Lewis Dobbin

[coalman]

He stretches play, commits defenders and can play on the half turn. In the last couple of weeks he's also shown the strength to bother defenders. Really pleased to see him growing into the team.

[Patches O Houlihan]

Our press in the second half was superb. There were moments when it was clear QPR just didn’t know what to do to break it.

A week uninterrupted on the training ground will have really helped for that, but Dobbin’s speed, stamina, agility and willingness to run will have helped considerably too. 

Larin does work hard on the pressing but you can also see that his frame requires him to pace himself a bit in order to remain an effective goal threat. 

As I said in the other thread great that Dobbin is putting pressure on Larin, and giving us another option for the playing style, and that his team mates have clearly bought into too.

[AlexLaw76]

He has been pretty good...and is making a difference. His work rate is superb and his movement creates a fair bit of space.

We just have to hope the opposition do not adjust to stop his effectiveness whilst Larin is out.

[Lord Duckhunter]

Still not protecting the ball enough for my liking. There was a spell towards the end of the first half when it bounced off him 2 or 3 times and it put us back under pressure. Yes, he looks ok when he’s got space to turn, if he’s going to play up top alone he needs to protect the ball better. Worked extremely hard and was the main trigger for a better second half pressing performance. But to suggest his performances are promotion level is hopeful in the extreme. 
 

He's gone from pony to promising, but I’d have Larin over him everyday of the week. He’s not putting pressure on Larin or Azaz, no way he starts in a must win game if everyone’s fit. He may end up as a genuine alternative, but he’s not there yet. 

[Badger]

4 hours ago, coalman said:

He stretches play, commits defenders and can play on the half turn. In the last couple of weeks he's also shown the strength to bother defenders. Really pleased to see him growing into the team.

Not sure about the strength, a couple of times he seemed easily outmuscled and knocked off the ball.

Was unlucky not to have a goal to his name which would have done his confidence a world of good.

Improving, and glad we’ve adapted play a little to suit, but he isn’t the CF we need especially if Larin is unavailable. 

[BarberSaint]

1 hour ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Still not protecting the ball enough for my liking. There was a spell towards the end of the first half when it bounced off him 2 or 3 times and it put us back under pressure. Yes, he looks ok when he’s got space to turn, if he’s going to play up top alone he needs to protect the ball better. Worked extremely hard and was the main trigger for a better second half pressing performance. But to suggest his performances are promotion level is hopeful in the extreme. 
 

He's gone from pony to promising, but I’d have Larin over him everyday of the week. He’s not putting pressure on Larin or Azaz, no way he starts in a must win game if everyone’s fit. He may end up as a genuine alternative, but he’s not there yet. 

There was one time where he let the ball bounce on his right foot which was planted on the ground. He killed it, moved it back a foot or so from where he wanted it to be but was blocked off by the QPR player while making his turn.  Excellent skill, just a shame it didn't come off. His header was bloody good, too.

[beatlesaint]

He’s certainly a hell of a lot better than he was back in August/September.

 

[Saint Fan CaM]

He’s improving for certain and importantly I think he’s got attributes that Archer didn’t have, such as turning on a sixpence and decent pace. I do believe that by January/February he’ll be giving Tonda big selection headaches if the whole 1st team is available. His improved form has coincided with our rise up the table and a pretty decent goal difference - it will be difficult to separate out these factors, maybe to the point that it will take an injury to drop him to the bench.

Edited Sunday at 12:37 by Saint Fan CaM

[skintsaint]

1 hour ago, beatlesaint said:

He’s certainly a hell of a lot better than he was back in August/September.

 

Its almost like new signings sometimes take time to settle in to a new squad.

[Oldandtired]

4 minutes ago, skintsaint said:

Its almost like new signings sometimes take time to settle in to a new squad.

...and need to actually play in games to improve.

[SuperSAINT]

Dobbin has replaced Archer as the Saints player that I’m desperate to do well.

Gutted he missed that chance.

[bpsaint]

2 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

Dobbin has replaced Archer as the Saints player that I’m desperate to do well.

Gutted he missed that chance.

Said in the match thread if he could finish his one on ones we’d have made up the minus 4 by now. Really want him to do well but it’s hard not to look at Archer who now has 6 in 7 on loan and not think what was the point of signing such a similar player.

[Patrick Bateman]

13 minutes ago, bpsaint said:

Said in the match thread if he could finish his one on ones we’d have made up the minus 4 by now. Really want him to do well but it’s hard not to look at Archer who now has 6 in 7 on loan and not think what was the point of signing such a similar player.

Not sure they are that similar - Dobbins ball control especially close up is brilliant. He sorts the finishing (confidence?) out and he'll be a very very good player.

Archer is a decent player to have off the bench, but I think their attributes are different. 

Edited Tuesday at 22:31 by Patrick Bateman

[bpsaint]

3 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

Not sure they are that similar - Dobbins ball control especially close up and brilliant. He sorts the finishing (confidence?) out and he'll be a very very good player.

Archer is a decent player to have off the bench, but I think their attributes are different. 

