| Lief Davis 00:50 - Apr 24 with 995 views | britbiker |
I have no idea to the answer, but didn't Leif have the most goal assists last time we were promoted. I sure this season something has changed as I don't feel like his crossing has been a major factor. His running/overlapping to allow others space has been great however. [Post edited 24 Apr 0:51]
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| Lief Davis on 01:01 - Apr 24 with 911 views | armchaircritic59 |
Yes, most assists in a season I believe at that level, 18. 4 so far this season. Probably more than one reason for that. One certainly being, you can keep crossing a ball into the penalty area as much as you like but if no one is good enough to get on the end of them, it's of no use. The same problem Kasey McAteer has had. He should be sitting on at least 6 assists by now and possibly 1 or 2 more. Try and tell some the obvious and you get told the stock response. " Our strikers aren't in the team to score goals" Frankly, there is no answer to that. Well, not one I wish to commit to a post anyway! |  | | |
| Lief Davis on 01:04 - Apr 24 with 902 views | Sarge |
Part of it is probably that we don’t have anyone who gets on the end of crosses that can finish. Before you could rely on Chaplin, Burns, Broadhead, or Moore to finish the chance.
This season we have Azon who can’t hit a barn door, Hirst who mostly can’t hit a barn door, Akpom who hasn’t been in the vicinity of any doors and then the likes of Clarke, Philogene, Mehmeti etc who tend to make their own goals. McAteer in particular would have had some assists a lot earlier on if we had better finishing. |  | | |
| Lief Davis on 03:23 - Apr 24 with 813 views | IPS_wich |
I think there's a pretty simple explanation that isn't related to whether our #9 is any good (as others have suggested).
Two years ago we played Burns really wide right, Chaplin as the #10 tended to move to the right side and Broadhead would tuck into the middle. It left a paddock for Lief to play in knowing his stamina and speed would mean he could go up and down the left all day. Plus with Luongo and Burgess we had two left footers who would cover across if Davies got caught out to far up the pitch.
Fast forward two years and our two main goal threats (Clarke and Philogene) both prefer to play left wing, plus our attacking threat down the right is arguably not what it was - which means our left hand side of the pitch is much more congested.
Two years ago he would pick up the ball in the middle third and have plenty of time to pick out a cross or advance to the byeline and cut back. Now he's not receiving the ball anywhere near as much and when he does overlap I would guess about 75% of the time it serves as a decoy to enable Clarke/Philiogene to cut inside with the ball.
I don't know if there are stats, but I would guess he's putting in less than half the number of crosses than he was two years ago so he won't have anywhere near the number of assists.
There is one other difference from an assists perspective as well - we were a real threat from his corners in both of the L1/Champ promotion seasons so he got a lot of assists that way - this year, not so much. | | | |
| Lief Davis on 06:26 - Apr 24 with 663 views | WeWereZombies |
| Lief Davis on 03:23 - Apr 24 by IPS_wich |
I think there's a pretty simple explanation that isn't related to whether our #9 is any good (as others have suggested).
Two years ago we played Burns really wide right, Chaplin as the #10 tended to move to the right side and Broadhead would tuck into the middle. It left a paddock for Lief to play in knowing his stamina and speed would mean he could go up and down the left all day. Plus with Luongo and Burgess we had two left footers who would cover across if Davies got caught out to far up the pitch.
Fast forward two years and our two main goal threats (Clarke and Philogene) both prefer to play left wing, plus our attacking threat down the right is arguably not what it was - which means our left hand side of the pitch is much more congested.
Two years ago he would pick up the ball in the middle third and have plenty of time to pick out a cross or advance to the byeline and cut back. Now he's not receiving the ball anywhere near as much and when he does overlap I would guess about 75% of the time it serves as a decoy to enable Clarke/Philiogene to cut inside with the ball.
I don't know if there are stats, but I would guess he's putting in less than half the number of crosses than he was two years ago so he won't have anywhere near the number of assists.
There is one other difference from an assists perspective as well - we were a real threat from his corners in both of the L1/Champ promotion seasons so he got a lot of assists that way - this year, not so much. |
Decent analysis, I would also add that McKenna cannot continue with the same tactics and expect opposition managers not to adjust their set ups (and this despite half the forum suggesting that MCKenna never makes changes and the other half saying he tinkers too much.) Two years on players who have spent that time in the second tier (and their managers) will have reflected on being turned by Leif and come up with ideas to prevent it happening again.
