Williams, Obita, etc.

[FridaysGhost]

For those of us who can't get to all of the games, can some of the die-hards give an incite into the new players that we are using this season? Obita has been around the fringes but, suddenly we are ending some games with 5 youngsters. Could we have a sensible response on the qualities that some of the new faces are showing?

There seems to have been a change in personnel over the last few months, some due to injuries, some due to who knows what and suddenly we are playing better but the names have changed. I like the fact that some youth players have had the chance to come to the fore but, without seeing every game, it is difficult to rate them.

[Ian Royal]

It's simple. We have a balanced and consistent side and it's producing results.

That would probably have happened if it was the current side of:
McCarthy
Gunter, Pearce, Gorkss, Obita
McClearly, Williams, Akpan, McAnuff
ALF, Pog

or

Federici
Kelly, Morrison, Pearce, Bridge
Drenthe, Guthrie, Baird, Robson-Kanu
Sharp, Pog

[leon]

It's simple. We have a balanced and consistent side and it's producing results.

That would probably have happened if it was the current side of:
McCarthy
Gunter, Pearce, Gorkss, Obita
McClearly, Williams, Akpan, McAnuff
ALF, Pog

or

Federici
Kelly, Morrison, Pearce, Bridge
Drenthe, Guthrie, Baird, Robson-Kanu
Sharp, Pog

It's down to the changes in personnel and the manner in which they have played. The difference is, dare I say it, is similar to the dying days of the Rodgers team vs the McDermott team post Liverpool away in the FA Cup.

Guthrie slowing down play and doing none of the dirty work in midfield has not been missed.

[72 bus]

Obita to left back and suddenly we have balance.
Williams into center mid and we have someone driving the midfield.
Williams is a Machine

[Wycombe Royal]

Williams is a Machine

The first player we have had since Sidwell who plays like him...unfortunately if he keeps putting in this level of performance bigger and better clubs will start sniffing around.

[winchester_royal]

Williams is a Machine

The first player we have had since Sidwell who plays like him...unfortunately if he keeps putting in this level of performance bigger and better clubs will start sniffing around.

Took a little bit of time to get used to the pace of the Championship, but he's now showing that he has all the attributes required to be a complete midfielder. He also (unlike his fellow summer arrivals) seems to have settled in with the rest of the squad fantastically and very much committed to the cause. Possibly the best we've had since '07, and looks future captain material as well.

[WoodleyRoyal]

also think he's playing with a lot more freedom playing along side akpan rather than guthrie if karacan can get back to the level he was at before injury I think they will make an excellent pairing, and I think we will see him getting further up the pitch more often along side him

[Norfolk Royal]

I'm still concerned about his hair being too springy.

[melonhead]

Williams- box to box. gives real drive and purpose to the midfield. good touch, can tackle, pass and score goals
a complete midfielder only let down by his silly hair

Obita - not a natural left back, but has the pace to make up for most of his positional errors, and has done a very creditable job at LB, while linking up and interchanging well with Jobi going forward

the balance and partnerships are key though. having left footer at LB, two balanced midfielders who can do everything, a great partnership between gunter and mcleary, the return of the experienced gorkss alongside pearce, a return to 442 and the beginnings of a great strike partnership up front have all played a part


as well as playing more to our strengths ie wing play, and quick powerful breaks

[Cape Town Royal]

also think he's playing with a lot more freedom playing along side akpan rather than guthrie if karacan can get back to the level he was at before injury I think they will make an excellent pairing, and I think we will see him getting further up the pitch more often along side him

Agree all this, I think Williams and Karajan would be a formidable pairing in the middle if midfield... I like Guthrie, but we seem a lot more balanced with Akpan and Williams... They ran the legs of Karajan and Barton in the first half on Sunday...

That control then gives the wide players and full backs much more license to get forward, which I think we in turn makes us much more dangerous out wide and improves the number and quality of the chances we are creating for the front 2 and especially alf who is more of a box striker..

Have been really impressed with Obita, his pace and ambition to attack players will push teams back, especially if we control the midfield.. Loved the way he lined up holliet on Sunday (who has pace) and said I'll go at you....

Some interesting decisions to come when players are fit, but I'd stick with Obita, accept he will make the odd positioning error, as he learns about playing there and continue to let him develop, if he carries on the way he has he could be some full back / wide midfielder in a year or two..

[Norfolk Royal]

Agree with what's been said about Williams and Obita but Akpan is the real revelation here isn't he?

Go back to when he came on as sub that time and played like a human bagatelle. Everyone on here was saying he should never play for us again.

Now look at him. Just shows you shouldn't be too quick to judge before a player gets an extended run.

Not saying he's the finished article yet, but very encouraging.

[Elm Park Old Boy]

Agree with what's been said about Williams and Obita but Akpan is the real revelation here isn't he?