Find them very similar myself, in terms of stature and the way they play slightly off from the side rather than through the centre. Felt that was part of the reason Archer went out on loan because of how alike they were.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

9 minutes ago, bpsaint said:

Said in the match thread if he could finish his one on ones we’d have made up the minus 4 by now. Really want him to do well but it’s hard not to look at Archer who now has 6 in 7 on loan and not think what was the point of signing such a similar player.

 

5 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

Not sure they are that similar - Dobbins ball control especially close up and brilliant. He sorts the finishing (confidence?) out and he'll be a very very good player.

Archer is a decent player to have off the bench, but I think their attributes are different. 

Agreed. Dobbin is much more versatile across a front line. Archer is the more direct attacking threat.

If you combined them both...

well, you'd be rightly arrested for your fiendish experiments on human subjects. What is wrong with you?! 

[saintant]

Poor attempt when one on one tonight - surely he only had to lift the shot for a certain goal. I get that it's in the heat of the moment but he needed some composure. Good strikers rarely miss those opportunities. Having said that he did some decent stuff and was a big improvement on Mubama but so would Long John Silver have been.

[Badger]

9 hours ago, bpsaint said:

Find them very similar myself, in terms of stature and the way they play slightly off from the side rather than through the centre. Felt that was part of the reason Archer went out on loan because of how alike they were.

Agree there are several similarities. Neither are a CF, or can be relied on as a regular scorer. Both overpriced, shortarses, who we could have done without.

With Archer he is meant to be a striker, it’s less clear what Dobbin is intended as, he’s not a CF, not a winger, and doesn’t seem to be an Azaz deputy. But in his defence he does provide some energy and movement, and is an improvement on Mubama 

[Turkish]

Wasn’t Dobbin meant to be the Azaz alternative? Weird if so as he’s nothing like him. 

[Saint NL]

Dobbin is a weird sort of player that he looks better on the half way line than he does in the area.

[Jack]

Has to be said that his lack of composure has probably cost us 4 points since the international break. It can’t all be put on him I know, but you need your centre forward to put away their one on ones more often than not, and he hasn’t. 

[SuperSAINT]

16 hours ago, bpsaint said:

Said in the match thread if he could finish his one on ones we’d have made up the minus 4 by now. Really want him to do well but it’s hard not to look at Archer who now has 6 in 7 on loan and not think what was the point of signing such a similar player.

In theory, Dobbin was supposed to be the “let’s give Azaz a rest” type creator - whether that got lost in translation or not but he’s not that kind of player at all.

[Willo of Whiteley]

I actually quite like him, he adds something different in terms of a bit of pace and finding space in behind.

If he could have a bit of composure with his finishing he’d be considered much higher.

But he’s certainly not a bad player.

[bpsaint]

1 hour ago, SuperSAINT said:

In theory, Dobbin was supposed to be the “let’s give Azaz a rest” type creator - whether that got lost in translation or not but he’s not that kind of player at all.

Fair enough, but then if Dobbin is cover for Azaz why even send Archer out on loan in the first place when we’re so short up top.

[Fabrice29]

1 hour ago, bpsaint said:

Fair enough, but then if Dobbin is cover for Azaz why even send Archer out on loan in the first place when we’re so short up top.

Because Dobbin can do both. I did try and point out in the summer he’s versatile and it’s okay to be different to Azaz, but people scoffed.

Plus Archer wanted to leave. 

Edited 18 hours ago by Fabrice29

[Patrick Bateman]

1 minute ago, Fabrice29 said:

Because Dobbin can do both. I did try and point out in the summer he’s versatile and it’s okay to be different to Azaz, but people scoffed.

Plus Archer wanted to leave. 

This is key, many forget that. I mean granted we kept Edozie in the end, but we want players who want to be here and contribute whether a first 11 player or in 'rotation' like much of the squad are. 

[LGTL]

He’s a far better option than Mubama. Which isn’t as much praise for Dobbin as it is criticism for Mubama!

[stknowle]

I think there’s a player in there alright but FM that miss last night was so so poor even worse than the Bolton one imho. Needs to sort that out and quickly.

[saintant]

33 minutes ago, stknowle said:

I think there’s a player in there alright but FM that miss last night was so so poor even worse than the Bolton one imho. Needs to sort that out and quickly.

Can't believe he seemingly made no attempt to lift the ball over the keeper. He just seemed content to make sure he got the shot on target but he's got to be smarter than that in these one on one situations. The keeper is always going to spread himself so it's either a dink over him or try to get round him and slot into the empty net - a low shot just doesn't get the job done most times.

[Lord Duckhunter]

That was a piss poor miss last night, the keeper didn’t even really have to do much. Exactly the same as Bolton, he’s missing piss easy chances without making the keeper earn his bread. 
 

He’s not some nipper from the youth team, he’s a £9 million player who has played over 70 championship games. He needs to shape up and start earning his money at the business end of the pitch. He's 24 soon, people should stop making excuses for him….

