Kodger - lightweight or what?

[Robbored]

Kodger has played against all the Championship teams and now the return fixtures are well underway. I reckon that opposition defenders have clocked that he doesn't handle the rough stuff well and deliberately dish it out.

That could be why his goals have dried up.

[italian dave]

I feel he looks like he's not fully fit, carrying an injury but to date we've had no other options.

His physique is what it is, and it isn't like Agards. You can't change that, any more than you could change JET's large build and shape. 

I do think one (of the few) things SC was right about was that he needs someone like Wilbs to be the physical presence for the big defenders to worry about. 

[Londoner]

first season in the championship in possibly the most physical league out there.....coming from empty stadiums and a lower level.

Personally think he has been class for us and he still causes lots of trouble for defences.

for me could do with a rest, this season may have caught up with him.....but for his goals and all round play we could have been relegated by now.

Top signing and would easily be snapped up by another champ club, those on here saying waste of money etc clearly don't know what they are talking about.

[Lanterne Rouge]

2 hours ago, Andy082005 said:

Really don't think he will be with us next season. I think he will end up moving back to France.

Don't think he is settling in English football or settling in to the squad. 

Judging by the photo after Flinty scored and JK`s climbing over his back with an enormous cheesy grin on his face I don`t think that`s the case.

[YorkshireSection]

16 hours ago, 29AR said:

Very poor lately, and I put that down to the change in formation; I personally don't think he's worth persevering with as a lone man. Possibly we'd be better off giving Wilbs the starting nod and bringing on Kodj and Agard if we're to make that move. 

Unfortunately we've got Agard as a replacement, league one at best, come on the new striker.

[Dynamite Red]

He is currently to weak to play the lone striker role, he needs a physical striker alongside him to take the brunt of the knocks to be effective, he is a lot better when paired with Wilbraham.

[Davefevs]

Some mixed views on here, but I'm in the @Esmond Million's Bung camp.  Just because he didn't contribute much goal scoring activity today, doesn't mean he had a poor game.

Sitting behind the goal (in the right back position) you get to view the game differently that the side on / tv position.  I'm not saying he was at his best, but he did lots of unselfish running yesterday, often running their centre backs into the channels, chasing 50/50 type passes, often doing enough to win throws in the final 20 yards of the pitch or getting fouled.  That allowed our midfield to push up, and is a major part of the reason why Pack and even Smith are suddenly getting into advanced positions.  Doesn't have to be Kodjia on the end of the final ball, does it?

Tomlin and him look to be getting onto each other's wavelength, and those little 'give and goes' around the box look like they are going to come off.

Kodjia took 'pinged' passes into him, under pressure (especially from Berra) and got it under, moved the ball off, invariably to Tomlin, and off he went.  There's a lot more to playing centre forward than a lot think.  You have to take players away to create space.  I think Kidjia did a lot of the unseen work yesterday.  Here's a few pics of the 'attention' he got yesterday.

This was the one where Chambers gave him a pretty bad whack, after he chased one of those 50/50 balls into the channel;

Shirt pulling on him from Tommy Smith and Joe Bryan also;

And finally, he looks pretty happy to see Flint score;

just need to sort those tights out, Keith Weller will be turning in his grave.

[Murraysrightplum]

I could out drink him for sure

[downendcity]

2 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Some mixed views on here, but I'm in the @Esmond Million's Bung camp.  Just because he didn't contribute much goal scoring activity today, doesn't mean he had a poor game.

Sitting behind the goal (in the right back position) you get to view the game differently that the side on / tv position.  I'm not saying he was at his best, but he did lots of unselfish running yesterday, often running their centre backs into the channels, chasing 50/50 type passes, often doing enough to win throws in the final 20 yards of the pitch or getting fouled.  That allowed our midfield to push up, and is a major part of the reason why Pack and even Smith are suddenly getting into advanced positions.  Doesn't have to be Kodjia on the end of the final ball, does it?

Tomlin and him look to be getting onto each other's wavelength, and those little 'give and goes' around the box look like they are going to come off.

Kodjia took 'pinged' passes into him, under pressure (especially from Berra) and got it under, moved the ball off, invariably to Tomlin, and off he went.  There's a lot more to playing centre forward than a lot think.  You have to take players away to create space.  I think Kidjia did a lot of the unseen work yesterday.  Here's a few pics of the 'attention' he got yesterday.

This was the one where Chambers gave him a pretty bad whack, after he chased one of those 50/50 balls into the channel;

Shirt pulling on him from Tommy Smith and Joe Bryan also;

And finally, he looks pretty happy to see Flint score;

just need to sort those tights out, Keith Weller will be turning in his grave.

When he starts wearing sheer ones with seams up the back we should really start to worry.

[Chivs]

7 hours ago, samo II said:

When he signed it was noted his sister already lived in the UK, so presumably at least some of his relatives do.

