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Baker O'Dowda Walsh Watkins returning to action next week?


HappyClapper

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Already been reported in the Irish media that O’Dowda is hopeful of being fit for international duty at the end of the month.

Would have thought he would have to have been in contention for us before then in order for that to happen.

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Is it weird that I think that one of the best pieces of news amongst those four is Watkins? Not claiming he is a great player by a long stretch but I feel we urgently need forward options for rotation and the bench. Would be nice to see the young 'uns get a chance of course but there seems to be a reluctance to bring them on yet...

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6 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

Is it weird that I think that one of the best pieces of news amongst those four is Watkins? Not claiming he is a great player by a long stretch but I feel we urgently need forward options for rotation and the bench. Would be nice to see the young 'uns get a chance of course but there seems to be a reluctance to bring them on yet...

Think Watkins would be perfect Right Side in a 433. Had a lot of criticism on here, some merited and some completely undeserved. Personally I think there's a good player there, just needs a consistent run of games in one position to find his best form.

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9 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

Is it weird that I think that one of the best pieces of news amongst those four is Watkins? Not claiming he is a great player by a long stretch but I feel we urgently need forward options for rotation and the bench. Would be nice to see the young 'uns get a chance of course but there seems to be a reluctance to bring them on yet...

I'd certainly rather see any of our youngsters ahead of Watkins, who has no future either here or at this level IMO. 

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I have varying levels of excitement to see each player. I’m sure we’re all interested to see if Walsh has become the player we hope he might be. (Understand that it will take him a few games)

All of them are playing for their futures with 3 of them OOC and trying to impress to get a deal (Here or elsewhere). I’m expecting all of them will be desperate to impress.

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It's also been on the OS for a while.

https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/returning-players-set-for-under-23s-action/

Nigel Pearson confirmed the four players are in contention for minutes at the Optima Stadium, as he addressed squad availability for his first team’s match against QPR in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday (March 6th, 3pm KO).

He said: “We’ve certainly got players close to coming back and hopefully they will take part in the Under-23s game next week. I’ll go and see that so I have a better overview of some of those players coming back too."

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I'm excited to see how all these players respond to Nige.  

Neither ODowda or Watkins have impressed me in I'v what  I've seem of them but I think Calum in particular might benefit from having a serious head coach to harness his undoubted talent.     He seems to get in the right places plenty and works hard but lacks quality with his execution.

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I'm very keen to see Walsh finally in a City shirt again - especially with his contract up in the summer.

People say we've missed O'Dowda - i'm not so sure - I think we've missed the idea of O'Dowda - especially in our new set up - but I was surprised by the stats put up by @Davefevs about our midfield, where COD seemed to come out, on paper, the least effective of all our midfield?

Baker for cover, great, but I wouldn't rush him back in and don't fancy Mapps anywhere but CB again.

Watkins again, good to have as a physical option and on the bench, but harsh as it may sound, is he an option going forwards? OOC in summer, i'd rather see U23's given the time, if and when we're 'safe'.

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12 minutes ago, Alessandro said:

I'm very keen to see Walsh finally in a City shirt again - especially with his contract up in the summer.

People say we've missed O'Dowda - i'm not so sure - I think we've missed the idea of O'Dowda - especially in our new set up - but I was surprised by the stats put up by @Davefevs about our midfield, where COD seemed to come out, on paper, the least effective of all our midfield?

Baker for cover, great, but I wouldn't rush him back in and don't fancy Mapps anywhere but CB again.

Watkins again, good to have as a physical option and on the bench, but harsh as it may sound, is he an option going forwards? OOC in summer, i'd rather see U23's given the time, if and when we're 'safe'.

I haven't seen the stat's that you mention, but do they cover running with the ball to commit defenders and drawing fouls. I always feel that we miss the outlet and relief that he can give to the defence through his running.

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19 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

I haven't seen the stat's that you mention, but do they cover running with the ball to commit defenders and drawing fouls. I always feel that we miss the outlet and relief that he can give to the defence through his running.

I can’t remember exactly, but yes, I’ll absolutely give COD that - he is one of the players who can generally travel with the ball well.

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2 hours ago, Daniro said:

I'm excited to see how all these players respond to Nige.  

Neither ODowda or Watkins have impressed me in I'v what  I've seem of them but I think Calum in particular might benefit from having a serious head coach to harness his undoubted talent.     He seems to get in the right places plenty and works hard but lacks quality with his execution.

Isn't execution a bit harsh for Callum?

