COD

[And Its Smith]

5 minutes ago, Ecko said:

He's crap and the sooner we get rid the better. 

He has had no competition for his place since he's been here. 

In 6 years he’s had no competition? He’s been picked left wing back, left wing, right wing and midfield…..and without competition ? That’s astounding. 

[shelts]

Build a side round him !

[brad blit]

No more news regarding contract offer, but last talk was some while ago and neither party has suggested further talks. I’m “guessing” that someone may be seeing what they could get elsewhere….. 

[And Its Smith]

12 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I just think he’s “okay”.  I don’t think he’s crap, but he is massively frustrating for a player who I don’t think is playing any better than when he joined in summer 2016. His best form was a run in Autumn of 2017, and a period in 18/19 with the odd one-off here and there since.  Been many below the level too.

When I see a player almost 27, I expect him to occasionally take a game by the scruff of its neck.  I sometimes see 45 minutes that give me a bit of hope, but rarely a full 90.  This should be peak O’Dowda years.  It’s not though.

Above is his BC stats.  Of course he’s missed games through injury.

108 starts (completed 60 / subbed off 48 times) / 67 sub appearances.  

An average of 57.76 mins per appearance.

A dwindling return of goals and assists over the past 3 seasons.

Played in 5 different positions at the club. That hasn’t helped. I’m not one to go over stats but it is interesting how so many (appreciate not you) say he’s awful and yet he keeps getting picked for club and country 

[Davefevs]

4 minutes ago, brad blit said:

No more news regarding contract offer, but last talk was some while ago and neither party has suggested further talks. I’m “guessing” that someone may be seeing what they could get elsewhere….. 

I guess that could apply on both sides?

[Davefevs]

Just now, And Its Smith said:

Played in 5 different positions at the club. That hasn’t helped. I’m not one to go over stats but it is interesting how so many (appreciate not you) say he’s awful and yet he keeps getting picked for club and country 

Yeah, he’s not crap.  In our current squad he’d always make the 18.  I’m a bit worried the promising signs on return from injury have started to trend downwards.

Might this be linked to a contract impasse as @brad blitsuggests?

I always want all of our players to do well.

[BTRFTG]

1 hour ago, DT The Optimist said:

What’s the future hold for him in Bristol?
I recall some years back he delayed signing the contract on the table  by the  club to see what his options were and nothing materialised from any other club.. here he is still. Perhaps that told a story.

I recall him having one great game at Norwich some years back that I was at…and I think that’s about it, when I have left a stadium being  really impressed by him.  I do not doubt his work rate and effort  and comes across in media as nice guy, but there is simply no end product, no goals, few assists, not a defender…not a particular exciting winger.  

Is it the management who are  not getting the best out of him….or is he simply not a championship wide player.  My own view is he will be gone in the summer….
 

Not so much a 'delay' as stating his belief and ambition. Leeds wanted him, he was going there, that was his level. Problem being Leeds (or anybody else for that matter,) knew nothing about it.

The bloke's deluded, he's not remotely a competent footballer, he's a waste of space and as I've harped on for years he should have been thrown out the door years ago.

[The Swan and Cemetery]

Bit of Vyner about him. Not quite good enough to hold down his best position, but as a squad player has to play where asked, and as a result often looks weaker. As with Vyner looks to be on the brink of having a Championship career (Vyner at right back, COD less sure, but don’t think LWB), but mentality maybe not quite there. For both maybe now’s the time to be a bigger fish in a League One pond or remain on the edges of Championship squads. Seems odd to conclude that neither are quite up to the Championship given approx 250 games between them, but there it is! 

[BrizzleRed]

17 minutes ago, Lew-T said:

For a player to have been at a club for 6 years, usually they tend to be cult heroes to the fan base by that time…

But we’re here 6 years later still wondering what we’ve got. That itself is the sad reality of O’Dowda’s time here.

We really need to upgrade and move him on.

I think that’s also the sad reality of us as a club too.  

Take away his effort and energy and he offers us virtually nothing else.  Any hopes we had he could realise any potential he’s supposed to have are long gone.

I wonder how many other Championship clubs would accept that level of mediocrity for 6 years and still give him so many opportunities, with so little return.

Really need to get rid if we’re serious about progressing.

[brad blit]

6 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I guess that could apply on both sides?

Im only aware of one side….. 