I like the concept of the left side of the pitch being a paddock but I don't know what the right side is - set aside ? |  |
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| Lief Davis on 07:12 - Apr 24 with 551 views | Vic |
As an aside to this, I really rate Leif, but it seems to me that we havent actually missed him when he hasnt played. Absolutely no criticism, and I may be wrong, but our points haul while he's been suspended or injured has been excellent. |  |
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| Lief Davis on 07:17 - Apr 24 with 508 views | SheffordBlue |
| Lief Davis on 03:23 - Apr 24 by IPS_wich |
I think there's a pretty simple explanation that isn't related to whether our #9 is any good (as others have suggested).
Two years ago we played Burns really wide right, Chaplin as the #10 tended to move to the right side and Broadhead would tuck into the middle. It left a paddock for Lief to play in knowing his stamina and speed would mean he could go up and down the left all day. Plus with Luongo and Burgess we had two left footers who would cover across if Davies got caught out to far up the pitch.
Fast forward two years and our two main goal threats (Clarke and Philogene) both prefer to play left wing, plus our attacking threat down the right is arguably not what it was - which means our left hand side of the pitch is much more congested.
Two years ago he would pick up the ball in the middle third and have plenty of time to pick out a cross or advance to the byeline and cut back. Now he's not receiving the ball anywhere near as much and when he does overlap I would guess about 75% of the time it serves as a decoy to enable Clarke/Philiogene to cut inside with the ball.
I don't know if there are stats, but I would guess he's putting in less than half the number of crosses than he was two years ago so he won't have anywhere near the number of assists.
There is one other difference from an assists perspective as well - we were a real threat from his corners in both of the L1/Champ promotion seasons so he got a lot of assists that way - this year, not so much. |
FBRef have him as 8.12 crosses per 90 in 23/24 and 6.05 this season. Agree with your points - I think there's also an element of us facing more teams who have been happy to sit a bit deeper against us and as a result the box is much more crowded which makes it more difficult to pick out a clear player than when we were marauding forward in the last Championship season. | |
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| Lief Davis on 07:20 - Apr 24 with 471 views | DJR |
He was also 10th in the Premier League for chances created, ahead of any other defender, which is excellent in a relegated team.
https://www.statmuse.com/fc/as [Post edited 24 Apr 7:20]
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| Lief Davis on 07:25 - Apr 24 with 420 views | lazyblue |
| Lief Davis on 01:01 - Apr 24 by armchaircritic59 |
Yes, most assists in a season I believe at that level, 18. 4 so far this season. Probably more than one reason for that. One certainly being, you can keep crossing a ball into the penalty area as much as you like but if no one is good enough to get on the end of them, it's of no use. The same problem Kasey McAteer has had. He should be sitting on at least 6 assists by now and possibly 1 or 2 more. Try and tell some the obvious and you get told the stock response. " Our strikers aren't in the team to score goals" Frankly, there is no answer to that. Well, not one I wish to commit to a post anyway! |
That’s why I feel McAteer has been unlucky early on as he put some great balls across which strikers all messed up. | | | |
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| Lief Davis on 09:31 - Apr 24 with 189 views | Guthrum |
| Lief Davis on 03:23 - Apr 24 by IPS_wich |
I think there's a pretty simple explanation that isn't related to whether our #9 is any good (as others have suggested).
Two years ago we played Burns really wide right, Chaplin as the #10 tended to move to the right side and Broadhead would tuck into the middle. It left a paddock for Lief to play in knowing his stamina and speed would mean he could go up and down the left all day. Plus with Luongo and Burgess we had two left footers who would cover across if Davies got caught out to far up the pitch.
Fast forward two years and our two main goal threats (Clarke and Philogene) both prefer to play left wing, plus our attacking threat down the right is arguably not what it was - which means our left hand side of the pitch is much more congested.
Two years ago he would pick up the ball in the middle third and have plenty of time to pick out a cross or advance to the byeline and cut back. Now he's not receiving the ball anywhere near as much and when he does overlap I would guess about 75% of the time it serves as a decoy to enable Clarke/Philiogene to cut inside with the ball.
I don't know if there are stats, but I would guess he's putting in less than half the number of crosses than he was two years ago so he won't have anywhere near the number of assists.
There is one other difference from an assists perspective as well - we were a real threat from his corners in both of the L1/Champ promotion seasons so he got a lot of assists that way - this year, not so much. |
Further to that, our classic break-out tactic in 2022-23-24 was to have the ball in centre midfield or just in front of right back, then a long diagonal switch to Davis, who would be in acres of space on the left wing.
Defences simply don't allow him that freedom any more. They know what he can do and there's somebody positioned to intercept the cross-field ball or to contest his onward movement.
That's in addition to the factor, related to what you've said, that Davis is starting from a lot deeper than he used to, having Clarke or Philogene occupying his previous space high and wide. |  |
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