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2 hours ago, Port Said Red said:

I haven't seen the stat's that you mention, but do they cover running with the ball to commit defenders and drawing fouls. I always feel that we miss the outlet and relief that he can give to the defence through his running.

It’s just a very simplistic model I’m working on that says how many points they gain or lose the team whilst they’re on the pitch.  It’s not meant to be “all-defining” of a players overall contribution or their performance, but it’s something I started looking at last season with Eliasson, where there was an argument that we were better with him in the team...which probably wasn’t the case in reality.

Heres the overall points per game / per 90 gained or lost (min 90 mins played):

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Heres the same but only when the player has started games.

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And here’s impact as sub (min 45 mins played as a sub):

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In terms of how you score / lose points.  For a player starting a game, they start with a draw (0 pts), and if we are winning when they come off or end of game, then they get +2 (3pts for the win minus 1pt for the draw they started on).  If we lose it’s minus 1.

As a sub, if you come on when drawing, same as above.  If we are winning when a player comes and we draw then that’s minus 2. Etcetc.

Fam is quite an outlier here.  Gained several more points from the bench than when starting.

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3 hours ago, Alessandro said:

I can’t remember exactly, but yes, I’ll absolutely give COD that - he is one of the players who can generally travel with the ball well.

With his eyes firmly fixated on the ball at his feet.

 

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5 hours ago, LondonBristolian said:

Is it weird that I think that one of the best pieces of news amongst those four is Watkins? Not claiming he is a great player by a long stretch but I feel we urgently need forward options for rotation and the bench. Would be nice to see the young 'uns get a chance of course but there seems to be a reluctance to bring them on yet...

Watkins is a very good attacker of a ball to the far post - very strong and good in the air.

Adds a bit of beef to the team either out wide or up top and never stops working.

Under rated by a lot on here imo.

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5 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

That’s actually two blokes but I get your gist. :laughcont:

Walsh and Baker -I looked it up, Major

 

"We are Michael and Dermot Walsh, third generation bakers of the Walsh family. We started our own bakery almost thirty years ago. Situated on Mount Sion Avenue, a place which reflects the history of the Waterford Blaa and and its’ connections to brother Ignatius Rice who founded Mount Sion School on Barrack Street in 1802 where he also had a bakery and tailor’s workshop".

So Walsh, Baker AND Bobby Tailor...... Sounds like the nucleus of a team to me.

 

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It will be good to see all 4 back, will certainly change our bench and give us more options.

the one that I'm most intrigued to see back is Walsh, we know what the other three bring but it would be interesting to see Walsh get a run out as he's more of an unknown quantity than the other three.

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21 minutes ago, JonDolman said:

O'Dowda was doing a lot of work in that central midfield position. Winning balls on the ground and in the air. Pressing. Driving forward with the ball.

Agree, I think we have missed all he brings to the midfield.

It seems obvious in this 433 for Pearson to go with O'Dowda on the wing. I would not mind that but I think he'd offer a lot in a box to box role like he played in our 352.

I'll be very surprised if O'Dowda is not a favourite of Pearson's. I think he's one of those players that some fans don't rate but managers do. Work rate, pace, power, can head the ball. And being left footed is probably a bonus at the moment too!

He needs to seriously up his end product.  I’m not just talking tangible goals and assists (which has been very poor for too long), but his all-round involvement in attacking phases as part of a team.  His attacking is still too “individual”.  I get that attacking players can be prone to being the “end of the move”, but it happens too often with him, especially on the dribble.  You know my thoughts on why it is - others have commented the same - he dribbles with his head down.

I hope Pearson can find that spark in him.  He does have talent, but for all his energy it never really amounts to much / enough.  Gives away lots of petty fouls, bit like Nagy in that respect.  It’s not niggly, break-up momentum play like a Pearson or Livermore do / did, it’s often committing fouls when I think there is a good chance to win the ball, had they anticipated / engaged better in the first place.  That’s what I want to see improve too.

There were encouraging signs, QPR (a) second half, Bournemouth (a) first half, way way back, Preston (a) second half.  But I’m not sure I’ve seen enough across a whole 90 for a long time.

I will keep waiting and hoping that those 3 halves are the bar now.  If so, then he can be a decent part of those that start or subs (that get onto the pitch)..

I see a few people suggesting him in the wide forward role in a 433.  Do you think that’s a good fit, receiving ball facing his own teammates?  I see him better facing up the opposition and coming from deeper positions?  Until we see a Pearson team through choice I’m not sure what system we will see.

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