by Ian Royal » 18 Nov 2010 19:00
by Terminal Boardom » 18 Nov 2010 19:07
Ian Royal I think you can reasonably break Long's career with us into three parts:
- The first two seasons where he was a raw youngster and stepping up to new levels of quality in terms of the division he was playing in.
- Then the period up until McDermott took over where he very rarely started 3 or more consecutive games and was generally used as a subsitute and back up player.
- And finally the period since McDermott has taken over where he has started regularly.
His League record is this*:
period - fixtures - starts - (subs) - o/p gls - pens - (gls as sub) - total gls - gls/start - gls/sub
10 / now - 42 - 35 - (2) - 6 - 4 - (0) - 10 - 3.5^ - n/a
7-8 / 10 - 105 - 21 - (55) - 11 - 1 - (5) - 12 - 3 - 11
5-6 / 6-7 - 84 - 10 - (22) - 5 - 0 - (3) - 5 - 5 - 7.3
To me that says Long was a player of some promise when we got him who had a habit of nicking the odd goal here or there. But it also says to me that he is a player who's level is impact sub and back up to the main strikers.
Where he's playing a bit part with the odd start here and there he seems to score at a good rate for a back up striker. But he just doesn't really seem to have kicked on from there though and even with the distorted figures from his purple patch his scoring rate has actually gone backwards since he began starting regularly. That says to me he simply isn't going to do it consistently as a first choice striker.
Obviously that's what I've thought all along, before looking at his record anyway, but I certainly don't think those figures show that to be wrong, even if they might not be particularly strong evidence in favour of it.
Now clearly if he starts putting them away in the next 20 games my opinion might change. It's undeniable he has signifcantly improved his all round game in his time here and contributes to our overall play fairly well. But he just doesn't score enough, or regularly enough.
We seem to be stuck with three second strikers and no primary goalscorer. And when you frequently play one upfront, only have one winger who's shown any indication of scoring many and no goalscoring midfielders that's a bit of a problem.
Church has only just started at this level and might step up, but I think he's destined to be a very good partner to a goalscorer. Hunt could be our saviour in this department, but it just feels like clutching at straws. Seeing as 3 strikers isn't enough in any case we desperately need a good goalscorer to come in.
Sorry, turned into a bit of an essay. That's pretty much the last I have to say on the subject thankfully. Hopefully this thread can die off and we can get some decent debate going.
*I can't guarantee I haven't made the odd mistake, but I think it's pretty accurate.
^As we know 40% of these goals came in the space of three games last season, which distorts the figures some what.
by Bandini » 18 Nov 2010 19:14
by Terminal Boardom » 18 Nov 2010 19:18
Bandini No Osborn in 93/4.
by Snowball » 18 Nov 2010 19:27
by Snowball » 18 Nov 2010 19:37
by Snowball » 18 Nov 2010 19:55
by Bandini » 18 Nov 2010 19:57
Snowball No need to read this
by Snowball » 18 Nov 2010 19:58
by PEARCEY » 18 Nov 2010 20:00
by Snowball » 18 Nov 2010 20:06
PEARCEY This thread is shy of a few stats imho.
by Victor Meldrew » 18 Nov 2010 20:12
BandiniSnowball No need to read this
OK
by Snowball » 18 Nov 2010 20:18
by Alan Partridge » 18 Nov 2010 20:35
by Victor Meldrew » 18 Nov 2010 20:51
Snowball I prefer
My Second Chance in the Premiership and Winning the Champions League.
I am soooooooooooooo looking forward to watching 587 HNAers eating crow followed by Humble Pie
by Wycombe Royal » 18 Nov 2010 21:18
Snowball I haven't yet done his whole career, but he is probably under a goal ever 200 minutes, not far off 1 in 180
by Hoop Blah » 18 Nov 2010 21:55
I'm aware that Shane was a supersub for a long time and his first 100 or so appearances give him a wunder-kid scoring rate of around a goal every 133 minutes. But we all know that's a distortion. See Church this season. No goals from 7 starts is it? But 3 goals in 3 TINY sub appearances which totally change his figures.
by Stranded » 18 Nov 2010 22:32
Wycombe RoyalSnowball I haven't yet done his whole career, but he is probably under a goal ever 200 minutes, not far off 1 in 180
I would be VERY surprised if it is that low, so get that calculator number crunching......
by Snowball » 18 Nov 2010 23:36
by Snowball » 18 Nov 2010 23:38
StrandedWycombe RoyalSnowball I haven't yet done his whole career, but he is probably under a goal ever 200 minutes, not far off 1 in 180
I would be VERY surprised if it is that low, so get that calculator number crunching......
Going by Soccerbase, Shane Long has spent 8697 mins on the pitch for Reading & ROI scoring 37 goals.
This equates to a goal every 235 mins. This season, he has played 1582 mins, scoring 6. A goal every 263 mins (just better that 1 in 3) for both Reading and ROI>
So this season, he is scoring at a lesser rate that his career average.
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