Scrap Adebola

[intercity]

I don't often comment on the forum, though I do read it. However, this thread got me thinking...

I can't believe the number of people calling for Adebola to be dropped. From what Ive seen of him this season, he is a top 3 player and definitely the pick of the strikers. The fact that the midfield is not firing has nothing to do with him. Whenever he is on the ball, opposition defenders panic, he is incredibly strong, excellent in the air and yes, he is a target man (and a very good one at that). I think that's an asset most sides in this division would be happy to have. City can play both attractive football on the floor and Mr Adebola together, but perhaps Gary Johnson needs to address problems in other areas to make it happen.

Of course, this is my opinion, but it would be interesting to ask opposition managers/ fans opinions - it seems to me away from Ashton Gate Adebola is very highly rated.

[Bris Red]

I don't often comment on the forum, though I do read it. However, this thread got me thinking...

I can't believe the number of people calling for Adebola to be dropped. From what Ive seen of him this season, he is a top 3 player and definitely the pick of the strikers. The fact that the midfield is not firing has nothing to do with him. Whenever he is on the ball, opposition defenders panic, he is incredibly strong, excellent in the air and yes, he is a target man (and a very good one at that). I think that's an asset most sides in this division would be happy to have. City can play both attractive football on the floor and Mr Adebola together, but perhaps Gary Johnson needs to address problems in other areas to make it happen.

Of course, this is my opinion, but it would be interesting to ask opposition managers/ fans opinions - it seems to me away from Ashton Gate Adebola is very highly rated.

The problem is whenever you play Dele players like Carey Fontaine and Orr cannont resist playing the long ball, the back four can all play football but think whats the point when they can hoof it to Dele in a matter of seconds instead of playing it around, they just prefer to do the easy thing and put there foot through it.

The real problem in fact dosnt lie with Dele it lies with the other 9 players who cannont resist the long ball to him. We cannont drop Crey Fontaine etc because the as we all know are very good players in the other raes so the only solution is to bring Brooker in for Adebola.

People need to realise the dyas of the big target man are slowly coming to an end, a good example would be Jerome he is a modern day target man with pace strnegth and something Dele has lacked all his carer good touch.

I really hope Akinde has good touch and is similar to Jerome, poeple saying he should learn from Adebola really need to understand that target man like Dele reall arnt the way foward for our club.

[The Humble Realist]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but it really frustrates me when fans get on Adebolas back. he actually won quite a lot of ball against Ridgwell and Taylor.

ANYONE who wants Trundle in the team should want Adebola in the team because last season Trundles best form came with Adebola.

I can see the Brooker argument, and can see where people are coming from with it. Brooker is relativly unproven at this level still and should he come in he may or may not be better than Dele, so i can see why some fans are calling from him.

what people seem to forget with Adebola is tht often 2 centre backs mark him because he is such a threat, which should leave players like Maynard to use the space. Look similarly how well heskey and owen worked/work on this basis.

Bris_red it seems to me you are a Maynard fan(your profile pic suggests this) and perhaps u should be looking to blame the first half tactics, rather than Adebola for Carey and fontaine lumping it upfront. There was no width which meant that when any of the back four got the ball they had to lump it up because there was no-one else to pass to. I felt very sorry for Maynard because he seemd to be one of three players (mcindoe and williams the other two) who were told to play about 5 yards behind Adebola and just run when he got a flick on. This in fact is the same point your saying which is that we are hoof ball, which in the first half on tuesday was true. However, in the 2nd half we played 4-4-2 and Adebola was a big factor in getting us back in the game working his socks off.

The way i see it Adebola shuld be one of the first names on the team sheet because of his presence , work rate and at the end of the dayhis goal scoring record. Only Brookers this season is better, and since Adebola arrived in January he must have the best goals to game ratio (miles better than Trundles who despite scoring on Tuesday , you cant say "we play better football when Trundle plays and it paid off because Trundle scored" becos the goal was a freak goal) a great goal and Trundle possibly our only player who could do it, but he wont score a goal like that again this season and it was nothing to do with trundle being "hungry" or "working for the team" , it was just one of thos. e goals

[Guest ashtonyate]

The problem with having a target man is that it can make the rest of the team lazy. Its easy just to lump the ball up the pitch in the hope that the big man will hold it up, lay it off or flick it on. It restricts imagination and creativity. You don't see many target men in the PL.

