Question - are our players strong enough physically?

[southvillekiddy]

Does any one agree that we do not have enough players who are both physically hard enough as well as skilful enough for this League.

We were pushed around and off the ball especially in the first half yesterday. Their number 9 Taylor typified a Charlton side that had more physical threat than us.

[BCFCinNW6]

Agreed. Many of the players are physically underwhelming for the physicality of the championship. 

[Sniper]

Totally agree.

We lack physicality and height. It's ok to have players like Nagy for example but you also need 1 or 2 brick shite houses as well.

I'd love a real psycho hardnut in the middle if possible, but they do seem a bit rare now a days.

 

[Rich]

No, with the exception of a few, we are a bunch of pussy's. We've struggled for years with the physicality of the game and our recruitment has seen us bring in smaller weaker players, even our "big man" up top aint that big. Add to that the niceties of our team, our lack of the dark skills and we get done all over the park. Bit tongue in cheek but, could it be that all players seem big enough to our manager? It's only when we come up against the opposition that we struggle. All the top teams are bigger than us and as soon as we come up against the likes of Brum, Charlton, Blackburn, Millwall, we struggle.

[Mr Popodopolous]

It shows...West Brom,  Leeds, Brentford and Fulham are full of 6 footers in midfield and wide areas. 

Except they aren't!!

Possibly could do with a bit more, but cannot help but feel that it's a red herring in other ways too. 

Sheffield United last year...Fleck, Duffy,  Dowell certainly weren't over physical or big lumps. Norwood is bigger but also technically excellent.

I'd look at these at some stage, these midfielders, these wide players and how they measure up against us.

[Redrascal2]

Totally agree. A side built in Johnson's own playing style. Played like a game of 5 aside. Always needed others to do the physical stuff. Marvin Elliott did the tackling for two men. Personally I can accept the team I support being out played by a team of more skilful players and can accept being at times out thought by the other manager. But to he bullied and out muscled for me is not acceptable. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

I'm going to go through these other sides listed- doesn't factor all granted- as the argument just isn't one that convinces me so much. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

This is particularly aimed at those who say 'Oh it's a side built in his image, playing style etc etc'- it's misleading or not the full picture IMO!

West Brom:

1. Krovinovic- 5 ft 8/5 ft 9
2. Pereira- 5 ft 8/5 ft 9
3. Sawyers- 5 ft 8/5 ft 9
4. Livermore- 5 ft 10/5 ft 11.
5. Phillips- About 6 ft
6. Diangana- 5 ft 10/5 ft 11.

Leeds:

1. Phillips- 5 ft 10.
2. Forshaw- 5 ft 8/5 ft 9.
3. Klich- About 6 ft.
4. Harrison- 5 ft 8/5 ft 9.
5. Costa- About 5 ft 10.
6. Hernandez- About 5 ft 8.
7. Dallas- About 6 ft. (He only fills in CM at times though).

Brentford:

1. Jensen- About 5 ft 8.
2. Mokjto- 5 ft 6/ 5 ft 7.
3. Dasilva- 6 ft or so!
4. Mbeumo- About 5 ft 7.
5. Watkins- 5 ft 10/5 ft 11.
6. Benrahma- 5 ft 7/5 ft 8.
7. Norgaard- 6 ft/6 ft 1.

Fulham:

1. Arter- About 5 ft 10.
2. Cairney- 5 ft 11/6 ft.
3. McDonald- 6 ft 3/6 ft 4. (Barely played this year).
4. Johansen- 5 ft 11/6 ft.
5. Reed- 5 ft 11.
6. Reid- 5 ft 6/5 ft 7.
7. Cavaleiro- 5 ft 8/5 ft 9.
8. Knockaert- 5 ft 7/5 ft 8.
9. Kamara- 5 ft 9/5 ft 10.

Looking forward to some who bang on about height, physicality etc as if it's the be all and end all, squaring this circle a bit.

[IAmNick]

2 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

This is particularly aimed at those who say 'Oh it's a side built in his image, playing style etc etc'- it's misleading or not the full picture IMO!