[sfc4prem]

5 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

That was a piss poor miss last night, the keeper didn’t even really have to do much. Exactly the same as Bolton, he’s missing piss easy chances without making the keeper earn his bread. 
 

He’s not some nipper from the youth team, he’s a £9 million player who has played over 70 championship games. He needs to shape up and start earning his money at the business end of the pitch. He's 24 soon, people should stop making excuses for him….

Agreed. A distinct lack of composure and finishing.

[Turkish]

7 minutes ago, sfc4prem said:

Agreed. A distinct lack of composure and finishing.

The misses were completely different one went wide of the post with Baz at full stretch last night he more or less hit it straight at the keeper. Perhaps he got his research mixed up as he’d been more likely to score reversing the finishes. 

[Turkish]

19 minutes ago, saintant said:

Can't believe he seemingly made no attempt to lift the ball over the keeper. He just seemed content to make sure he got the shot on target but he's got to be smarter than that in these one on one situations. The keeper is always going to spread himself so it's either a dink over him or try to get round him and slot into the empty net - a low shot just doesn't get the job done most times.

Ah rounding the goalkeeper, that’s a dying art, strikers used to do it loads in the 80s and 90s don’t see it much these days 

[saintant]

3 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Ah rounding the goalkeeper, that’s a dying art, strikers used to do it loads in the 80s and 90s don’t see it much these days 

Maybe time to bring it back for strikers like Dobbin who can't score by shooting when one on one 🙂

[Ex Lion Tamer]

1v1s are harder to convert than people give credit for. He didn't look confident though

[sfc4prem]

4 minutes ago, Ex Lion Tamer said:

1v1s are harder to convert than people give credit for. He didn't look confident though

It's a worry when you look at them and think 'he's not scoring this' as his closes down on the keeper and the goal.

 

You feel the complete opposite with Larin. You can already see the ball nestling in the back of the net before he's even made his attempt.

[Badger]

12 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Ah rounding the goalkeeper, that’s a dying art, strikers used to do it loads in the 80s and 90s don’t see it much these days 

Memories of Channon in his prime … (70’s).
 

Some times the GK would get a hand to the ball, and sometimes they’d send him tumbling (GK’s might be afraid of that nowadays and a resultant red card), but it was great to watch when Channon glided round them and pass it into an empty net. 

[saintant]

16 minutes ago, Ex Lion Tamer said:

1v1s are harder to convert than people give credit for. He didn't look confident though

Yeah, missing them is a lot harder than it looks.

[LGTL]

That finish last night reminded me so much of Adam Armstrong it was frightening. 

[stknowle]

2 hours ago, Turkish said:

Ah rounding the goalkeeper, that’s a dying art, strikers used to do it loads in the 80s and 90s don’t see it much these days 

Gone to the same graveyard as the low diving header. Can’t remember the last time I saw one of those.

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, stknowle said:

Gone to the same graveyard as the low diving header. Can’t remember the last time I saw one of those.

The last time I heard 'rounding' was when Alan Hansen won a £50 bet against Frank Skinner.

[Zorba]

2 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

The last time I heard 'rounding' was when Alan Hansen won a £50 bet against Frank Skinner.

“Round the Keeper” offended too many fat kids in goal. 

..and the Low Block killed the low flying header.

[Miltonaggro]

14 hours ago, Badger said:

Memories of Channon in his prime … (70’s).
 

Some times the GK would get a hand to the ball, and sometimes they’d send him tumbling (GK’s might be afraid of that nowadays and a resultant red card), but it was great to watch when Channon glided round them and pass it into an empty net. 

Jinked past… 😊

[Turkish]

12 hours ago, stknowle said:

Gone to the same graveyard as the low diving header. Can’t remember the last time I saw one of those.

Keith Houchin for Coventry in the 1987 FA Cup final was peak diving header time. 

[Turkish]

7 minutes ago, Miltonaggro said:

Jinked past… 😊

Something that annoyed me, Peter Beardsleys runs always used to be described by commentators are jinking runs. 

[Badger]

46 minutes ago, Miltonaggro said:

Jinked past… 😊

Commentators used to like the alliteration in using that phrase with Tom Jenkins. 
 

And if we cringed at that then little did we know how bad commentators would become 40/50 years later. 

[Badger]

41 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Keith Houchin for Coventry in the 1987 FA Cup final was peak diving header time. 

Mick Jones for Leeds in 1972. And wasn’t Chelsea’s winnner a diving header v Leeds in 1970 ? If it was then bloody brave putting your head down towards the boots in that game. 

[Badger]

44 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Keith Houchin for Coventry in the 1987 FA Cup final was peak diving header time. 

A more recent Saints diving header that lives long in the memory was Marian Pahars v Everton, last game of the season 1998 or thereabouts. 

[Saint86]

The keeper positioning was very very good for that 1-1. He had a very short window to poke it past him into the bottom left corner, and after that the chance was always slipping away from him. I like the look of Dobbin, think there is a good player in there and he's useful for us across a number of positions. He's a good player to have coming off the bench for this league.

Edited 47 minutes ago by Saint86