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The Curious Case Of Adebayo Azeez


Jag
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Came across this on Twitter.

 

http://www.clyde1.com/sport/news/analysis-corner-the-curious-case-of-adebayo-azeez/

 

An interesting one for those with varied opinions on our young striker.

 

It could be argued that his shots aren't powerful enough to trouble the goalkeeper and I can't remember too many great saves, if any, from his efforts. The stats talk about shots on target but do they include not being able to get the ball over the goalkeeper against Kilmarnock and Motherwell when he should have done better? Is he hitting the ball straight at the keeper? Or, has he just been unlucky in front of goal so far and only needs to grab a couple of goals for his confidence to set him on his way? That's what these stats elude to.

 

Whatever your view, I'm sure the stats shown will surprise most. I have to be honest and include myself in that, I would have not have had him hitting the target or even having as many shots as he has.

 

I have already stated on another thread that I would love to see him succeed at Firhill. For me, the jury is still out though but what I wouldn't want to see is fans getting on his back which won't do him any good at all.

 

Maybe this article will help cut the guy some slack.

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Surely it would be more of a sign that a player was just on an unlucky spell if most of their shots were in the red zone indicated in that article, rather than that they keep shooting straight at the keeper. That would suggest they were at least trying to place it and might mean they missed by a matter of inches.

 

That the plurality of on-target shots are straight down the middle suggests he's just not very good at beating goalkeepers.

 

Sure, if he had Doolan's placement he wouldn't be with us, but this is a pretty significant limitation on a striker unless they have a very powerful shot on them (something with which Taylor was able to compensate). It's criminal to be in those kinds of positions so often and not to put them away every so often.

 

If other teams know that all they have to do to stop Azeez scoring is have the keeper make himself big, and that they probably don't need to mark him that effectively, that has a knock-on effect on their whole approach to taking on our team. It means they put far more of their resources into taking players like Erskine, Lawless and Edwards out of the game and give them no space in the attacking half. As a team that really does tend to spread our goals throughout the squad, that's more likely to hurt than help us than if their attention is directed towards containing the striker.

Edited by Woodstock Jag
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Thanks Jag, for pointing us at a very interesting and illuminating article.

 

I think that one of the things that is dividing opinion is highlighted by the stats. It's not that he doesn't know the route to goal or can't control the direction of the shot when he gets there but that he sometimes takes a bit longer than you expect of a striker to make a decision about where to place the shot or when to shoot. Just a tiny fraction of a second in hesitation or a lack of commitment makes it easier for an opponent to pick your pocket or asses your intentions (which, if that allows keepers, for example, to better position themselves then we're not seeing keepers forced into dramatic or "great" saves).

 

He only turned 22, 2 days ago and for sure he has a bit of development to come. Personally my frustration at what are perceived to be missed opportunity is tempered by the fact that the team are getting him into these positions and the chances are there. His sharpness, technique and confidence can all be improved with coaching - the raw talent is there to work with. More time with Kenny Arthur working on one-on-ones would, I'm sure time well spent.

 

Just a thought but maybe he's taking too many shots and not enough headers as that is where his goal has come from to date.

 

….(return to thread on why crosses and corners are ineffective…)

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I think the stats for Doolan would be illuminating also, and not entirely in accordance with peoples opinions. The difference of course is we know he can score goals and he has netted a few.

 

I still think there is a player in azeez, but he desperately needs confidence.

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While there may be an issue with composure or finishing ability generally, any striker will tell you that when you've missed a few, it plays on your mind and means you have a tendency to snatch at and/or "over-think" your next chance. This has not been helped by the fact that most of Ade's chances have been one-on-ones where he's had a bit of time to think. If he can get one, then it might all be different.

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I found the stats very interesting and thanks for directing my attention towards this information. I've always believed that Azeez is a player we need to nurture as he has that raw ability which hasn't been fully realised yet.

He is only 22 which bodes well for the future and I would certainly like to have more young players of his ilk in the squad than some teams I could mention who feel that age and experience are the only keys to success.

