Jump to content
IGNORED

Nakhi Wells getting an easy ride


Olé

Recommended Posts

59 minutes ago, SX227 said:

Usually I think you are spot on Ole.

Not this time.

Wells came on the expectation of promotion in a side 'on the up'

He's clearly not a fan of LJ bullshit and has probably made that clear to anyone who will listen - inc LJ.

So now he is the LJ whipping boy in public - if I was nearly leading the championship scoring race and then found myself being lectured about my boots, movement, not following instructions etc etc pretty much every presser - I'd be pissed as well.

LJ goes, he improves.

LJ stays - he's off - along with many others.

 

I wouldn't let him take a penalty while LJ is here either!  ?

 

Another player who has had all his natural ability coached out of him.

Either LJ goes or I can see a heck of a lot of players leaving.....

"Either LJ goes or I can see a heck of a lot of players leaving....."

Sad but true

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, mightyreds89 said:

Oh god here we go a new scape goat and everyone seems to know he’s unhappy here.

id be unhappy if I was him absolutely zero service since he’s joined us and has still scored 3 goals in 6/7 games where he’s been in the right position at the right time! 
 

I cannot recall one clear chance where someone’s passed or supplied him with a chance that he’s then missed? Love to be proved wrong. 

QPR away.

Sheff Wed (Miss timed header) home

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, And Its Smith said:

Someone said it was a signing that wouldn’t work out and that person got loads of aubergines. Can’t think who it was though....

Not a player that suits how we play at all and I didn’t think we could or would adapt to suit him. 

Don’t think he wanted to leave QPR and personally don’t think he wanted to come here. 
 

Think his stay may be very short - his body language after the game on Sunday was poor

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Olé said:

To be clear I think LJ's time is up in spite of so many phenomenal away performances in the past two years, overall we are regressing - but for a change of topic could someone please tell me why Nahki Wells is getting such an easy ride?

We won four games in a row with Famara at the backend of January, often as lone striker, often without conceding a goal, but as soon as we made room for Wells, we've shipped goals and won just one game since he started (3-2 vs Derby)

Anyone with eyes can see he doesn't want to be here, probably didn't want to leave QPR, even today, which for me having stood through every game is easily the best 45 I've seen all season, Wells is the odd one out in an energetic team.

On Sunday he was slow to get the through ball chance out of his feet, and today Afobe, O'Dowda and Weimann easily did most of the pressing while Wells drifted half heartedly and never really got in the game. I do not believe he's up for it.

The easy excuse is he is a fox in the box - but that's just not true, I remember him scoring goals from all over for QPR and for Huddersfield, which is why he was/is so rated. For us he scores 2 yard headers and rarely does anything else.

Take away his nod ins and he is a terrible signing that upset the balance of the team and at £5m and going on 30 is largely a massive panic buy waste of money. Look at the stat sites and his data is pretty terrible across his games for us.

As LJ says, the form has been awful, but someone please tell me why Wells record in exactly the same run bears so little scrutiny. The pieces fell into place with the Brownhill deal and anxiety about another striker, but he has been ****.

 

With our creativity in midfield or lack of . We’d make Harry Kane look shit 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, JonDolman said:

5 million and high wages for a player that is now 30. 

Absolutely mental really. Has to really play well to be worth that sort of money.

LJ doesn't know how to get the best out of him.

Who's at fault then do you think? Johnson/recruitment team for buying him, Wells for not playing well enough or Johnson for not playing to his strengths?

I think in reality he was a bit of a panic buy. We needed a forward to keep us in the hunt and were crying out for someone of similar calibre to Afobe. 

He's less of an all-rounder than Afobe so buying him is utterly pointless if we won't play to his strengths. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was completed the wrong but at the time. A baffling decision that flew in the face of everything we try and do off the field.

Fir that money, surely Mark Ashton had other younger, prospects lined up?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, SX227 said:

Usually I think you are spot on Ole.

Not this time.

Wells came on the expectation of promotion in a side 'on the up'

He's clearly not a fan of LJ bullshit and has probably made that clear to anyone who will listen - inc LJ.

So now he is the LJ whipping boy in public - if I was nearly leading the championship scoring race and then found myself being lectured about my boots, movement, not following instructions etc etc pretty much every presser - I'd be pissed as well.

LJ goes, he improves.

LJ stays - he's off - along with many others.

 

I wouldn't let him take a penalty while LJ is here either!  ?

 

Another player who has had all his natural ability coached out of him.

Either LJ goes or I can see a heck of a lot of players leaving.....

I completely agree with this. With a couple of exceptions, LJ has actively made players worse this season. Afobe, Palmer, Dasilva, Kalas, Nagy, Massengo, Wells... all signed this season and all demonstrably worse now than when they joined. 