West Brom:

1. Krovinovic- 5 ft 8/5 ft 9
2. Pereira- 5 ft 8/5 ft 9
3. Sawyers- 5 ft 8/5 ft 9
4. Livermore- 5 ft 10/5 ft 11.
5. Phillips- About 6 ft
6. Diangana- 5 ft 10/5 ft 11.

Leeds:

1. Phillips- 5 ft 10.
2. Forshaw- 5 ft 8/5 ft 9.
3. Klich- About 6 ft.
4. Harrison- 5 ft 8/5 ft 9.
5. Costa- About 5 ft 10.
6. Hernandez- About 5 ft 8.
7. Dallas- About 6 ft. (He only fills in CM at times though).

Brentford:

1. Jensen- About 5 ft 8.
2. Mokjto- 5 ft 6/ 5 ft 7.
3. Dasilva- 6 ft or so!
4. Mbeumo- About 5 ft 7.
5. Watkins- 5 ft 10/5 ft 11.
6. Benrahma- 5 ft 7/5 ft 8.
7. Norgaard- 6 ft/6 ft 1.

Fulham:

1. Arter- About 5 ft 10.
2. Cairney- 5 ft 11/6 ft.
3. McDonald- 6 ft 3/6 ft 4. (Barely played this year).
4. Johansen- 5 ft 11/6 ft.
5. Reed- 5 ft 11.
6. Reid- 5 ft 6/5 ft 7.
7. Cavaleiro- 5 ft 8/5 ft 9.
8. Knockaert- 5 ft 7/5 ft 8.
9. Kamara- 5 ft 9/5 ft 10.

Looking forward to some who bang on about height, physicality etc as if it's the be all and end all, squaring this circle a bit.

I think what people mean is someone who's tough - and while height can obviously help a lot of the toughest players I can think of were also not particularly tall.

In my opinion we're missing that guy who within 5 minutes has his shirt untucked, one of his socks rolled halfway down and is covered head to toe in mud from a couple of big tackles.

I remember Paul Hartley (5ft 10 or so?) was often like that - that's a big thing I think we're currently missing.

[Mr Popodopolous]

6 minutes ago, IAmNick said:

I think what people mean is someone who's tough - and while height can obviously help a lot of the toughest players I can think of were also not particularly tall.

In my opinion we're missing that guy who within 5 minutes has his shirt untucked, one of his socks rolled halfway down and is covered head to toe in mud from a couple of big tackles.

I remember Paul Hartley (5ft 10 or so?) was often like that - that's a big thing I think we're currently missing.

In all honesty, I get the need. I do.

My post was more a steady build up of slight disbelief coming out, aimed at those who persistently spout the lazy trope "Johnson builds in a side in his own image". I know what you're saying but again, the game is changing- maybe it's cyclical but even 10, 20 years ago tackling was a lot more commonplace. I'm a bit on the fence tbh.

[Partridge is a robin]

I genuinely think LJ is ridding our taller players and recruiting shorter ones because of his own height complex.

Coincidence that he sold the likes of Flint, Webby and Djuric, and brought in players like Nagy, Dasilva and Weiman?

 

[southvillekiddy]

It's not about height. It's about vim and guts. I give you Bremner and Giles and another chap called Gow.

[marcofisher]

7 minutes ago, southvillekiddy said:

It's not about height. It's about vim and guts. I give you Bremner and Giles

Absolutely correct, Massengo looks like one of those foreign players who comes in being far more talented than anyone else, yet looks out of touch pretty quickly due to the physicality of the leagues ala Di Maria years ago for Utd. He should not be anywhere near the starting 11 on recent performances. 

I would like to see Smith and Nagy play in the same midfield, despite the latter being quite out of form I feel like this would add a bit more stability. I can't understand why LJ has not really played with these two together yet. 

 

[Nomad]

10 minutes ago, southvillekiddy said:

It's not about height. It's about vim and guts. I give you Bremner and Giles

I agree. I also think our players go down way to easy looking for free kicks which I read to be part of LJ's "game management" instructions.