[ray savino]

There were times when I started to think he was going to fulfil his promise. Very few times, but nevertheless showed moments of real quality. I think other managers have seen that potential in as much as he’s tall for a wide player, athletic runner physique, decent on the ball technique, a turn of pace, works hard, can be used attacking wise left and cutting in from the right, and can sometimes finish. So he can offer some balance to a side.

However, this is when he gets his game together. All the above attributes is what I think managers at BCFC have seen to be what we should want from a wide player. NP I think has chosen him to give us some option of balance on the left to offer some defensive cover alongside an attacking option. As I say all great if on the rare occasions he gets his game together.

The biggest problem as I see it is in his head. I think his confidence is shot, he’s stayed here too long and has become stale. He’s no longer a 21 year old with potential and his career has stagnated. I actually think he has decent attributes, but hasn’t developed the mentality to drive on. Seems a bit too nice, and if you compare that to what we’ve seen of Scott and Benerous, he seems to lack that little bit of edge that they have shown in their game. Now needs to move on. Seems a decent lad, good luck to him. If he does find form and comes good for us then I’d be delighted, but time I think to move on and best for both parties.

I have a feeling Taylor Moore the same and possibly Zak Vyner. I reckon both could handle themselves but seem a bit too nice sometimes. Both decent technique but have they the mentality to make it consistently at Championship level? At times Zak can look very good but so prone to mistakes. 

 

[Calculus]

18 minutes ago, shelts said:

Build a side round him !

Exactly - just as long as that side's not us.

[old_eastender]

Trouble is, although he has the odd game (well more like 45 mins) where he causes the opposition problems. The only consistency with COD is the lack of end product. The stats speak for themselves. This season 1 goal, zero assists.

Any decent wide player will at least have a number of assists. We have given him 6 years with very little to show for it, hope we don't consider paying out any more.

[Davefevs]

19 minutes ago, The Swan and Cemetery said:

Bit of Vyner about him. Not quite good enough to hold down his best position, but as a squad player has to play where asked, and as a result often looks weaker. As with Vyner looks to be on the brink of having a Championship career (Vyner at right back, COD less sure, but don’t think LWB), but mentality maybe not quite there. For both maybe now’s the time to be a bigger fish in a League One pond or remain on the edges of Championship squads. Seems odd to conclude that neither are quite up to the Championship given approx 250 games between them, but there it is! 

Was trying to think how I could use Vyner as a similar example.   Vyner isn’t crap either.

[Harry]

19 minutes ago, The Swan and Cemetery said:

 Seems odd to conclude that neither are quite up to the Championship given approx 250 games between them, but there it is! 

Please let me introduce you to Nicky Hunt. 
He had 128 Premier League appearances and a further 3 seasons in the championship. Doesn’t stop him being a League 2 player. 
 

[redsquirrel]

i thought CoD played best up through the middle a long time ago.  turns back after a run these days,maybe no support but more uncertainty i think. needs a run of good games for confidence but cant get that with the rest of our teams performances over the past few years

[lenred]

He was featured on a documentary series called ‘Phenoms’ before Russia 2018 - essentially about young up and coming players to watch for.
Other players featured included Gabriel Jesus, Marquinhos, Paulo Dybala, Ousman Dembele, Leon Gorretxa and Dele Alli - proper players.  
I always wondered a) why the hell he was on it in the first place and b) whether this appearance gave him some sort of further inflated sense of self importance - that he thought he was at that level.  
If he really was thought of in some quarters close to him as being at that level then it must be one hell of a comedown for him that’s for sure! 
 

Edited February 6, 2022 by lenred

[Phileas Fogg]

1 hour ago, And Its Smith said:

Most fans don’t rate him. Most managers at club and international level continue to pick him. A weird anomaly really. Are the fans wrong or are all the managers wrong ?

I made a similar point when Pearson was appointed and was told ‘Pearson won’t pick him’.  Well he does, every game 

It might be partly down to the fact he’s naturally left sided, is fairly reliable and versatile. 

In a side where players like Alex Scott, Massengo and Semenyo have really kicked on - he looks pretty pedestrian in comparison. 

[GlastonburyRed]

There's no shame in being 'just' a Championship footballer, as there's no shame is us 'just' being a Championship football club (what our neighbours would give for that after all), however, if aspire to compete at the correct end of the table then COD, along with Vyner & Moore, potentially Max etc, may need to be replaced with better than we have. Thing is, historically, players such as the aforementioned are as good as we can hope for, given our status over the past 40 years, so the bigger question is whether SL et al have the ambition to be better than these players. otherwise, we might as well stick with them...