There is certainly some weight to the arguement that Adebola should be rested. Perhaps without a big bloke up front the other City players would be forced to adopt a more creative approach. Creating chances has been a problem as Johnson pointed out after Tuesday night.

Johnson also said after the Brum defeat that City lacked movement and big Dele isn't the most mobile of players so perhaps a change up front on Saturday would provide the team with more options.

I doubt that Johnson will change things though.

It can make a team laze but also it can re leave the defence when under pressure surly your not saying we should have Trundle & Maynard up front. What a backward step that would be Adebola is the only proven striker we have and worth his place in any City side at the moment we do not get the ball on the ground to play football because we do not have a play maker in midfield simple as that.

[Robbored]

It can make a team laze but also it can re leave the defence when under pressure surly your not saying we should have Trundle & Maynard up front. What a backward step that would be Adebola is the only proven striker we have and worth his place in any City side at the moment we do not get the ball on the ground to play football because we do not have a play maker in midfield simple as that.

I'm not saying anything about who should play. Just pointing out what the drawbacks are of playing a target man. Sure, a lump up the pitch when clearing the ball out of defence is ok when there is no other option but more often than not it comes straight back. Keeping possesion of the ball is what relieves pressure - not wellying long balls up the pitch roughly aimed at a target man who 4 times out 5 won't be able to control it with defenders all around.

Midfield is crying out for some creativity but one player doesn't create everything. Just look at how McFadden and Carslake bossed the first half on Tuesday night.They completely ran the show.

I don't know what the answer is but playing a target man doesn't help imo

[Bris Red]

I'm not saying anything about who should play. Just pointing out what the drawbacks are of playing a target man. Sure, a lump up the pitch when clearing the ball out of defence is ok when there is no other option but more often than not it comes straight back. Keeping possesion of the ball is what relieves pressure - not wellying long balls up the pitch roughly aimed at a target man who 4 times out 5 won't be able to control it with defenders all around.

Midfield is crying out for some creativity but one player doesn't create everything. Just look at how McFadden and Carslake bossed the first half on Tuesday night.They completely ran the show.

I don't know what the answer is but playing a target man doesn't help imo

Exactly we arnt playing lower league stuff anymore we are at a high level know and we need to look at how premreiership teams play. Name me one premeriship team that hoofes a ball up to a big centre foward like weve been doing? ( not including stoke and hull as i don't reall see them as prem teams)

A target man is great in league 1 and 2 but in the championship and prem you need something a bit less obvious in your attack like a trundle or brooker.

All I'm saying is give Adebola a rest, him and Maynard obviously don't work so i think GJ needs to rethink the foward line for Doncaster IMO.

[redrebel]

Right, i have been thinking long and hard and have come to the conclusion if we drop Adebola things become a LOT easier. Ok Adebola is great in the air but that is were it ends he has poor touch poor movement but the main thing that concerns me is are eagerness to play hoof ball.

Last night watching the first half was like watching the dying minutes of a world cup final at 0-0, every time the centre halfs got the ball they hoofed it, no thought was gone into Carey Fontaine Orr and Macca just thought blow it I'm going to hit Adebola with a long aimless ball and hope for the best.

Unfortunatley the longer we keep playing Dele the more often this will happen, not only does this make us look like a Pulis team it completely starves Maynard of any involment in the game, basically we have 2.25 million worth of talent fighting to get on the end of one of deles flick ons which is quite frankly a waste of talent and money.

They foward IMO is to drop Adebola, we can kid are selfs all we wont about Carey Fonatine etc stopping the long ball but unfortunatly they wont and the longer adebola plays the more we will play like we did under Puilis. Brooker/ Maynard Trundle/ Maynard any of those combinations would increase the chnaces of Maynard playing like we all know he can.

I'm simply saying Adebola I'm afraid is useless not only is he 33 but he is dragging us down ( i know this is not adebolas personal fault and I'm not blaming him) but he is a magnet for hoof ball and unles we wont to start scoring and playing atractive football like birmingham did last night Adebola needs to be dropped.