I remember when Wells signed debating with a mate how he’d fit in and what role he’d play. LJ tends to like one up front, who will work his backside off with zero service. Fam does ok in that role as did Afobe when he joined. Wells just never looked like that sort of of player so he was always going to struggle to fit in.

Different type of player but it reminds me of when GJ signed Trundle all those years ago. Trundle was never going to work hard, press and get stuck in in the way GJ wanted our main striker to do. As I say, Wells is a different type of player to Trundle but the idea is similar.... he’s just not suited to the role LJ wants a striker to play.

Wells is being asked to be a square peg in a round hole, and is constantly getting called out by LJ after games. No wonder he looks disinterested.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the key thing about Wells is that Lansdown sanctioned an expensive signing, probably on the understanding that a proven goalscorer could be the difference between play offs and not. 

He'll be pretty miffed if this was the missing piece of the jigsaw, and yet we've been worse since he signed that we were before.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, mightyreds89 said:

Oh god here we go a new scape goat and everyone seems to know he’s unhappy here.

id be unhappy if I was him absolutely zero service since he’s joined us and has still scored 3 goals in 6/7 games where he’s been in the right position at the right time! 
 

I cannot recall one clear chance where someone’s passed or supplied him with a chance that he’s then missed? Love to be proved wrong. 

I'm not going to sit here and argue that he's been missing sitters constantly because he patently hasn't, but the chance against Wednesday where he just didn't head the ball was an exceptionally good chance, and the one later where he couldn't get the ball out of his feet was a good chance. So you cant say he hasn't had any chances. 

However we do not create many really good chances, we create a number of half chances and that's it. 

Our strikers have done very well to score as many as they have this season with what has been created for them. 

I think the Wells signing wreaks of desparation, he's by no means a bad player, but there was nothing wrong with Fam and our problems were elsewhere so it was shiny thing syndrome and a tool to save face after the debacle of putting all our eggs in the Nketiah basket and being made to look stupid. 

I would much rather we spent that money on a winger who can cross, which we are sorely lacking and ideally one who can cut inside to play on the other side of a 3 to Nic beside Fam. Or a midfielder who can sit alongside Nagy and play the deep lying playmaker role. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When so many different posters are pointing the finger at so many different areas of the team, and so many different players, including new ones that have yet to play ten games for us, and highlighting so many different problems or issues, then the answer is what? Single out another under-performing employee? What sort of organisation is this?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be fair to both @Olé and Wells himself, he hasn't started in a blaze of glory despite his form before moving here. I have thought myself over the past few games, everyone seems to be getting panned bar Wells, but I'm not sure how much of that is down to the player himself though.

Yes he seemed happy at QPR, we've brought him, and let's be honest it wasn't a cheap deal. How many of us expected him to come in start scoring goals, and be the one missing piece to inject something into our faltering performances up until then? I'll be honest, I did. However, we are playing some of the worst football I've seen in years at the moment. We aren't creating enough chances, aren't creating much of anything to be honest, and seem to be chasing games/shadows most of the time. How effective is Wells supposed to be when he/we haven't got the ball?

Johnson doesn't know his best team, Wells and any others, haven't had a chance to form a decent partnership with anyone this season.

A new man at the top, new ideas, patterns of play and a fresh look is needed all around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, lets not go after proven Championship strikers.....christ the guy has played 11 games for us (not started all of those games either) and has scored 3 goals from probably about 5 decent chances.....but yeah lets blame him & go back to Fammy up top on his own.....Think people forget just how blunt we are went its fammy up top, even more so than we are now. People need to realise things won’t get any better until the man at the helm is replaced

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm pretty sure all his goals are with his head. I'd imagine that's how many he scored all season for QPR. Obviously they all count but that shows that we arnt getting the ball and playing through their defence rather than hopeful balls in to the box. Both Fuhlam and Wednesday could be seen as lucky the ball got to him the way it did. Simple really, there wasnt one creative player on that pitch last night. And I struggle to think of a successful one while LJ has been in charge. Freeman the last? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have some QPR mates, from the start of our interest Wells had said he was happy there and didn't want to move. So the transfer is a player (however good) over our age threshold , meaning we can't get our money back, at the top of our budget, and he didn't want to come. There are very few things in there that suggest we should have gone ahead with it, except LJ's panic to get someone (anyone ) in. 
QPR were playing to his strengths, they have 2 very creative MF's and a sort of target man that could play alongside him. He came to a side, that hasn't played well for an eternity, creates few chances and that the coach hasn't got a set system , formation or line uo. Always going to be difficult for him. Not sure about easy ride, but he is the one proper finisher at the club. His goals show that , even if he's not firing, he's alive around the box and instinct kicks in.
Yesterday, while not being great he managed to get space for Afobe, he also seems to link with Weimann , I think it would be worth sticking with this formation, if LJ gets until the end of the season, I still think that is in the balance though. 