And if she doesn't speak English fluently yet we should send her home.  Bloody immigrants and their radicalisation.

[reformed_red]

I was thinking yesterday that he hasn't had a good game for a while. But he is a class player, you can see that. Personally, I agree that we don't play to his strengths;

Freeman was cutting inside onto his left foot most of the time, and Bryan was looking to get crosses in from the left. Neither suits Kodjia. He needs early balls played through, weighted properly, so he has run in on goal. The system we play COULD work with him, but the players we have in that system don't do what he needs. 

I think we would see SO much more from him if he played wide right, with Agard up top. Agard runs at defences and stretches them, which opens gaps in/around the final third. Tomlin still plying in the middle would benefit from that too. Freeman / Bryan left side. I don't think LJ will change too much just now though, but I'd like to see JK out wide where he can still run at defenders but not be offside / relying on through balls that never come.

[MigratedRobin]

He's been the best part of a tiny attacking option so far this season. I'm sure he will improve once another attacking option is brought in. He must be mentally tired as well as physically at the moment!

[EnclosureSurge]

23 hours ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Wasn't great today but he's not weak as such for his frame. He's pretty slender for his height but holds the ball up fairly well usually.

I dunno which Kodjia you've been watching but the one I watch is pretty poor at holding the ball up, in fact it's one of the weakest aspects of his play. In France he probably didn't come up against many giants the like of which he plays each week in this div, but even so, the way I see it he is often slow to react (esp when he's just jogging back from another offside position), second to the ball or else just loses it to the centre-half who merely needs to poke it away and we've lost possession.

All that said, I'm a fan of his and would defend him by saying he's not a lone striker, his best play is facing the goal, not with his back to it. It seems we are largely using him at the moment to run around until such time as Wilbs and Agard can come on and produce more. Witness, yesterday, some of Wilbs' link up play - and not just with his head - where he had the ball, back to goal, and drifted out wide with it laying it off to Freeman or Bryan, besides the usual cushioned headers and flicks to which we have become accustomed. That's how you hold the ball up (and lay it off). (Side note: any stick Wilbs has received this season, those people should be ashamed. Yeah, let's have a pop at a 36 y-o who's being hopelessly overplayed by an off-thinking manager. Give him a break, will you?)

He does need to beef up. He has a good frame (missus) but gets knocked off the ball too easily for my liking. Agard sticks his bum in the way, Wilbs his wiry elbows and knees, but Kodge is still learning what GB centre-halves will get up to and how fast they'll do it. I don't expect him to be a heavyweight - or win many flick-ons from goal-kicks - but he needs some gym time to hold defenders off, in my view.

Kodge has a fair few weak points - one v ones, shooting, heading - but i like him a lot. He's exciting (less so recently) and full of potential, but 'holding the ball up fairly well usually' is not a phrase I would attach to him at all.

[EnclosureSurge]

23 hours ago, Phileas Fogg said:

 

[EnclosureSurge]

22 hours ago, formerly known as ivan said:

He isn't a loan striker and is doing his part for the team. Early season he was scoring goals but we we're conceding more and losing games.

You're right. We haven't got a loan striker (yet).

[Alex_BCFC]

He goes down like he has been shot. Other than that he has done well this season and I'm sure he will come good with goals again soon enough.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

1 minute ago, Alex_BCFC said:

He goes down like he has been shot. Other than that he has done well this season and I'm sure he will come good with goals again soon enough.

Mind you read this piece it's probably the best position to assume especially when the French old bill are firing 5,000 rounds v 11 rounds????????

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3446511/Confirmed-Diesel-hero-police-dog-Paris-attacks-shot-dead-wounded-innocent-neighbours-reckless-shooting.html

[Phileas Fogg]

31 minutes ago, EnclosureSurge said:

I dunno which Kodjia you've been watching but the one I watch is pretty poor at holding the ball up, in fact it's one of the weakest aspects of his play. In France he probably didn't come up against many giants the like of which he plays each week in this div, but even so, the way I see it he is often slow to react (esp when he's just jogging back from another offside position), second to the ball or else just loses it to the centre-half who merely needs to poke it away and we've lost possession.

All that said, I'm a fan of his and would defend him by saying he's not a lone striker, his best play is facing the goal, not with his back to it. It seems we are largely using him at the moment to run around until such time as Wilbs and Agard can come on and produce more. Witness, yesterday, some of Wilbs' link up play - and not just with his head - where he had the ball, back to goal, and drifted out wide with it laying it off to Freeman or Bryan, besides the usual cushioned headers and flicks to which we have become accustomed. That's how you hold the ball up (and lay it off). (Side note: any stick Wilbs has received this season, those people should be ashamed. Yeah, let's have a pop at a 36 y-o who's being hopelessly overplayed by an off-thinking manager. Give him a break, will you?)

