Drinnan,Kellman,Sotiriou why no goals?

[Monkey Boy]

Here’s my take on it ( yes I know everyone won’t agree). Watching Kellmam,Drinnan and Sotiriou on Saturday Kellman in particular spends most of his time watching and waiting for the player that’s marking him(normally a CB) to clobber him,instead he try’s to back into the player thus giving a free kick away. IMO he should be paying more attention and keeping his eye on the Ball and trying to run off his he opponents shoulder. However to do this he has to rely on midfielders passing the ball at angles rather than straight at him if that makes sense.Ditto Drinnan. But we have to consider that these two players are playing for us and if they were the finished article they wouldn’t. I think there work rate is second to none but unfortunately they are lacking a predatory instinct especially in the six yard box where they so often fail to get on to a loose ball. Sotiriou on the other hand is a little more direct and likes to either run at a defender or run onto a through ball. His down side is that he’s not great at shielding a ball and isn’t strong enough to lead the line on his own plus the fact that Wellens mostly plays him wide and he is no way a wide player. Given a choice I would take a chance and play him down the middle but he doesn’t possess or give the work rate that Kellman and Drinnan give.

[LittleMate]

Kellman reminds me of Andy Gray. Not the Jock that used to be on Sky but the useless one we got from Reading. Gray was one of those players that would catch up to a defender but never overtake him; never compete for the ball but wait to see if anything came out of a situation. The amount of times when I'm urging Kellman to bust a gut to create an opportunity is staggering. At least Drinnan does that and forces defenders to deal with issues they'd rather not.

All 3 suffer from our style of play - Sotirou in particular because he's not a natural first choice in any position despite being our most natural predator. Our football is so tippy tappy at times that the front boys don't know when to run in behind or get bored of trying to do so. You can see it with the midfielders on occasions. They make space to receive in the middle of the park and the defenders are not brave enough to risk the pass. That said, the system works. We are averaging over 2 points a game and are clear at the top.

[gshaw]

Kelman is partly down to too many games, RW said earlier in the season he needed a rest as he wasn't used to regular first team football. Recently had to play pretty much every game due to injuries elsewhere. Works hard for the cause without much reward but is valued by RW.

Drinan not been at the same level as last year due to missing pre-season. Still the best of our options though as he's got the workrate of Kelman but more physicality. Great attitude too.

Sotiriou the weakest of the bunch imo. Only seems to score when there's a contract on the table and doesn't seem to have the nous to play in a colleague in goalscoring situations. Surprised we didn't loan him out in Jan to fund a big name signing.

[Max Fowler]

I know it's only been 20 minutes a pop, but in both of his last sub outings Drinnan has looked right at it. It might be too early to start him this Saturday but must be in line for this Tuesday.

You're absolutely right about Kelman being overused but that's the problem with having so few options (Ruel is not an option down the middle on his own).

[Petrov788]

Drinan will score goals with a run in the team and creative players like Smyth, Moncur, Archibald and Sadlier on form around him.

Kelman's output will improve. Ruel does seem to be a better impact player, or would need a harder working player along side him. I think Kelman would also suit being played in a 2.

[ComeOnYouOs]

My views on Drinan are well known on this board, so i wont bang on about how useless he is again.
We dont know how good Kelman is because we dont play him in. He has a big CB up his ar5e all game, and he feeds off crumbs
Sotiriou is never played as a centre forward, so we will never get the most out of him
Having said that though, we're top of the league, so it works the way it is

[Jman]

I think the problem is that none of the 3 are going to get you 20 goals a season, that’s very clear. However, they all offer good attributes that contribute nicely to our style of play.

I am a little surprised we haven’t tried Ruel as the main number 9. Perhaps Richie doesn’t trust him there or his work rate isn’t up to it, but it’s easy to forget that some his goals last season were absolutely crucial to us digging ourselves out of a hole and it’s less than a year ago that he was the main man in that position.

Out of the 3, I’d say he’s the most natural finisher but we always seem to play him out wide where he’s pretty ineffective

[Wally Banter]

Sotiriou is a very decent finisher, and that’s about it. Not sure I can remember a game in which he’s started and played particularly well. His positional discipline and decision making in midfield areas are below the required standard, in my view.

Agree that Drinan must be pushing for a start soon - nothing wrong with Kelman’s work rate, but Drinan offers work rate AND better hold up / link play.

[Proposition Joe]

Agree about Ruel's positional sense. He isn't a central striker but when he came on wide against Wimbledon he was just all over the shop, and not in a good, all action way. Just gives off headless chicken vibes at times.

[Chief crazy horse]

My views on Drinan are well known on this board, so i wont bang on about how useless he is again.
We dont know how good Kelman is because we dont play him in. He has a big CB up his ar5e all game, and he feeds off crumbs
Sotiriou is never played as a centre forward, so we will never get the most out of him
Having said that though, we're top of the league, so it works the way it is

That's a relief in reference to your first sentence as I do believe you've mentioned it two or three times before..

[Beradogs]

Agree about Ruel's positional sense. He isn't a central striker but when he came on wide against Wimbledon he was just all over the shop, and not in a good, all action way. Just gives off headless chicken vibes at times.

Indeed. Managers play him so they must see something (probably his finishing ability) but his all round game is poor. He is like a kid in a playground that runs head down with the ball in a straight line in the hope that everyone else in the playground will magically disappear. In reality the first kid just stands there and takes the ball off him.

