Someone of his ability should be busting a gut to receive the ball around the edge of the penalty area and use that dribbling skill to take people on in the box. His worth would rise enormously.
I've said before that I find Williams to be a very frustrating player. The weakness for me is the lack of end product ... and, for all the jokes, Bowyer has now recently said something similar.
I think he has now become a caricature of himself. He seems to think that his role is to be fouled and to win free-kicks.
His game should be about providing opportunities for the strikers ... hence, the killer pass, the tempting cross, the one-two in and around the penalty box.
I like that he runs at defenders. It's a rarity these days, and it is one way to unlock a packed defence, but he needs to get his head up.
Drawing the free-kick is not enough. Williams needs to think about playing his team mates in.
He has become one-dimensional. The Dribbling Victim.
He'd certainly be more effective if he could last 90mins! Has he ever played a whole game for us? It's either, start and get pulled off after 60mins (add Kenneth Williams meme here), or come on for the last 20mins. Am getting a bit frustrated by him tbh. I'm sure it will click at some point this season, but we cant wait forever.
he's only had sub appearances this season and we're moaning he's not made a huge impact. the bloke is clearly a bit of a confidence player, to be honest I think we'll only see the best of him with a run of games which he starts but for me he will be key this season even if it isn't in him scoring loads of goals himself
Jonny Williams will come good and be part of our rise to European football. Great player, great bloke. I think the added competition for places will focus his mind that he is not able to walk into the team and needs to deliver and think that little additional pressure will be good for him.
I think part of the issue this season and the back end of last season is the lack of a proper pre-season, which JW clearly needs. Think he will struggle this season, well certainly for the first few weeks.
Tough on Jonny, not sure if it's the right choice. We've seen that Jonny's confidence can easily be knocked and he likes to feel part of a family. Publicly criticising him and hauling him off early might not be the best plan, but maybe it will light a fire under him. We'll see
Hard to argue with Bowyer though.
He constantly gets talked up as being a championship player. He plays in a position where he should be getting 10-15 goals a season. It's been the story of his career. Terrifies defenders to death with absolutely zero end product.
Posted on the match thread.............
On the day he signed for us from Palace JW said that he doesnt score goals. Can't see why everyone is now so surprised.
And if you say that LB is coaching him now to do so then LB cant be much of a coach. He's been working with him for 18 months & still he hasn't scored.
You can teach someone all you like but if they don't want to listen or put the hours in to improve it ain't gonna happen.
'You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink'.
'you can lead a horse to water but a pencil must be lead'
Eddie Jones talks about players who are starters and finishers. I see Williams as a finisher (ironically), a player who can come on and give us control in the latter stages of a game.
Cricket is the same - with the bat some excel with a blank canvas at the outset whilst others are very good at assessing the situation and finishing an innings whereas, with the ball, some take wickets with the new ball whilst others limit the number of runs conceded at the end.
Reminds me of the discussions we used to have about Tony Watt.
another player who did very little wrong yet was labelled lazy etc where as imo i didnt think he was too bad, i think the number 32 and being ex celtic had a lot to do with it.
The challenge with Williams is that he doesn’t have much quality around him. Whilst he can pick up the ball and drive, he had players like Bonne being completely static. Therefore Williams more often than not finds himself running into brick walls.
His style of play is much more suited to the on the deck style of the Championship
Johnny Williams is outstanding at what he does well, and quite frankly very average at what he doesn't do well.
He has a very niche position but its impossible to build a team around him because he is made of glass.
You need to get the ball to his feet in the attacking 3rd. You need people to run passed him (be that midfielders or full backs) and you need movement from the front 2 to create the space for him. The 2nd half of Leeds at home last season was a master class in Johnny Williams.
He won't score goals, or get that many assists. What he will do is create space for others, keep the ball and pick out the 3rd man runners who will then get the assists.
The tip of the diamond with a Gallagher running past him is perfect for him. If you try and play him wide in a front 3 or flat in a midfield 3 he is bang average. Which is unusual for such a talented, clever, footballer.
I remember similar discussions around Kishishev. Much loved player, but just couldn't seem to find the net. Finally the first arrived via a simple tap in v West Ham?, and he then scored another very shortly thereafter. I have faith that Bowyer can get him scoring. He just needs to get into better positions in and around the box. That was where Bowyer got the majority of his goals, picking up the loose pieces, then firing shots into the corners of the net.
I remember similar discussions around Kishishev. Much loved player, but just couldn't seem to find the net. Finally the first arrived via a simple tap in v West Ham?, and he then scored another very shortly thereafter. I have faith that Bowyer can get him scoring. He just needs to get into better positions in and around the box. That was where Bowyer got the majority of his goals, picking up the loose pieces, then firing shots into the corners of the net.
Kishishev was one of the most underrated players we’ve ever had. Almost invariably we were a better team when he was playing.