The stats show that he has been involved in 11 one on ones and I can remember most of them, but yet he hasn't scored on any of those occasions and that is a cause for concern. However, he has the speed and the ability to get into those situations and that can only be a positive.

I firmly believe that Adebayo will succeed and do us proud - you mark my words.

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I was dead in line with the penalty area for the 2nd half when he came on as a sub and I'll tell you what - the guy is great at shielding the ball from the defender that's right behind him, and holding the ball till others come into play. I hadn't seen that before, as the view from the North Stand isn't the best.

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I love stats. If it were on stats and not points we wouldn't be far behind celtic.

 

He should start against Formatine, if he cant convert when through on goal in that game then you need to start to wonder. Would it do him any harm to play a few games with the development side?

I think both him and Dools should start against Formatine - its a good way to get Dools closer to his 100 goals and hopefully a couple of goals for Ade will improve his confidence.

Too be fair too Ade he is nearly there, he gives his all, has fantastic energy, seems to be a team player who always comes across really well in interviews and seems a nice guy. Im sure it wont be long before he starts knocking them in and we are worried about some other team poaching him off us

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It would also be fair to say that Ade creates a lot of chances for himself by very good play. Several of these one on ones or attempted lobs which have resulted in disappointing finishes have come from balls which Ade is not the natural favourite to reach. He has used speed, strength, determination, ball control and trickery to make the ball his own, to hold off and get away from defenders and to home in on goal.

 

It will not be long before the Azeez is on fire chant becomes a staple of the North Stand.

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One thing I've noticed in the Scottish game is the number of times that strikers or indeed anybody else who tries a shot from an angle simply hits the ball in a straight line, hoping it'll beat the keeper and sneak in at the far post. Of course most of the time the keeper either stops it or it goes past the post (not to mention tame attempted lobs right over the bar or directly into the keeper's arms). A few Jags exceptions of late were SOD's brilliant strike at Tannadice, and Bannigan's goal also against the Arabs, at Firhill.

 

My point is that much better players in other leagues seem to have the knack, whether naturally of as a result of training, of putting a swerve on the ball to get it around the keeper and into the net.

 

Yes that's why they are playing at a much higher level, but that kind of adjustment when in a scoring position could surely be shaped up through training.

 

I just remembered: as a nipper my first pair of Gola football boots had numbers on various parts of the boots, so that you could practice precisely doing that!

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Given some of the conditions we play in just kicking the ball in a straight line is quite an achievement.

 

Said it before Ade's most glaring failure is his decision making. The upside to that is he's young and that failing should only improve. It's quite possible that he could become a valuable player to us and still only score five or six times a season. With his strength and pace it's virtually a given that he's going to see a lot of the ball. He's got to learn when to hold, when to lay off, run with it and when to just go for a goal single handed*. I saw the logic at the time of playing Stevenson up front for that knowledge alone. It was his lack of movement and pace more than anything else that let us down. That's something that Ade most certainly doesn't lack.

 

* sounding a bit Kenny Rogers there :)

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Explaining to a footballer how to strike a ball would be the same as trying to explain to a qualified electrician how to wire a plug. If you cant grasp the basics you need to find another vocation. Its not the 3rd division were in, these skills should be a given at this level.

If that were the case, we wouldn't see so many apparently professional footballers who reserve one foot for standing on. :o The insights offered by good (or for that matter, bad!) coaching can surely help. Unlike wiring a plug, there is more than one way to kick a ball.

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Given some of the conditions we play in just kicking the ball in a straight line is quite an achievement.

 

Said it before Ade's most glaring failure is his decision making. The upside to that is he's young and that failing should only improve. It's quite possible that he could become a valuable player to us and still only score five or six times a season. With his strength and pace it's virtually a given that he's going to see a lot of the ball. He's got to learn when to hold, when to lay off, run with it and when to just go for a goal single handed*. I saw the logic at the time of playing Stevenson up front for that knowledge alone. It was his lack of movement and pace more than anything else that let us down. That's something that Ade most certainly doesn't lack.

 

* sounding a bit Kenny Rogers there :)

hi kenny,

Could we maybe push a Barton up front,thinking a big pair up top might be a better bet.

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