Let's hope you didn't have to think for too long because your conclusions seem totally brainless.Adebola is the only threat we have up front.He causes problems for defenders which currently no one else in the team does.He wins more than his fair share of headers and holds the ball up for us.But because players knock long balls to him too much let's drop him.Total rubbish.If defenders are hitting aimless balls to him then it is up to the Manager to sort them out not drop Adebola.I don't think I have read anything as daft for a very long time.

[Henry]

I don't get all this blaming Adebola for us playing long balls.

Does no one remember Trundle, Byfield and Showunmi being utterly useless with long balls last season? Least Adebola can make use of it.

[collier]

Exactly we arnt playing lower league stuff anymore we are at a high level know and we need to look at how premreiership teams play. Name me one premeriship team that hoofes a ball up to a big centre foward like weve been doing? ( not including stoke and hull as i don't reall see them as prem teams)

A target man is great in league 1 and 2 but in the championship and prem you need something a bit less obvious in your attack like a trundle or brooker.

All I'm saying is give Adebola a rest, him and Maynard obviously don't work so i think GJ needs to rethink the foward line for Doncaster IMO.

Laughable, you ask us to name 1 Premier League side that plays hoofball and then go and name the 2 prime suspects that were promoted last year yourself.

Trundle did and would again get murdered in the championship. He has had plenty of chances and pretty much brought nothing to the team last year when we were playing nice football.

Coincidence that we got to the play off final last year with Adebola in the team scoring goals then huh??

Maynard and Adebola would be the perfect partnership if we got the ball down and out wide, then got crosses into the box. We could also revert to the long ball to adebola at points in the game when it was called for. A change of player is not needed, just a change of tactics and a different mindset from the back 4 and midfield.

[Nibor]

Dele is IMO very good at what he does. That is using his strength both in the air and with the ball at his feet to out muscle defenders and help the ball stick up front. My only complaint with him would be that he seems to be a bit hit or miss - plays very well one game and then has one where he doesn't get anywhere near the same level.

Something worth noting is that our form last season dipped significantly after we included him, that's indisputable. It also seemed to me that the balance of opinion was that we were playing worse football after January than before with more long balls. I don't blame Dele for this, he does what is asked of him. I think the problem is not necessarily that we're playing with a big forward, it's that we're making his aerial ability the focal point of much of our attacking play and that's something the manager and the rest of the team are responsible for. Let's face it, our defenders don't need much encouragement to look for an ambitious long ball. It's low percentage football and it shows.

If you look at the Brum game, we had both wingers playing as inside forwards trying to get knock downs. They weren't wide, which meant there were less options for the defence and central midfield to use, so we hit it long more often. Dele got little joy against Taylor, the headers he did win after unwrapping the arms around his neck rarely went to one of our players and when they did they got in each other's way and were easily crowded as Brum full backs could defend narrow. I'd wager we retained more possession from long balls from Adebola being fouled than we did from flick ons finding a red shirt.

I'd like to see us playing the ball in to feet more, which is why I prefer Brooker up front. He typically comes 10-15 yards off the centre halves and takes it on his chest or feet and turns and sprays the ball wide or through. He's also got a dangerous shot from 20 yards which Dele doesn't seem to have. I think Brooker's style of play would complement Maynard's strengths much better and we'd hit it up in the air much less as he's a less obvious target. I also think it would encourage the wingers to stay wider and that in turn helps the full backs to look for overlapping 1-2s rather than 40 yard humps. I think we should be using Dele as a club in the bag not the focal point for every forward move and if we did we'd get far more balls going into the danger areas.

[Bris Red]

Laughable, you ask us to name 1 Premier League side that plays hoofball and then go and name the 2 prime suspects that were promoted last year yourself.

Trundle did and would again get murdered in the championship. He has had plenty of chances and pretty much brought nothing to the team last year when we were playing nice football.

Coincidence that we got to the play off final last year with Adebola in the team scoring goals then huh??

Maynard and Adebola would be the perfect partnership if we got the ball down and out wide, then got crosses into the box. We could also revert to the long ball to adebola at points in the game when it was called for. A change of player is not needed, just a change of tactics and a different mindset from the back 4 and midfield.

With Dele in the team this aint going to happen, also a different mind set from the back four might happpen for a game then they would revert back to the long ball as its the easy option.