Go back to when he came on as sub that time and played like a human bagatelle. Everyone on here was saying he should never play for us again.

Now look at him. Just shows you shouldn't be too quick to judge before a player gets an extended run.

Not saying he's the finished article yet, but very encouraging.

Very much agree with this. That sub appearance earlier in the season was one of the most inept spells of play by RFC player that I'd ever seen. I was embarrassed for Akpan and wondered whether he'd ever get another chance. But he has really stepped up in the last run of games and is now keeping Guthrie (our runaway player of the month in the early season) out of the side on merit. Lucky the management doesn't rush to judgement like some of us fans...

[WoodleyRoyal]

the reason the fans rush to judgment on situations like this is because we don't get to see the players in training. I don't think any reading fan would have said akpan was capable of performing the way he has been over the last month or so going on what we had seen in previous matches, but adkins obviously gets to see so much more watching him in training week in week out the same goes for blackman who adkins obviously rates.

[SCIAG]

Agree with what's been said about Williams and Obita but Akpan is the real revelation here isn't he?

Go back to when he came on as sub that time and played like a human bagatelle. Everyone on here was saying he should never play for us again.

Now look at him. Just shows you shouldn't be too quick to judge before a player gets an extended run.

Not saying he's the finished article yet, but very encouraging.

Very much agree with this. That sub appearance earlier in the season was one of the most inept spells of play by RFC player that I'd ever seen. I was embarrassed for Akpan and wondered whether he'd ever get another chance. But he has really stepped up in the last run of games and is now keeping Guthrie (our runaway player of the month in the early season) out of the side on merit. Lucky the management doesn't rush to judgement like some of us fans...

I think Akpan's only keeping Guthrie out the side because Adkins doesn't want to change a settled team. He hasn't been playing particularly well. He frequently misplaces passes, and he still makes embarrassing air kicks far too often for a Championship player (nearly scoring an own goal at the weekend).

He has done better than he did in that sub appearance against... Leeds? But that's simple regression, nobody performs as badly as their worst performance every week. On average though, I think Guthrie will perform better over an extended period of matches. Akpan might suit Williams better though.

I'm not quite sure this "best we've had since Sidwell" hype over Williams is quite deserved. He's in an excellent run of form, but it was only a little over a month ago that most people weren't sure what he brought to the table: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=121664 (good call by Royal Ginger in there)

A good player, yes, but he still has some way to go before he proves he's on the level of Leigertwood or Harper.

[roberto_11]

A good player, yes, but he still has some way to go before he proves he's on the level of Leigertwood or Harper.

Williams is miles better than Leigertwood!!!!!

[maffff]

A good player, yes, but he still has some way to go before he proves he's on the level of Leigertwood or Harper.

Williams is miles better than Leigertwood!!!!!

depends on what they're meant to be doing.

Williams and Ledge at his best could have been immense.

[roberto_11]

A good player, yes, but he still has some way to go before he proves he's on the level of Leigertwood or Harper.

Williams is miles better than Leigertwood!!!!!

depends on what they're meant to be doing.

Williams and Ledge at his best could have been immense.

If they're meant to be able to pass accurately to team mates, a basic and key attribute for a midfielder, then yes Williams is miles better.

[gazzer, loyal royal]

I think Akpan has really brought the best out in Williams. Williams know, like Sidwell did, that his midfield partner wasn't going to drift further away than the half way line and is postionally good enough to break up attacks without having to give away fouls, and give the ball simple to spring a counter attack.

Obita is coming on, but still gets caught chasing the ball too high up the pitch causing our centre halves to be drawn out wide, exactly what happened for Gorkss red card and pretty much every time at Watford away in the first half, but there are certainly too excellent wide partnerships developing

[Sanguine]

Guthrie doing none of the dirty work in midfield has not been missed.

Apart from Jem, who only played 7 games, Guthrie is averaging 0.4 tackles per game more than anyone in the entire squad this season. Of non-defenders, only Chris Baird recorded more interceptions per game.

http://www.whoscored.com/Teams/94

Any more made up facts?

I'm not doubting that Akpan and Williams have been a decent pairing, but I think these criticisms of Guthrie's play are predominantly based on myth.
Whether Guthrie's absence means we can play differently might be a valid debate though - our system has definitely changed for the better.

Interesting* that Guthrie has averaged over 50 passes a game this season, and Baird nearly 40 - Williams and Akpan only 42 between them. Likewise Guthrie averages 7.6 accurate long balls per game, or current pairing only 3.8 between them. Clear evidence of a tactical shift.

[Royal Biscuitman]

I wonder what Guthrie has been doing in training - Is he learning to adapt his game and learn how to best play alongside Williams or Akpan? - If I was the manager, that's what I'd be looking to do.