8 hours ago, alexukhc said:

Only we can buy One of the best strikers in the division and turn him into dogshite

That may have been a throw away line, but it's not far from the truth. Took him from a team he was happy in, that was set to play to his strengths, where it ws clearly working. Then throw him into a side that has strikers living on scraps, with a lightweight MF, then wonder what went wrong. Another case of buying a player because of what/who he is, and not because he fits the role or position you have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, JonDolman said:

 

When up top with Hugill at QPR he didn't look that good. On his own with creativity behind him and he scores goals.

This. Wells stated during an Instagram live last week that he categorically prefers playing as a lone striker, which I found candid - none of the "just happy to be playing" cliche. He openly prefers playing in a 1, with support. 

Trouble is I can't ever imagine a Lee Johnson team with one striker other than Diedhou, so something has to give...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 goals in 8 games worth of minutes isn't that bad of a return, especially when we've been playing as poorly as we have since he's signed.

Unfortunately he's joined and we've gone on one of Lee Johnsons poor runs of form. 

When a player has done pretty well almost everywhere he's been, then comes to us and doesn't perform to those standards, I'd argue it's the managers tactics not enabling them to do as well. 

Yesterday, almost every chance we had was a headed one, why bring Wells in if this is the way you are going to play? I believe it's 3 (not sure) headed goals he's scored so far but he's not exactly Andy Carroll in the air is he.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Olé said:

To be clear I think LJ's time is up in spite of so many phenomenal away performances in the past two years, overall we are regressing - but for a change of topic could someone please tell me why Nahki Wells is getting such an easy ride?

We won four games in a row with Famara at the backend of January, often as lone striker, often without conceding a goal, but as soon as we made room for Wells, we've shipped goals and won just one game since he started (3-2 vs Derby)

Anyone with eyes can see he doesn't want to be here, probably didn't want to leave QPR, even today, which for me having stood through every game is easily the best 45 I've seen all season, Wells is the odd one out in an energetic team.

On Sunday he was slow to get the through ball chance out of his feet, and today Afobe, O'Dowda and Weimann easily did most of the pressing while Wells drifted half heartedly and never really got in the game. I do not believe he's up for it.

The easy excuse is he is a fox in the box - but that's just not true, I remember him scoring goals from all over for QPR and for Huddersfield, which is why he was/is so rated. For us he scores 2 yard headers and rarely does anything else.

Take away his nod ins and he is a terrible signing that upset the balance of the team and at £5m and going on 30 is largely a massive panic buy waste of money. Look at the stat sites and his data is pretty terrible across his games for us.

As LJ says, the form has been awful, but someone please tell me why Wells record in exactly the same run bears so little scrutiny. The pieces fell into place with the Brownhill deal and anxiety about another striker, but he has been ****.

 

The best 45 you've seen all season? Really! Oh you do love to exaggerate don't you. Birmingham away, Derby away, Hull away were all better than that and I didn't even get beyond the fixtures in August.

I was concerned when Wells did sign that Johnson wouldn't know what to do with him, how to support him. He's shown ability in the early games (Derby springs to mind) that he is not just a goal scorer, but also a good footballer, IF you get footballers around him that can look after the football a bit. 

I suspect he's completely fed up, our midfield is an embarrassment, they barely make a forward pass or run, they are usually miles away from him and lets be honest, would you run your socks off for a Manager that continuously blames his players in public and doesn't take responsibility? I know I wouldn't.

Another good player that will probably be gone in the Summer because of the manager and another complete waste of money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, City_USA said:

"Either LJ goes or I can see a heck of a lot of players leaving....."

Sad but true

And where will they move to? Not sure if you have noticed, but there’s this virus thing, which means fans cannot watch football, leaving many in a precarious financial state. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wrong player for the wrong system.

People can moan about Ashton's database all they want, but its up to LJ to enforce the pillars strategy.

God knows what happens this season but its become 3 and a 1/2 chopsticks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I feel for the bloke honestly, came from an unremarkable but steady QPR, adored by their fans and on track for the golden boot with a bit of hard work.

Comes to city, different people in a different formation around him every other game, and we've won what - twice since he joined in January?

Not surprised he looks pretty miserable!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wells isn't used to relying on scraps and that's all we're providing. I don't think he's pushing as hard as he can because he knows he cannot do everything by himself. When we attack its down the wings, we have no penetration in the middle of the pitch which is where he thrives. He's not just a fox in the box as you say but he is very good at making runs in behind defences and running at defenders when they are on the back foot. Now tell me when you've seen us counter through the middle and actually provide that pass to him so he's moving forward, or when we've had someone in the middle playing a pass that splits the defence? 

