BrogueArmadillo RoadkillBrogue
Smith misses Azeez. Kelv and Cem are not 'beat your man' type wingers - getting to the byline, get a cross in, Smith tap's in from the six yard line. Both are inside forwards, looking to cut in and get shots off. Also, having Wing in the DCM position has reduced our creativity in the middle of the park, last season he would often slip ball in behind the defenses for smith to run onto. That isn't happening this season. Smith is an off the shoulder type striker, not a back to goal type of striker. This is why imo he is not looking as affective in games this season.
with regards to kelvin. he's young and going to make mistakes. if he were the finished article he wouldn't still be playing for Reading. He has all the attributes to be playing in a higher division. but he is greedy at times, but i think that's just because he's a CF by trade and they inherently are. He needs to learn there is more required from him in these forwards positions. It will come.
With the greatest of respect, I think Ehibhatiomhan absolutely is a "beat your man" type player. Not since the great Jimmy Kébé have I seen someone dribble past multiple players so often. Sometimes he tries it a bit too much, but I'd rather he fails a few times in and around the opposition box than not try at all.
He beats his men and gets his crosses in (left footed) and gets his shots away (right footed). He tracks back. In terms of his impact on how Smith plays, I kind of feel he (Smith) needs to be smarter with his runs if he's being marked so closely.
As for Campbell, can't figure him out. Partly, and I don't know why this is, I don't care so much.
Kelv’s chances created stands at just 35% compared to other left sided players in league 1. But in the top 65% of shots taken for someone who plays on the left side. Which would very much indicate he is an inside forward rather than a beat your man winger looking to get crosses into the box. This is also shown by just the one assist this season
Perhaps we're using the same words (beats his man) to mean slightly different things. The way I mean it, it means going past / dribbling past one or more opponents, not necessarily resulting in a cross into the box, or a direct chance created.
The stats are all fine and good, but just using my eyes, I can see he beats his man frequently, as in , he successfully dribbles past opponents. Not all of these results in chances created - sometimes it's a lay off to the overlapping full back, sometimes he misplaces a pass, and sometimes he tries to beat one too many. But he brings something that is rare in recent RFC history - a genuine enthusiasm to run at opponents with the ball at his feet.
