If you keep the Volvo locked in the garage unused for a couple of months, don't be surprised if she doesn't kick into action the first time you turn the key. Equally, don't be alarmed by a couple of cobwebs under the bonnet or previously unheard squeeks, they'll happen. And if the annoying bloke next door, the one with the two seater, beats you to the punch when the lights change, it doesn't mean you've got a bad car neither.
And so it was with Josh, dusted off and trundled down the driveway for the first time in ages on Saturday. Gawd only knows what was in his head as he lined up less than twelve hours after his girlfriend had given birth, but there he was, ponytail billowing in the wind.
And was he any good? I'd say he was pretty much as you'd expect to be honest. Did he look a bit rusty? Yes. Did he look a bit like he was off the pace, needing minutes and perhaps not as one million per cent focused as he normally is? Yes again but all understandable. Totally as you'd expect infact from a young man who was no doubt a whirl of emotion, a fella who has been starved of opportunities.
The fan reaction though on the internet and podcasts is less than forgiving. Some say he's no more than a non league striker, that he'll never be good enough. I obviously can't agree with that, he's not an Alex Pierce or a Chris Gunther in the twilight of his career and on the way down. Josh is a young player, one who will undoubtedly improve from where he is. He was plenty good enough last season, he will be this one too.
So what to do? There is obviously a reasonable chance that in a couple of months Josh will once again be our main striker. The most common criticism I hear is that "he's no Ali is he?". And of course he isn't. That's why Ali is worth significantly in excess of a million quid, that's why he is in my opinion the most valuable striker in League Two by a fair margin. But to burden Josh with that expectation is akin to scrapping the Volvo because it can't beat a two seater Merc from a standing start, it's nuts. So what DO we do?
First and foremost I think it's about time we accepted that despite our "XG" stats, we aren't actually a highly productive attacking unit. That is to say, we don't create a ton of chances. We do create chaos from which chances arise, but we don't as a rule carve teams open. Unless Tilly or Ali score, we generally aren't productive, and in both cases their goals have often been as a result of individuality rather than an intricate team pattern. That's not a criticism by the way, it's merely an observation. Aside from Tranmere at home and to an extent Colchester away, we have grinded it out.
Now Josh isn't the type to do an Ali. Outpacing defenders was never going to be his thing, particularly not when (it looks to me anyway) he has muscled up a bit and put a pound or two on. He isn't slow, but he doesn't have Ali's afterburner change of gear. Equally, he doesn't hold it up with the same upper body strength as our star man, in short Josh is a totally different kind of striker. So given that, and given that when our Iraqi goes we are going to need goals from somewhere, I wonder if a systemic rethink might be in order.
Joe Lewis, Ryan Johnson and Alex Bass provide a perfect tripod in my view from which to consider a 4-3-3 when Ali doesn't play. Our two full backs have plenty enough energy to bomb up and down, and our two midfielders plus Jimmy Ball would provide a robust barrier to any counters. Up top, then I'd play Omar as the central pivot but ask Josh to play INSIDE RIGHT. Younger readers might want to Google that position, it does exist and is kind of an in between the half space slot (think Mo Salah). Inside left I'd play Aaron Sasu, that'd give us the pace, thrust and fluidity we'd need.
I'd tell Josh to run around LESS (I think he uses workrate as a comfort blanket sometimes) but to work in the half spaces, he and Sasu being that annoying itch that the centre halves can't scratch.
I think going forward (post Ali Im talking here) this might be the best way for us to play. Whatever though, Josh is a good player just like he was last season. Like the Volvo, locking him in the garage doesn't mean he becomes bad overnight. And like the mythical Volvo, he'll go best when polished, cherished, loved, not asked to perform tasks for which he's not suitable. The Volvo might not be able to beat the two seater, but try getting your dog and the kids in the back of the softtop.
Get behind our man, soon we'll NEED him to produce his best form of last season.
No comments:
Post a Comment