Adebola is ruining the way we play football I'm sorry he is a nice enough bloke and all that but after watching on tuesday night i cannont see how we can carry on playing football in that way.

Watching tuesday at times was like watching league 2 standard football, the only way this will change is to take Dele out of the equation and try something new.

[collier]

With Dele in the team this aint going to happen, also a different mind set from the back four might happpen for a game then they would revert back to the long ball as its the easy option.

Adebola is ruining the way we play football I'm sorry he is a nice enough bloke and all that but after watching on tuesday night i cannont see how we can carry on playing football in that way.

Watching tuesday at times was like watching league 2 standard football, the only way this will change is to take Dele out of the equation and try something new.

Think you need to go support Chelsea then mate. It isnt always about our team that dictates how we play either. Birmingham are a class above us and showed it first half. We gave a good account of ourselves second half and Adebola was involved in most things. We might have looked league 2 standard at times but thats because the opposition made us look like that. Once again we got to the play off final with Adebola in the team so obviously that isnt good enough for you.

Makes me mad what utter tripe some people see when watching us play. Adebola i8s ruining our club by doing the job he is asked to do. I mean the guy cant win, if he wasnt doing his job you would all be calling for him to be dropped because he was playing poorly but no you want him dropped because he is playing well!! beggars belief sometimes.

[Bris Red]

Think you need to go support Chelsea then mate. It isnt always about our team that dictates how we play either. Birmingham are a class above us and showed it first half. We gave a good account of ourselves second half and Adebola was involved in most things. We might have looked league 2 standard at times but thats because the opposition made us look like that. Once again we got to the play off final with Adebola in the team so obviously that isnt good enough for you.

Makes me mad what utter tripe some people see when watching us play. Adebola i8s ruining our club by doing the job he is asked to do. I mean the guy cant win, if he wasnt doing his job you would all be calling for him to be dropped because he was playing poorly but no you want him dropped because he is playing well!! beggars belief sometimes.

What relevance me going to support Chelsea has i don't know. Anway Birmingham did NOT make us look like league 2 standard we did this ourselves by pumping long balls to Dele. I don't question his commitment or his effort i question his ability, first and foremost he has a poor touch which at championshp level is unacceptable. Secondly the only way he knows how to play is by receving a long ball, this is fine when you have 3 mins of added time to play and you need a win. Its not fine when you are 15 mins into the first half at home.

Whilst all this long ball crap is going on poor Maynard is running around like a headless chicken trying to get on the scraps of what ever Adebola might of won in the air. My argumenet is if you play a fully fit Brooker or Trundle they would hold the ball up turn and release the ball on the FLOOR! for Nicky to run on to.

Then we might see what Nicky is all about, far play to Dele he has done evrything GJ has told me but I'm afraid he is not good enough, we should be buliding a team around Maynards ability and not a 33 year old in my opion past it striker.

To conclude Adebola should be as Nibor said one of many ''clubs in the bag'' to be used, but we should not in a million years centre are play aroud him.

[Red Zeppelin]

What relevance me going to support Chelsea has i don't know. Anway Birmingham did NOT make us look like league 2 standard we did this ourselves by pumping long balls to Dele. I don't question his commitment or his effort i question his ability, first and foremost he has a poor touch which at championshp level is unacceptable. Secondly the only way he knows how to play is by receving a long ball, this is fine when you have 3 mins of added time to play and you need a win. Its not fine when you are 15 mins into the first half at home.

Whilst all this long ball crap is going on poor Maynard is running around like a headless chicken trying to get on the scraps of what ever Adebola might of won in the air. My argumenet is if you play a fully fit Brooker or Trundle they would hold the ball up turn and release the ball on the FLOOR! for Nicky to run on to.

Then we might see what Nicky is all about, far play to Dele he has done evrything GJ has told me but I'm afraid he is not good enough, we should be buliding a team around Maynards ability and not a 33 year old in my opion past it striker.

To conclude Adebola should be as Nibor said one of many ''clubs in the bag'' to be used, but we should not in a million years centre are play aroud him.

You seem to be maintaining that with Adebola we play long ball by default, and like robots we are incompetent of playing any other way with him in the side.

