++Charlie Kelman signs on a 4 year deal++

killerandflash said:

NabySarr said:

Crispywood said:

Southendaddick said:

Every now and then we spend money on strikers that just  aren’t up to it, look at the dross we signed post prem relegation Varney, Iwelumo and that fella from Burnley who’s name escapes me, Ajose there’s probably more 
He looks a bit overweight  uninterested, lazy and not buying into the system and even if the system isn’t great and he might fit a better one I still think he found his level last year and QPR are having a giggle at us for spending that sort of money 

The boy can finish we know that but not in this team in my opinion at this level 

Time will tell and I hope he proves me wrong and bangs one in tomorrow but long term I see him being ditched in the summer if we survive 

If we don’t we have a hell of a league one player next season

I honestly think he could be gone even if we get relegated. Jones shown to prefer Leaburn + TC and then you would think Mbick + Kanu would be be given the opportunity after their successful loans  

Think we’d be very unlikely to keep TC if relegated

I still think we view Kelman as a project and he’s shown enough to not be given up on yet. We’ve bought him for the player we think we can make him rather than what he is now. I think this pre-season is key, get him stronger and fitter, learn how to battle defenders at this level and be more of a nuisance even if he’s not getting chances. Next season will be make or break 

Kelman isn't someone who's come from abroad like Sichenje, who has to adapt to English football and this division.

He's someone who was at QPR for 5 seasons. Even if he had long loan spells away, he will know what's required at this level, having had several pre-seasons training with QPR, a solid Championship club. I suspect he's down on confidence at the moment, which is affecting him on the pitch, but his basic game is what it is. And NJ's football is what it is. 

He’s still young though, and hadn’t had many starts or decent minutes at this level. I was more meaning that he’s still got quite clear weaknesses that will improve with experience and him getting into better shape. If he gets stronger and fitter and learns how better to use his body against championship centre backs then he’d be a very good player at this level. That will be our aim but it could take years to get there, I don’t think we will give up after 1 year but maybe Jones has seen enough 

Kelman strikes me as a player who excels when he has confidence, we saw that at Orient in the second half of last season. When he came back from injury and scored that goal against Oxford and then the 2 at Blackburn i thought he'd finally arrived and was going to kick on.

But for some reason in the next game he was hauled off at half time (despite us facing 9 men in the second half) and since then he's barely featured, starting just 1 out of 7 games. I suspect his confidence right now is on the floor.

Strange how he was bombed out so soon after the brace at Blackburn, but Jones clearly doesn't rate him.

It says something about our summer squad building, when we brought in Kelman and Olaofe (combined spend £4.5-£5m) to join Miles, Godden and TC, that Dykes is clearly the first choice striker now.

I always wanted us to sign a target man striker in the summer, as in a team which won't be on top in most games, and won't be creating loads of chances, a target man can offer so much more than a simple finisher. Especially knowing the type of football we play, which even in L1, was pragmatic.

Addick Addict said:

EugenesAxe said:

Addick Addict said:

I've said it before but the reason we've not scored more than one goal in a game in 20 of our last 22 matches (19 goals in total) is because our forwards are feeding on scraps the whole time. Kelman and Carey both have four each and TC has three but the likes of Leaburn and Dykes have one of those goals from 21 starts between them. 

It's hopeless using Kelman as that sole man up top so we have to change the system if we want to get the best out of him or we just resign ourselves to scoring less than a goal a game and rely solely on those clean sheets. 

Careys got 8 hasn't he?

Carey isn't playing with his back to goal the whole time with two people marking him. The vast majority of his goals have been coming late onto the ball and/or strikes from outside the box. How many times do we play a ball between the CBs and FBs for one of our forwards to run onto? How many decent crosses do we deliver in the course of the game (like the one Dykes scored from)?  

As I say we've scored 19 goals in the last 22 matches. And Carey has had a lot more game time than Kelman:

Kelman - 4
Carey - 4
TC - 3
Knibbs - 2
Dykes - 1
Jones - 1
Rankin-Cotello - 1
Berry - 1
Fevrier - 1
OG - 1
Leaburn - 0

All the evidence shows that the way we are set up is an issue that affects all our forwards. If that isn't the case then how come Leaburn and Dykes have managed just two goals this season between them from 24 starts?  

