27 minutes ago, Wakefield owl said:

 

Have you ever played as a striker/forward. If so you will know that a striker is constantly moving and making runs and he's fortunate if more than 1 in 4 runs results in a pass to him and even then it's not always a good one.

What are your credentials hotshot?

 

What's your point anyway?  He's spelled out what you're saying far better in the original post.

 

FFS.

[Costello 77]

30 minutes ago, RocketOwl said:

From this debate so far on Rhodes it's clear there is a divide. Those who think he's going to magically come good because it's just a crisis of confidence that's lasted almost 2 years. If that's the case I'm annoyed we wasted so much money on a player with such fragile mental ability (if true).

 

Then there are those like me who believe football has progressed since the days you could have a goal hanger. 

 

Name another striker who who has no pace or skill - whose successfully scoring goals in the top two leagues at the moment ?

It's ok... we'll all just do what you do... change your mind after the event.

 

Deary FFS deary me.

[OWLERTON GHOST]

27 minutes ago, owls101 said:

I bet Boro couldn't believe their luck when we took Rhodes off their hands. Sadly we won't find anyone as charitable as we were.

Stick some 8" platform boots on him and Wh0re him out to Chelski for 30 million quid 

Edited January 23, 2018 by OWLERTON GHOST

[Hawkowl]

Another day has passed since I looked at this thread.

No surprise it's the same poster obsessing about the same player.

It's now becoming embarrassing. 

 

 

 

FFS.

[Watford_owl]

A 33 page thread slagging one of our players off in a time when they all need some confidence. I sum times question our collective common sense. Let JL and the players have another 30 days without this constant aggressive pressure of being poo if you don’t have a good game. JL is changing style of play and this might very well suit JR. typical Wednesday would be to sell him for nowt than hel come good against us next season. Some of the problem in my opinion is the ferocity of the critical coments against our own players. It will effect them. UTO

[daveyboy66]

1 minute ago, A12owl said:

Sorry but my question was to @Wakefield owl

 

I know pal but I thought someone should know what a striker should be doing  

[Wakefield owl]

35 minutes ago, A12owl said:

Have You?

 

Yes but nowhere near the level these guys play at! And yes I often though I should have been given a pass that didn't come.

[Guest RocketOwl]

1 minute ago, Watford_owl said:

A 33 page thread slagging one of our players off in a time when they all need some confidence. I sum times question our collective common sense. Let JL and the players have another 30 days without this constant aggressive pressure of being poo if you don’t have a good game. JL is changing style of play and this might very well suit JR. typical Wednesday would be to sell him for nowt than hel come good against us next season. Some of the problem in my opinion is the ferocity of the critical coments against our own players. It will effect them. UTO

If I went to work and didn't perform for over a year do you think my boss would accept my lack of confidence.

 

Professinal football players are paid vast amounts of money per week and in any case I don't see this as a confidence thing - it's just a case of a player burning out quickly like Toress: