Danny Williams

[Brum Royal]

I'm interested to gauge opinion on what people think to Danny Williams, and what he offers to the team. I must have seen him play on about 10 occasions now, and I'm not quite sure what his role is.

He's played most of the time at centre midfield, but I don't think he creates much to be an attacking midfielder, doesn't score goals, and doesn't really do a lot of tackling to be a defensive midfielder. He doesn't seem to be a "water carrier" type midfielder that keeps play ticking over in the way that Harper was in his day either. He seems to be quite weak on the ball, is easily dispossessed, and gives the ball away cheaply (not that he's been alone in that for much of this season).

Am I missing something? Am I looking for him to be a particular type of midfielder when in fact he's a bit of a "mongrel" midfielder who does a bit of everything? Is he the new James Harper (a player I liked), in that some people see what he does and others don't?

I also don't think he's played especially well when I've seen him play either. Yesterday was probably the best game I've seen him have for us. Is it just that there's a good player in there and he's yet to adapt to the English game, and we'll have a Bobby Convey style transformation go on in season two?

[Sanguine]

I think Williams encapsulates the negative development of this team over the last few months. I don't remember if Watford was his debut, or his second or third appearance, but he looked like a very creative, pacy and attacking midfielder who would cause defences problems breaking from midfield. Fast forward to the last game I saw, Bournemouth at home, and he seemed uncertain of his role and in possession and a bit lost on the field.

So, +1 for being confused about Williams, what concerns me is that the good bits seem to be have been trained out of him.

[AirRaidSiren]

I'm interested to gauge opinion on what people think to Danny Williams, and what he offers to the team. I must have seen him play on about 10 occasions now, and I'm not quite sure what his role is.

He's played most of the time at centre midfield, but I don't think he creates much to be an attacking midfielder, doesn't score goals, and doesn't really do a lot of tackling to be a defensive midfielder. He doesn't seem to be a "water carrier" type midfielder that keeps play ticking over in the way that Harper was in his day either. He seems to be quite weak on the ball, is easily dispossessed, and gives the ball away cheaply (not that he's been alone in that for much of this season).

Am I missing something? Am I looking for him to be a particular type of midfielder when in fact he's a bit of a "mongrel" midfielder who does a bit of everything? Is he the new James Harper (a player I liked), in that some people see what he does and others don't?

I also don't think he's played especially well when I've seen him play either. Yesterday was probably the best game I've seen him have for us. Is it just that there's a good player in there and he's yet to adapt to the English game, and we'll have a Bobby Convey style transformation go on in season two?

He brings nothing to our team. The only Adkins signing I think that has brought ZERO to the squad.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Changed the game when he came on v Ipswich on the opening day. Not really seen him play that well since. Didn't go to the Watford game.

[BR2]

I'm very disappointed in Williams.
Seeing him at the start of the season I thought we had an energetic, hard-tackling midfielder who likes to run at players similar to a Steve Sidwell but ever since that promising start I feel , at the end of a game, what did he do?
Rather than a Steve Sidwell he has looked more like a Roger Joslyn and for an ex-Bundesliga and USA international player I would expect more.

At the moment he is in the Obita and HRK category of players really not doing enough-the same could have been said of Blackman but there are at least signs in the past couple of games that he does actually have something to offer-not enough of those signs but there is a glimmer there.

[ZacNaloen]

not really the player best to partner Guthrie. They just don't complement each other well.

Would look at lot better in a midfield three.

[Doolittle]

I think Danny does best when playing in a CM three, with a proper defensive CM alongside Guthrie, freeing up Williams to use his energy and drive to carry the ball up the pitch and link up with the forwards.

Then we could push our wide players further forward to provide some proper width, with Pog up front. I think this would work well, esp against the better teams when we don't want to go with 4-4-2.

Williams has been forced recently to play in a pair with Guthrie, which doesn't really work because neither of then is a true CDM. The only other option has been Akpan, but he is very similar in style to Williams.

If we'd had any of Karacan, Baird or Ledge avaialble these past weeks, things would have been different.

Given time, and an easing of the injury list, I think Williams can become a significant asset. Same might apply to Akpan, if he can get his confidence going.

[Esteban]

not really the player best to partner Guthrie. They just don't complement each other well.

Would look at lot better in a midfield three.

Completely agree. Looked really good against Ipswich and Watford when we played with a diamond in midfield. If we can bring in a quality DM this month (or get Leigertwood back playing to the best of his abilities), this would release him to be at his most effective. We seem much better under Adkins in a 433 or playing a diamond in midfield and I'm constantly baffled that we revert to a flat 442 a lot of the time. I guess our injury list has forced a lot of that upon him.

[dizzynewheights]

I like it when he takes his shirt off at the end of games. phwoar.

[Broxroyal]

I'm very disappointed in Williams.
Seeing him at the start of the season I thought we had an energetic, hard-tackling midfielder who likes to run at players similar to a Steve Sidwell but ever since that promising start I feel , at the end of a game, what did he do?
Rather than a Steve Sidwell he has looked more like a Roger Joslyn and for an ex-Bundesliga and USA international player I would expect more.

At the moment he is in the Obita and HRK category of players really not doing enough-the same could have been said of Blackman but there are at least signs in the past couple of games that he does actually have something to offer-not enough of those signs but there is a glimmer there.

The Roger Joslyn comparison is an interesting one BR. Joslyn was, if nothing else, a very fierce tackler / ballwinner. When Williams signed we were led to believe that he was a defensive midfielder but I'm not really sure that is what we are seeing.

[ZacNaloen]

Who led you to believe that?

people just assumed because of his physique that he was Leigertwood mk#2

[Brum Royal]

Williams has been forced recently to play in a pair with Guthrie, which doesn't really work because neither of then is a true CDM. The only other option has been Akpan, but he is very similar in style to Williams.

And Williams and Akpan as a combination proved at Peterborough to be utterly horrendous...

I do agree with the sentiments that we are lacking a defensive midfielder, which Williams clearly isn't, a point I made myself on the "Investment" thread.

[3points]

Probably needs to play in a midfield three. tbf -Adkins has moved him on several occasions to "right midfield" (it happened again yesterday), and he is clearly not comfortable in that position.

I have been told that Adkins doesn't believe he's a 90 minute a game man either - thinks he's more of an impact player, like he did quite successfully at the start of the season (Ipswich, Watford)

[Royal Ginger]

He strikes me as one of those players that when/if we start firing on all cylinders and with confidence he'll suddenly be immense, but with nothing to work with he's got nothing to give. There's real class there, but it's not coming out. See Shane Long pre-McDermott.

[Uke]

He'll never be as good as his dad, Jerry.






Lol @ the fifth result on a Google Image search of "jerry williams reading fc"

[St. Brynjar]

Yet to see a standout performance from him. It's unfortunate and he hasn't been bad, he just hasn't done anything memorable. Karacan or an on form Leigertwood offer more.

[Barry the bird boggler]

He'll never be as good as his dad, Jerry.

Or his uncle Martin....

[sandman]

He'll never fall over as well as his uncle Martin.

[Z175]

I think in mitigation, players coming from abroad often take time to adjust to the physical nature of the English game, especially in the Championship.

He can certainly pass the ball well and is pacey and actually an ok tackler of the ball, so is a classic box to box midfielder for me. The problem is, in a team full of confidence such a player would thrive. In a team unable to get a foothold in the game or keep the ball, he is being badly exposed as too lightweight.

As others have noted, hes not helped by being partnered with Guthrie who likes to take his time on the ball and only passes it 45 yards. While I appreciate Guthrie has ability but its about picking a team and I would play Taylor and Williams as box to box midfielders, and pick the hard working Obita and McAnuff alongside them to bring some solidity back, but with Pog and Alf up front to ensure we create whatever chances we do make and McCleary and Drenthe as gamechangers off the bench.

At the moment we are wasting the ability of Guthrie, Drenthe,McCleary and our "very-good-at-this-level" strikers by letting the opposition have the ball in the midfield and only having possesion in the back four.

[Sanguine]

hes not helped by being partnered with Guthrie who likes to take his time on the ball and only passes it 45 yards.

jesus christ.

Nothing personal, but quite why this myth is being perpetuated I don't know.

Actually watch Guthrie closely. He has arguably got the best ball control of anyone at the club. His first touch normally turns him in the direction of his next pass, if he has already spotted it. If he hasn't, he looks up. Then it stops.

Guthrie is a passer of the football. When he doesn't do that quickly, it's because he doesn't have anyone to pass to.