As much as I could throw Wells under the bus and say "he doesn't want to be here" I'm not going to because he's not changed what he sad doing prior to us signing him, he's just in a team that isn't doing what his previous team did for him, playing to his strengths. Even Afobe looks blunt at the moment because we're also not playing him to his strengths. Then you have O'Dowda, he looks awful but again, he's not being played to his strengths because, like Eliasson, he's an out and out winger who keeps getting player in, or around the middle, which brings me back to Eliasson, we have a prolific winger who can attack players, play dangerous passes and where is he... on the bench. 

It's not just Wells that looks like he's not playing his best, it's multiple players, mostly our best players. As much as LJ wants to glue all these players together and make them work in the same system it's obviously not happening because he doesn't use their strengths, he expects them to change their game to suit his tactics and that's just not good management. If you want Wells at his best then put a midfielder or two in that looks to back defences up and create opportunities, same goes for Afobe, no surprise that his best link up is Palmer. If you want Kalas, Williams and Baker to look solid then don't play a system that sees them defending hard for 60-70 minutes of the game, it becomes overwhelming for any defender to have to be forever alert because the attack are rarely on the ball. If you want to see O'Dowda play well, don't put him in a system that forces him to be in the middle and out wide, let him hug the line and stretch the opposition out. 

Honestly at this point I think any tactically harp coach could come in and do better than Lee with his own players purely by playing them in position and to their strengths. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Of the two from Burnley, I was hoping for Vydra if anyone- more flexible, more fluid- can play across the front line and a bit behind- younger too.

Don't think we setup in a way to get the best from him...but you can say that about many of our players this year.

My thoughts exactly.....Vydra is younger and quicker, and would have suited our style much better,  LJ had the choice between the two........guess what, he got it wrong?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As many have pointed out, to be completely fair, he has scored three goals, but it hasn’t looked right at any point.
 

I was rather cynical at the time he signed, because to me it looked like a move so many clubs have made so many times where you go and sign a goal scorer in the hope it will miraculously solve all of the underlying issue with your team.

 

I think I posted on here even after the rare win against Derby that I wondered if Wells had ever spent so much time chasing aimless channel balls and having to try and compete in the air against centre halves much bigger than he is.

We’ve signed a penalty box forward to play in a team that never goes in the opposition box, a finisher for a team that creates no chances for him to finish.

He can join the list of players in this squad who have proven their qualities at this level, but for some reason don’t look the part playing in this team. I’d like to think the vast majority of us are aware of what that reason is by now to be honest..

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Olé said:

To be clear I think LJ's time is up in spite of so many phenomenal away performances in the past two years, overall we are regressing - but for a change of topic could someone please tell me why Nahki Wells is getting such an easy ride?

We won four games in a row with Famara at the backend of January, often as lone striker, often without conceding a goal, but as soon as we made room for Wells, we've shipped goals and won just one game since he started (3-2 vs Derby)

Anyone with eyes can see he doesn't want to be here, probably didn't want to leave QPR, even today, which for me having stood through every game is easily the best 45 I've seen all season, Wells is the odd one out in an energetic team.

On Sunday he was slow to get the through ball chance out of his feet, and today Afobe, O'Dowda and Weimann easily did most of the pressing while Wells drifted half heartedly and never really got in the game. I do not believe he's up for it.

The easy excuse is he is a fox in the box - but that's just not true, I remember him scoring goals from all over for QPR and for Huddersfield, which is why he was/is so rated. For us he scores 2 yard headers and rarely does anything else.

Take away his nod ins and he is a terrible signing that upset the balance of the team and at £5m and going on 30 is largely a massive panic buy waste of money. Look at the stat sites and his data is pretty terrible across his games for us.

As LJ says, the form has been awful, but someone please tell me why Wells record in exactly the same run bears so little scrutiny. The pieces fell into place with the Brownhill deal and anxiety about another striker, but he has been ****.

 

Think you’re being a tad harsh on Wells.

He’s come into a side firstly that don’t play football. QPR bossed us at Ashton Gate and we were fortunate to win that game if it wasn’t for their keeper gifting us the 3 points. 
 

Our midfield consists of Smith and Nagy, both of which are happy to stay in our own half taking the ball of the CB and passing it sideways - repeat.

Then you have O’Dowda and Weimann out wide - the workhorses with pace but very little quality. 
 

Even though we played some nice stuff in the first half yesterday we never threatened Forest. With the midfield and formation that started yesterday, the only threat was to get to the byline and whip crosses in. This has been our only real threat this season with crosses in the box, hence why we’ve scored nearly 20 headed goals and that Nahki’s goals have all been headers. Hardly creative but which Wells very nearly scored from again last night if it wasn’t for some brilliant defending. 
 

3 goals in 8 is it? I find it harsh that you’re blaming a centre forward for the basic service that we give them. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...