He does need to beef up. He has a good frame (missus) but gets knocked off the ball too easily for my liking. Agard sticks his bum in the way, Wilbs his wiry elbows and knees, but Kodge is still learning what GB centre-halves will get up to and how fast they'll do it. I don't expect him to be a heavyweight - or win many flick-ons from goal-kicks - but he needs some gym time to hold defenders off, in my view.

Kodge has a fair few weak points - one v ones, shooting, heading - but i like him a lot. He's exciting (less so recently) and full of potential, but 'holding the ball up fairly well usually' is not a phrase I would attach to him at all.

I meant relatively speaking, the OP was speaking about him as if he was Bobby Reid or someone. Obviously he's not going to rival Wilbraham, Akinfenwa or Andy Carroll in that regard but he's not as powderpuff as some make out. 

I always find it strange how people think a player can just 'bulk up' too. For him, or anyone in the squad, to add a stone or so of muscle would take a great deal of time and enormous calorific intake. The amount of endurance work footballers do would make it even harder. If Kodjia was to add a stone of weight he may well lose some of his speed and agility as a result and would lose some of the strengths he does have in his game. Fending off opponents is as much about being clever and shielding the ball well rather than brute strength.

[Davefevs]

I don't mind him having the odd game rest, but he 

28 minutes ago, EnclosureSurge said:

I dunno which Kodjia you've been watching but the one I watch is pretty poor at holding the ball up, in fact it's one of the weakest aspects of his play. In France he probably didn't come up against many giants the like of which he plays each week in this div, but even so, the way I see it he is often slow to react (esp when he's just jogging back from another offside position), second to the ball or else just loses it to the centre-half who merely needs to poke it away and we've lost possession.

All that said, I'm a fan of his and would defend him by saying he's not a lone striker, his best play is facing the goal, not with his back to it. It seems we are largely using him at the moment to run around until such time as Wilbs and Agard can come on and produce more. Witness, yesterday, some of Wilbs' link up play - and not just with his head - where he had the ball, back to goal, and drifted out wide with it laying it off to Freeman or Bryan, besides the usual cushioned headers and flicks to which we have become accustomed. That's how you hold the ball up (and lay it off). (Side note: any stick Wilbs has received this season, those people should be ashamed. Yeah, let's have a pop at a 36 y-o who's being hopelessly overplayed by an off-thinking manager. Give him a break, will you?)

He does need to beef up. He has a good frame (missus) but gets knocked off the ball too easily for my liking. Agard sticks his bum in the way, Wilbs his wiry elbows and knees, but Kodge is still learning what GB centre-halves will get up to and how fast they'll do it. I don't expect him to be a heavyweight - or win many flick-ons from goal-kicks - but he needs some gym time to hold defenders off, in my view.

Kodge has a fair few weak points - one v ones, shooting, heading - but i like him a lot. He's exciting (less so recently) and full of potential, but 'holding the ball up fairly well usually' is not a phrase I would attach to him at all.

I think it depends what type of ball is played into him.  It's not as simple to say he can't hold the ball up.  I've seen him do it pretty well, despite it not being his natural game (Cardiff away).  I'm sure he'd love the luxury of being able to drag his centre half short, then spin him, for a ball around the corner where he can use his pace.  But that depends on his midfielder seeing that opportunity, having the time to play it and then finally executing it.  Not blaming other players, it's just not a straightforward "Kodjia can't hold the ball up" answer in my opinion.

Yesterday, don't forget the first two balls into Wilbs resulted in two free-kicks against him for backing in.

I'm sure he will beef up a bit, but let him do it over the summer with the benefit of a pre-season programme built around it.  You don't want to beef up and lose agility, pace at the same time.  Not drawing a comparison in ability or position, but two players who I thought got worse for becoming beefier were;

- Fernando Torres ~ lost that raw pace, and more importantly turn of pace when he became more muscular.  Become muscular was the trade off for being able to cope with the demands of the Prem

- David James ~ what a physique, but lost his agility as he became more muscular and aged.  Compare him to Edwin VDS!

Back to Kodjia, agree, he is certainly a way off the finished article, but that's why he is playing in this division, cost only €3m.  He's still got 9 league goals and 1 in cup, and if he got 5 more, I would think 15 would be a splendid effort, for a player in his first season, playing in a side that hasn't scored many and has struggled.  Yes, it's not the strongest part of his game, but I think he played a big part yesterday, just happened to be in an unselfish way.

[downendcity]

13 hours ago, Londoner said:

Funny I was sat next to Kodjias family yesterday, they were saying how happy he is here.

Ah, but they don't speak English and your French isn't up to much.

What they actually said was " pies are overpriced and there's huge queue for beer?"    

[Jack Dawe]

22 hours ago, Red Right Hand said:

Judging by the photo after Flinty scored and JK`s climbing over his back with an enormous cheesy grin on his face I don`t think that`s the case.

Exactly. Taking such obvious pleasure at another's success (Flint's goal) is a great personal quality and suggests team spirit is plentiful. This was a feature of the team last year too.