We did that once all game and scored from it. We had three shots to West Brom's 18 and they haven't won in their last 12 games.

I said it on the Clarke thread but he played 35 times in a back four for Ipswich that scored 92 goals in gaining promotion. In a back five, where he should have more licence to bomb forward, he's clearly not given permission to do so. Why are we so negative against even the weakest of teams? 

Playing a static back five, two water carriers in front of them and two lumps up top might nick us a result here and there but it isn't going to win many games. Leaburn works hard for the team but has scored once in 30 appearances this season. Kelman might not be the answer but it's wrong to scapegoat him for us not finding the net any more than it is to blame Leaburn.  

That was his best performance for ages. He looked sharp when he came on, whereas in some late cameos he's looked a bit lost.

Great finish for the goal, and better hold up play too.

Like Godden he’s a great finisher, though Godden is the better poacher for those tap ins, that’s something I’d like to see from Kelman.

He also needs to offer more outside the box to justify being a regular starter. He had some good moments today, a reminder the potential is there.

The problem is we need the pace and width TC offers too. Clarke and Chambers have been good for at WB, but they don’t offer that type of threat.

It’ll be interesting to see who we sign in the summer - 

Do we bring in players in other positions that get more out of TC or Kelman?

Do we sign players that mean those two spend more time on the bench?

Do we change formation as part of us evolving as a team?

We could give Kelman a run in the team, but it probably means losing what TC offers as I think we also need Dykes or Leaburn as an outlet in that target man role.

Scoring goals is good, but, just wish he'd run around outside the box more, you know?




WINK 

se9addick said:

se9addick said:

There’s been far too much chopping and changing upfront, some forced and some not. I’d go with Dykes and Kelman for a sustained period now. 

Obviously it’s incredibly “I told you so” to refer to this comment tonight, but I really think we’ve made a mistake not giving Kelman more minutes this season. It looks like we’ll be ok now, but I see him as someone who could really contribute goals at this level (which we seriously lack) if give a decent run.

I'm not entirely sure honestly. He'd definitely have a few more goals himself but would it come at the expense of the shape and the style that Jones prefers? We don't really know for sure of course, but Jones has been pretty complimentary in his comments. I suspect that the plan or at the very least the hope is that Kelman's all round game continues improving and he becomes a younger Godden, bringing energy and a bit of nous in addition to a cutting edge up front.

The fact Kelman has not apparently been written off already where both Olaofe and Apter were sent out on loan makes me think Jones is not done with him yet.

CL_Phantom said:

Scoring goals is good, but, just wish he'd run around outside the box more, you know?




WINK 

If it was that simple our front two should be Godden and Kelman, with Carey and Knibbs starting in midfield (when they’re all fit of course). But it won’t be, because the balance of the team is also important.

Delighted for him today. Much more like the player he’s shown us he can be after a few poor cameos lately. I loved his interview too; accountability, and clear determination to improve. 

Oh Charlie kelman he's mustard like hellmans he makes me happy when sky's are greyyyyy

A scorer of goals is the most in demand player. One only has to look at the fees commanded by those who can find the net. It seems absurd that the one player (apart from Godden who has been out for virtually all of the season) who is able to take chances, we have used so sparingly.

Kelman has 5 goals and no assists in total in 1,222 minutes i.e. a goal or assist every 244 minutes
All of those goals have come since 1st November and in 599 minutes on the pitch i.e. a goal every 120 minutes and he has scored all bar 2 of ours when on the pitch
In the 4 games in which he has scored, nobody else has scored and we've taken 8 points i.e. 2 points per game:

Kone was touted by some as the one we should have gone for. Well he hasn't exactly been a roaring success:

7 goals plus 2 assists in total in 2,535 minutes i.e. a goal or assist every 282 minutes
Since 13th September Kone has played 2,290 minutes and scored just 4 goals and had 2 assists i.e. a goal or assist every 382 minutes

If one was looking at those two sets of stats then the conclusion would have to be that Kelman has improved as the season has gone on but Kone, after a bright start in which he scored 3 goals in his first 4 games, has fallen away.

Kelman failed to score in first 30 odd Championship appearances. He must be ecstatic with the 1 in 3 scoring record he's managed since breaking his duck.

As for workrate, given Mortimer was my favourite player ever, fair to say talent above headless chicken everyday!