I remember similar discussions around Kishishev. Much loved player, but just couldn't seem to find the net. Finally the first arrived via a simple tap in v West Ham?, and he then scored another very shortly thereafter. I have faith that Bowyer can get him scoring. He just needs to get into better positions in and around the box. That was where Bowyer got the majority of his goals, picking up the loose pieces, then firing shots into the corners of the net.
Kishishev was surely never in the team to score goals though
His job was always to sit in front of the Defence pretty much the same as what Pratley and Watson do now
I remember similar discussions around Kishishev. Much loved player, but just couldn't seem to find the net. Finally the first arrived via a simple tap in v West Ham?, and he then scored another very shortly thereafter. I have faith that Bowyer can get him scoring. He just needs to get into better positions in and around the box. That was where Bowyer got the majority of his goals, picking up the loose pieces, then firing shots into the corners of the net.
Kishishev was surely never in the team to score goals though
His job was always to sit in front of the Defence pretty much the same as what Pratley and Watson do now
Agreed Kishishev was there to provide a defensive shield in front of the defence, our version of a Makelele or Kante!
Williams is there for his creativity, not his defensive work.
I have faith that Bowyer can get him scoring. He just needs to get into better positions in and around the box.
That was where Bowyer got the majority of his goals, picking up the loose pieces, then firing shots into the corners of the net.
Indeed. It was the Bowyer way. Before JFC suffered his ACL, Bowyer was on to him to keep his run going into the box, and to anticipate where a loose ball could fall ...... result: JFC scored about 3 goals in 6 games doing just that.
Post match press conference after the Brighton match, Bowyer is discussing Albie Morgan's goal: "I've been telling to keep his run going into the box, things will fall for him ..... and his goal tonight proves that. Hope he learns from it."
I remember similar discussions around Kishishev. Much loved player, but just couldn't seem to find the net. Finally the first arrived via a simple tap in v West Ham?, and he then scored another very shortly thereafter. I have faith that Bowyer can get him scoring. He just needs to get into better positions in and around the box. That was where Bowyer got the majority of his goals, picking up the loose pieces, then firing shots into the corners of the net.
Kishishev was surely never in the team to score goals though
His job was always to sit in front of the Defence pretty much the same as what Pratley and Watson do now
Agreed, different types of midfielders, one defensive, one attacking. But the fans were desperate for Kish to break his duck, as they are now Williams. When he finally did, the second came quickly. That's what I'm hoping will happen with Williams. He can hit a decent shot, he just needs to get into better positions around the box.
I definitely do not fawn over Williams like some people, but he was being played as a left winger, hugging the touchline, with the 2 CMs sitting deep when he first came on.
You can see his talent with the ball at his feet and various options around him to pass to. We are certainly not playing to his strengths at the moment.
I definitely do not fawn over Williams like some people, but he was being played as a left winger, hugging the touchline, with the 2 CMs sitting deep when he first came on.
You can see his talent with the ball at his feet and various options around him to pass to. We are certainly not playing to his strengths at the moment.
He certainly looked more comfortable and more effective, when he was switched to the '10 position' late on.
Comments
I think he has now become a caricature of himself. He seems to think that his role is to be fouled and to win free-kicks.
His game should be about providing opportunities for the strikers ... hence, the killer pass, the tempting cross, the one-two in and around the penalty box.
I like that he runs at defenders. It's a rarity these days, and it is one way to unlock a packed defence, but he needs to get his head up.
Drawing the free-kick is not enough. Williams needs to think about playing his team mates in.
He has become one-dimensional. The Dribbling Victim.
"He looked better with Taylor in front of him Cullen behind him and Gallagher or Aribo next to him" shocker.
His style of play is much more suited to the on the deck style of the Championship
Johnny Williams is outstanding at what he does well, and quite frankly very average at what he doesn't do well.
Finally the first arrived via a simple tap in v West Ham?, and he then scored another very shortly thereafter.
I have faith that Bowyer can get him scoring. He just needs to get into better positions in and around the box.
That was where Bowyer got the majority of his goals, picking up the loose pieces, then firing shots into the corners of the net.
His job was always to sit in front of the Defence pretty much the same as what Pratley and Watson do now
Williams is there for his creativity, not his defensive work.
Post match press conference after the Brighton match, Bowyer is discussing Albie Morgan's goal: "I've been telling to keep his run going into the box, things will fall for him ..... and his goal tonight proves that. Hope he learns from it."
Or something like that. Now it's William's turn.
But the fans were desperate for Kish to break his duck, as they are now Williams.
When he finally did, the second came quickly.
That's what I'm hoping will happen with Williams.
He can hit a decent shot, he just needs to get into better positions around the box.
You can see his talent with the ball at his feet and various options around him to pass to. We are certainly not playing to his strengths at the moment.