Dowell to become our new main star man?

[Christoph Stiepermann 1,131]

More than good enough this year and we'll need a player to play those passes into Pukki but he's no a premier league level player and will need to be upgraded if we get promoted again. Problem is as highlighted in that article he needs to be played centrally behind the main striker where he's better able to play those through balls and doesn't have to track back so it depends whether Smith is planning on playing a 4321 or some variation of two up top with Dowell as the second striker. If he's gonna go with a 433 or play two actual strikers up top I don't think there's a place for him in the team because he's not the same type of player as Buendia in that wider role. 

Another potential issue with Dowell is if Smith is planning on bringing in pressing football as his main philosophy because Dowell doesn't seem to respond well to those triggers and Pukki ends up chasing with no support. If Smith is going with a more possession focused approach next year he'll be fine but if not we'll either have to play Sargent or try it with one member of the forward line being unreliable and pretty weak at implementing it. I suppose he can be better coached at closing down etc but the real issue is if an opposition playing ends up facing him 1v1 they'll know he can't really tackle and will be easy to run past so we'll end up leaving gaps for players to run into

Edited June 16, 2022 by Christoph Stiepermann

[Mason 47 1,371]

2 hours ago, Google Bot said:

Your being a little to sensitive, Their roughly the same thing as both our opposite to "Interested".

Lets not take this any farther. 🙃

 

I hate to be that guy, but you've made a bit of a mistake there GB. Your smiley face appears to be upside down 

[rock bus 850]

29 minutes ago, Christoph Stiepermann said:

Another potential issue with Dowell is if Smith is planning on bringing in pressing football as his main philosophy because Dowell doesn't seem to respond well to those triggers and Pukki ends up chasing with no support. If Smith is going with a more possession focused approach next year he'll be fine but if not we'll either have to play Sargent or try it with one member of the forward line being unreliable and pretty weak at implementing it. I suppose he can be better coached at closing down etc but the real issue is if an opposition playing ends up facing him 1v1 they'll know he can't really tackle and will be easy to run past so we'll end up leaving gaps for players to run into

In the championship I think we can handle 9 of the players pressing (esp given Pukki presses a lot more than any kind of traditional striker) and then Dowell can have more of a 'floating' role within the main aim to be being a provider and creating some magic. It's pretty much what Hoolahan did for most of his time with us.

Our overall quality in the championship should allow us the bonus of having a 'luxury' player... totally different story if we are promoted.

[hogesar 9,610]

49 minutes ago, Christoph Stiepermann said:

 

Another potential issue with Dowell is if Smith is planning on bringing in pressing football as his main philosophy because Dowell doesn't seem to respond well to those triggers and Pukki ends up chasing with no support. If Smith is going with a more possession focused approach next year he'll be fine but if not we'll either have to play Sargent or try it with one member of the forward line being unreliable and pretty weak at implementing it. I suppose he can be better coached at closing down etc but the real issue is if an opposition playing ends up facing him 1v1 they'll know he can't really tackle and will be easy to run past so we'll end up leaving gaps for players to run into

A misconception, apparently.

https://byag.medium.com/myth-busting-3107bfe495cd

[Google Bot 3,255]

3 minutes ago, rock bus said:

Dowell can have more of a 'floating' role within the main aim to be being a provider and creating some magic. It's pretty much what Hoolahan did for most of his time with us.

Our overall quality in the championship should allow us the bonus of having a 'luxury' player... totally different story if we are promoted.

Has a great pass, but 2 Assists in past 2 seasons shows that he's not effective enough to be considered a luxury provider.   

20+ games per assist just shows how inconsistent he is, shows some great moments of brilliance, gets into good positions, But we have to take his game as a whole, and as a complete package he's just not worth building a team around as the luxury player, in my opinion. 

It's criminal that Tzolis hasn't been given a shot.. Has at least equal finesse and ability on the ball, can weight a pass nicely, better physically, and works for the team.  Why even cater for a luxury player unless they're way and beyond what else you have?

[rock bus 850]

21 minutes ago, Google Bot said:

Has a great pass, but 2 Assists in past 2 seasons shows that he's not effective enough to be considered a luxury provider.   

20+ games per assist just shows how inconsistent he is, shows some great moments of brilliance, gets into good positions, But we have to take his game as a whole, and as a complete package he's just not worth building a team around as the luxury player, in my opinion. 

It's criminal that Tzolis hasn't been given a shot.. Has at least equal finesse and ability on the ball, can weight a pass nicely, better physically, and works for the team.  Why even cater for a luxury player unless they're way and beyond what else you have?

Very good point...although not really sure that Dowell has actually been given the opportunity to prove what he can do in that position. Always been in and out of the team and more often than not played out wide which really doesnt suit him. I'd also love Tzolis to come good and be the man for the role - be nice if they (and maybe even Cantwell) were in a battle for that position so it brings out the best in one of them.

[Google Bot 3,255]

1 hour ago, rock bus said:

not really sure that Dowell has actually been given the opportunity to prove what he can do in that position

The question for me is that given the same amount of games Dowell has had in the past 2 seasons, where would we be with Tzolis today?  

I really like Dowell, but there's a very obvious ceiling due to his physical ability.  I feel that Tzolis has far more depths to bring out.

Shame we barely played him despite being relegated with a load of games spare... oh well.

[ged in the onion bag 854]

7 hours ago, Christoph Stiepermann said:

More than good enough this year and we'll need a player to play those passes into Pukki but he's no a premier league level player and will need to be upgraded if we get promoted again.

Curious, how do you propose we upgrade him on promotion?..... and the others who are allegedly 'more than good enough'!    We have a team full of players 'more than good enough in the Championship' so if they are so good that we do get promoted, how do we upgrade them all?

Just wondering what you're thoughts are on this route since for the same reason, we will need to replace McLean, Gibson, Giannoulis, Sargent, Lees-Melou and Hayden, plus Pukki and Krul who are in their final years!   

 

Edited June 16, 2022 by ged in the onion bag

[1902 1,167]

On 15/06/2022 at 19:57, Rock The Boat said:

A luxury player as in he doesn't tackle back. He'll never be as good as Buendia if that's the case.

Maybe not, but in the Championship we are exactly the kind of side that should be able to afford luxury creative players because we should control possession. Dowell should be exceptionally dangerous in that division.

 

 

Having said this, I can now guarantee that he will tear a cruciate within 9 minutes.

[ged in the onion bag 854]

At what level of football would you actually describe Kieron as luxury.    He's not proved anywhere near capable even in the Championship to suggest he's good enough consistently let alone a luxury.      A few days ago, most were vilifying this team as useless.  All of a sudden we can carry players.  How short memories are.     

Can guarantee everyone Kieron won't be ripping the championship up any time soon.

[Norfolk Mustard 94]

Sorry, I don't rate Dowell at all. He's not delivered anything of note apart from a well-hit free kick on one occasion. Looks lethargic & that's not a good influence on the rest of the team...

 

[BroadstairsR 2,136]

8 hours ago, Norfolk Mustard said:

Sorry, I don't rate Dowell at all. He's not delivered anything of note apart from a well-hit free kick on one occasion. Looks lethargic & that's not a good influence on the rest of the team...

 

Ditto. Flatters to deceive.

If he's to be the "star man" then we likely won't be a star team.

He'll have a role to play on occasions, may even start more often, but eventually we'll need better.

In his favour, he does like to take a shot and if this works better for him at Championship level then he'll have more value.