[scottychamps]

Dris is unfortunately not good enough and missed about 5 1 on 1 last year under kenny jacket and could not score for toffee in about a dozen games and contributed to kenny getting the sack. Rual is also not good enough to play up front on his own. You can’t play him up front cos he can’t win a header as a target man, he is to small to hold the ball up and play off him. This is why he is played out wide. But this does not work because he has no pace to take anyone on. The only way to get the best out of ruel is to play him of a target man like smith ( little and large partnership old school) with 2 up front but rw does not like 2 up front. Another option is the number 10 role but monks is a better player then ruel which is why he as played at a higher level. So it basically leaves ruel as a impact sub option because he can finish.
So it leaves us with Kelman for now. Next year all 3 will go to other clubs.

[RedDwarf 1881]

With any luck the arrival of Kieron Sadler will help them start scoring again . He looks to be the type of player that can create chances for them .

[Sid Bishop]

Here’s my take on it ( yes I know everyone won’t agree). Watching Kellmam,Drinnan and Sotiriou on Saturday Kellman in particular spends most of his time watching and waiting for the player that’s marking him(normally a CB) to clobber him,instead he try’s to back into the player thus giving a free kick away. IMO he should be paying more attention and keeping his eye on the Ball and trying to run off his he opponents shoulder. However to do this he has to rely on midfielders passing the ball at angles rather than straight at him if that makes sense.Ditto Drinnan. But we have to consider that these two players are playing for us and if they were the finished article they wouldn’t. I think there work rate is second to none but unfortunately they are lacking a predatory instinct especially in the six yard box where they so often fail to get on to a loose ball. Sotiriou on the other hand is a little more direct and likes to either run at a defender or run onto a through ball. His down side is that he’s not great at shielding a ball and isn’t strong enough to lead the line on his own plus the fact that Wellens mostly plays him wide and he is no way a wide player. Given a choice I would take a chance and play him down the middle but he doesn’t possess or give the work rate that Kellman and Drinnan give.

Excellent post with many good points raised !

[Sid Bishop]

With any luck the arrival of Kieron Sadler will help them start scoring again . He looks to be the type of player that can create chances for them .

Yes let us hope so !

[B.whitehouse+10more]

My views on Drinan are well known on this board, so i wont bang on about how useless he is again

You just did fella

[Chief crazy horse]

I agree, Sadlier looks like he's capable of giving options and creating openings.

[Proposition Joe]

Kelman showed earlier in the season that he's a good finisher, we just haven't been playing him into positions where that's going to happen often enough and he's not the kind of player to make chances for himself. As others point out, fingers crossed the arrival and integration of Sadlier ends up giving him more to dine out on (after he's had a rest for a game or two). Would start Drinan v Rochdale, not sure about tomorrow.

[Max Fowler]

Kelman showed earlier in the season that he's a good finisher, we just haven't been playing him into positions where that's going to happen often enough and he's not the kind of player to make chances for himself. As others point out, fingers crossed the arrival and integration of Sadlier ends up giving him more to dine out on (after he's had a rest for a game or two). Would start Drinan v Rochdale, not sure about tomorrow.

Agreed.

Would be nice if we had an alternative so that Kelman doesn't have to be run into the ground because Aaron is injured/not fully fit.

[essexfootball]

Kelman has never scored goals anywhere so there is no real reason he would here, 51 games 6 goals, less than one in ten for a striker is pretty shocking it's not like he is even a winger or big target man etc

Slightly different level but Sotiriou p86 25 goals

[Max Fowler]

Kelman has never scored goals anywhere so there is no real reason he would here, 51 games 6 goals, less than one in ten for a striker is pretty shocking it's not like he is even a winger or big target man etc

Slightly different level but Sotiriou p86 25 goals

Just checked soccerbase, he scored goals whilst on loan at Southend.

He has shown in his time here he can finish.

[essexfootball]

Just checked soccerbase, he scored goals whilst on loan at Southend.

He has shown in his time here he can finish.

That was four years ago though and the only time he seemed to have actually scored goals, I don't really have a problem with him but don't really rate him, hard to rate a striker who is in the team to score goals who averages one every ten games or roughly

[Jeremy Bentham]

Sotiriou is a very decent finisher, and that’s about it. Not sure I can remember a game in which he’s started and played particularly well. His positional discipline and decision making in midfield areas are below the required standard, in my view.

Agree that Drinan must be pushing for a start soon - nothing wrong with Kelman’s work rate, but Drinan offers work rate AND better hold up / link play.

Ruel is the best finisher at the club so either play him in the middle or don't play him.

But none of the forwards have had much created for them lately.

[tuffers#1]

My views on Drinan are well known on this board, so i wont bang on about how useless he is again.
We dont know how good Kelman is because we dont play him in. He has a big CB up his ar5e all game, and he feeds off crumbs
Sotiriou is never played as a centre forward, so we will never get the most out of him
Having said that though, we're top of the league, so it works the way it is

Would you sack RW for rating Drinan ?

[DrWindy]

Dris is unfortunately not good enough and missed about 5 1 on 1 last year under kenny jacket and could not score for toffee in about a dozen games and contributed to kenny getting the sack. Rual is also not good enough to play up front on his own. You can’t play him up front cos he can’t win a header as a target man, he is to small to hold the ball up and play off him. This is why he is played out wide. But this does not work because he has no pace to take anyone on. The only way to get the best out of ruel is to play him of a target man like smith ( little and large partnership old school) with 2 up front but rw does not like 2 up front. Another option is the number 10 role but monks is a better player then ruel which is why he as played at a higher level. So it basically leaves ruel as a impact sub option because he can finish.
So it leaves us with Kelman for now. Next year all 3 will go to other clubs.

Nail on the head.