These balls on the FLOOR! for Maynard can be played by midfield, we just haven't found the shape to do so. In a 4-4-2 with wingers we are capable of doing the same thing but we haven't really played that yet. Adjust the system not the personnel.

[Bris Red]

You seem to be maintaining that with Adebola we play long ball by default, and like robots we are incompetent of playing any other way with him in the side.

These balls on the FLOOR! for Maynard can be played by midfield, we just haven't found the shape to do so. In a 4-4-2 with wingers we are capable of doing the same thing but we haven't really played that yet. Adjust the system not the personnel.

The likes of williams johnson mcindoe sproule etc arnt the problem dele is in IMO, he can only play one way when a long ball is booted down his throat, hes done this all his carrer and isnt going to chnage know at 33! If you ask dele to come short and actually play football hes stuffed because hes touch is so poor, and we all know he is not blessed with pace.

This is not a personal attack on Dele, he seems a nice bloke but i just think hes not good enough.

[Red Zeppelin]

i just think hes not good enough.

But how can you justify that?

Look at Sheff Utd away last season for just one example, he was in the team and we played very good football.

We almost got in the prem with Adebola leading our attack last season? He's not 'good enough' though?

[Bris Red]

But how can you justify that?

Look at Sheff Utd away last season for just one example, he was in the team and we played very good football.

We almost got in the prem with Adebola leading our attack last season? He's not 'good enough' though?

Hes style is making us play long ball football which is having a knock on affect with Maynard and the rest of the team.

Drop him and put in Brooker, if things don't work out then by all means put dele back in all I'm saying is we need to try something different, beacause the Adebola/Maynard partnership isnt working.

[Red Zeppelin]

Hes style is making us play long ball football which is having a knock on affect with Maynard and the rest of the team.

Drop him and put in Brooker, if things don't work out then by all means put dele back in all I'm saying is we need to try something different, beacause the Adebola/Maynard partnership isnt working.

Ok now this is is going round in circles because you aren't responding to counter-arguments.

As I just said, look at the Sheff Utd game, he played in that and we didn't go long ball! Adebola doesn't make us go long ball, it's a question of whether our players choose to when he is playing. Ignore Tuesday, look at performances last season when he played and we didn't hoof it.

Plus, the partnership isn't working because we haven't got our midfield sorted! 4-4-2 with wingers...for the third time...

[Seend Red]

Hes style is making us play long ball football which is having a knock on affect with Maynard and the rest of the team.

Drop him and put in Brooker, if things don't work out then by all means put dele back in all I'm saying is we need to try something different, beacause the Adebola/Maynard partnership isnt working.

Dele is making the team do nothing. He's just another player like the rest of them doing has he's told by the gaffer.

Which bit you struggling to understand? Point being you could drop Dele and put Brooker in but possibly Johnson may still ask them to play the same way, the problem would still exsist!

[Bris Red]

Dele is making the team do nothing. He's just another player like the rest of them doing has he's told by the gaffer.

Which bit you struggling to understand? Point being you could drop Dele and put Brooker in but possibly Johnson may still ask them to play the same way, the problem would still exsist!

Yes but a long ball to Brooker would be a titally diffrent ball game, Brooker would hold it up turn and realease, as oppsoed to Dele just flicking it on or when it does come to his feet he dosnt know what to do with it.

If Gj decides to go with Brooker than there are other ways other than a long ball, I'm not saying scarp long balls altogther as that would be stupid i understand long balls know and agin are affective. But my argument is when you play Dele there seems no other option but a long ball beacuse he can recevie to his feet, his slow, and has a poor touch.

Brooker/Maynard for saturday see how that would work out.

[IAmNick]

This is ridiculous. Dele has been a class player for us since we signed him. He played great last season, moving to a new club at short notice, has a pretty decent goal scoring record and always give 110%. He can't entirely dictate the balls played into him, the problem is the creativity coming from midfield, not the strikers - if there are no balls down the sides to be played, and no attacking outlet in midfield (that doesn't involve the ball being returned to them 5 seconds later), what choice do our back four have? Give the guy a break, he's been one of our better players this season I'd say.

[Guest churchill gaffer]

HAVE YOU GOT THE MONEY TO BUY SOMEBODY ELSE! ????????

I LIKE HIS WORK RATE!