[Simon bristol]

1 hour ago, And Its Smith said:

Played in 5 different positions at the club. That hasn’t helped. I’m not one to go over stats but it is interesting how so many (appreciate not you) say he’s awful and yet he keeps getting picked for club and country 

To be fair, ireland are pretty awful these days, and any pro playing in the english leagues is likely to play for them

[Davo370]

Doesn't head the ball either, which is exacerbating our set piece defending problem as one of our taller players.

[Sleepy1968]

1 hour ago, brad blit said:

No more news regarding contract offer, but last talk was some while ago and neither party has suggested further talks. I’m “guessing” that someone may be seeing what they could get elsewhere….. 

That someone might be a bit disappointed.

[DT The Optimist]

2 hours ago, And Its Smith said:

Most fans don’t rate him. Most managers at club and international level continue to pick him. A weird anomaly really. Are the fans wrong or are all the managers wrong ?

I made a similar point when Pearson was appointed and was told ‘Pearson won’t pick him’.  Well he does, every game 

good point….regularly selected for the Republic Squad, although not a regular starter. Have they really got so few players or…. Do they see something we don’t. 

[Fordy62]

7 minutes ago, DT The Optimist said:

good point….regularly selected for the Republic Squad, although not a regular starter. Have they really got so few players or…. Do they see something we don’t. 

They’re nowhere near as good as Wales & Joe Morrell Is a first teamer for Wales…

Edited February 6, 2022 by Fordy62

[RedRock]

1 hour ago, Sleepy1968 said:

That someone might be a bit disappointed.

I’d heard he’d already bought his Ipswich Town PJ’s, duvet and pillow case pack. 

Fearing a Famara style end-of-contract performance rundown now, but suspect I won’t notice.

[Prime]

4 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I think he has a tremendous, athletic physique…just doesn’t use it.

We saw that in evidence twice yesterday, one where he failed to usher the ball out for a goal kick, the other when through on goal and fell over.  I think JonD said it was a push in the back.  I’ve just d/l the clip, and I can’t see a push at all, just Gabriel using his arms and body as he’s perfectly entitled to, with Callum not trying to give anything back.  Wish I could post the video.

 

Whilst I agree with your comments in general about not using his physical attributes enough, I do wonder if that particular incident was a foul. I think the image below from the Bristol Post is the same incident from a better angle, which shows a tug of the shirt and would explain why he fell down so easily. Unfortunately, a clever foul as no official would be able to see the shirt pull. 

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/bristol-city-verdict-odowda-record-6610485.amp

[Davefevs]

3 minutes ago, Prime said:

Whilst I agree with your comments in general about not using his physical attributes enough, I do wonder if that particular incident was a foul. I think the image below from the Bristol Post is the same incident from a better angle, which shows a tug of the shirt and would explain why he fell down so easily. Unfortunately, a clever foul as no official would be able to see the shirt pull. 

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/bristol-city-verdict-odowda-record-6610485.amp

I did see that photo.

Don’t let him get his arm across you in the first place, get yours across his first!

[Garland-sweden]

7 hours ago, And Its Smith said:

Every single manager got it wrong?!  Football isn’t just about stats 

LJ and Holden got it wrong. We are now short of players and money therefore COD is playing. Its not all about stats in football as you say but COD is not good enough, same with the player who went to Ipswich. Doubt that COD will start vs Reading.

[Shuffle]

O’Dowda has all the attributes to be a top player in terms of he’s athletic, quick, decent in the air & there’s definitely a player in him.  However, how many chances can one player get and grown tired like lots of his “potential” transpiring to sub standard performances.  He’s no where near as bad as some make out but it’s time for him to be taken out of team and moved on in the summer.  Since QPR where he was very good in first 45 mins, every game since has gone around him and that happens too many times for our invisible man.

You just know he will go on and be a success elsewhere but happy after years of defending him for us to take that risk.

 

[MC RISK77]

10 hours ago, Simon bristol said:

To be fair, ireland are pretty awful these days, and any pro playing in the english leagues is likely to play for them

Yes sadly as someone who’s dad is half Irish I do take more than a passing interest In the Irish national team and their last squad was truly depressing, not withstanding COD it also included the likes of Daryl Horgan, Alan Browne, Will Keane, Josh Cullen and Jack Taylor- all decent pros but all championship standard at best.

Being picked for Ireland while is still recognition in itself is not necessarily a barometer for the level of a player.