HE WORKS HARDER THAN MAYNARD! AND HE DIDN'T COST £2.250,ooo!

I COULD UNDERSTAND PEOPLE GETTING ON THE BACK OF MAYNARD, BUT ADEBOLA HAS DONE IT. IT'S NOT HIS FAULT HE'S GETTING OLDER! THE EFFORT HE PUTS IN IS A CREDIT TO HIS PROFESSIONALISM!!!!!

I'D LIKE TO SEE HALF THE EFFORT FROM MAYNARD!

WELL DONE ADEBOLA!!!!

[Red Zeppelin]

Yes but a long ball to Brooker would be a titally diffrent ball game, Brooker would hold it up turn and realease, as oppsoed to Dele just flicking it on or when it does come to his feet he dosnt know what to do with it.

If Gj decides to go with Brooker than there are other ways other than a long ball, I'm not saying scarp long balls altogther as that would be stupid i understand long balls know and agin are affective. But my argument is when you play Dele there seems no other option but a long ball beacuse he can recevie to his feet, his slow, and has a poor touch.

Brooker/Maynard for saturday see how that would work out.

Well you seem to be carefully ignoring the argument of last season's games in which we didn't play long ball football.

Anyway as I said before, he has been our most valuable player (or to avoid confusion, most productive) this season so far, so why drop him? It's the midfield for goodness sake! We don't HAVE to play long ball with him in the team, he was part of a good football team last season.

[Seend Red]

Well you seem to be carefully ignoring the argument of last season's games in which we didn't play long ball football.

Anyway as I said before, he has been our most valuable player (or to avoid confusion, most productive) this season so far, so why drop him? It's the midfield for goodness sake! We don't HAVE to play long ball with him in the team, he was part of a good football team last season.

Exactly that!

Although I wouldn't hold my breath in waiting for bris to catch on

[Bris Red]

Exactly that!

Although I wouldn't hold my breath in waiting for bris to catch on

Well id like to see Maynard partnering somebody else i.e Brooker, this is my opinion and i don't seem to be alone.

See how Brooker and Maynard goes and if that dosnt work than put Adebola in, theres nothing wrong with tinkering with the team Seend Red.

[Elton red]

Well you seem to be carefully ignoring the argument of last season's games in which we didn't play long ball football.

Anyway as I said before, he has been our most valuable player (or to avoid confusion, most productive) this season so far, so why drop him? It's the midfield for goodness sake! We don't HAVE to play long ball with him in the team, he was part of a good football team last season.

MMM. The best football playing team last seaon was pre- Adebola. That team was crying out for someone like Maynard to keep up with McIndoe, Sproule etc. Dele did a great job, but as we all know a 20 goal striker from the outset of last season would have seen us promoted autmatcally.

[Elton red]

MMM. The best football playing team last seaon was pre- Adebola. That team was crying out for someone like Maynard to keep up with McIndoe, Sproule etc. Dele did a great job, but as we all know a 20 goal striker from the outset of last season would have seen us promoted autmatcally.

Automatically

[Red Zeppelin]

MMM. The best football playing team last seaon was pre- Adebola. That team was crying out for someone like Maynard to keep up with McIndoe, Sproule etc. Dele did a great job, but as we all know a 20 goal striker from the outset of last season would have seen us promoted autmatcally.

Agreed. But it's about finding a balance. Adebola improves the team more than any of the other strikers at the moment, but we can still play decent football with Dele in it.

[Maltshoveller]

Agreed. But it's about finding a balance. Adebola improves the team more than any of the other strikers at the moment, but we can still play decent football with Dele in it.

We could play good football

but to do that you need to win the midfield battle

When did we last dominate a game in the middle of the park???

Even in the season we went up we rarely controlled the midfield

unless we went 4-5-1

[Elton red]

Agreed. But it's about finding a balance. Adebola improves the team more than any of the other strikers at the moment, but we can still play decent football with Dele in it.

That is true of the team at the moment. However, as I've mentioned on another thread, we should have our midfield destroyer Marv back soon. He will win the ball and either lay it off or counter attack himself with pace. This will suit Maynard and to a lesser degree Brooks. Whilst Dele has the heart of a lion I don't think his legs are up to the job of keeping up with Sproule, Mac etc breaking at full tilt.