Alex assesses the start that a selection of the Royals’ first-team players have made to the season.
International break, is it then? Not much football to see now after six games in 14 games, is there?
It’s definitely a bit arbitrary to fill the void with an opinion piece of discussing points about how various members of the squad, but not all, have done in the four league games this season, right? We can’t possibly have learned much, can we? Only a numpty would take the time to write something like this, surely?
Fortunately, or depending on how you see it, maybe unfortunately, TTE Towers has a resident numpty. In no particular order – here we go then!
There are a few examples of what a good pre-season can do for a player within the squad, and I think Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan is right up there with those examples. He seems a lot more confident and comfortable in his role on the left wing, perhaps aided by the support of both Harvey Knibbs and Charlie Savage and the evolution of Sam Smith’s role.
It feels like he is at his best when he is running directly at the opposition and cutting on the inside to make space to create a shot. There’ve been many pleasing moments this season when he has done this and he deserves his two goals so far. I have also been particularly pleased with his defensive contribution, tracking back a lot more often this year to support Jeriel Dorsett.
However, and I am going to sound harsh here because it probably is being harsh… his game is somewhat predictable for the opposition. I really, really want to see him work on improving his left foot and being more confident at stretching the opposition back line by going out wide and delivering either a cut-back or cross into the space he’s made by drawing defenders out of shape.
At the moment, it feels like his threat can be nullified by a tactically astute right-back showing him out wide and forcing him onto his left foot. He’s young though, and he will get better and more confident as the season goes on, and this for me is something that can help him to take his game to the next level.
Who saw this coming? OK, Ross did – but who else did? I think the highest compliment I can pay to Michael Craig is the fact that not once have I heard anyone say, “oh, we’ve missed Andy Yiadom”. Reading’s club captain has a hell of a job on his hands to get back into the team. Frankly, Kelvin Abrefa has a fight to get a starting berth too.
Craig has delivered some very assured performances on the right-hand side and you do wonder how much more he will improve once he has more time in the role to continue developing the game-management skills in that role.
The little triangle he has formed with Ben Elliott and Lewis Wing has been beautiful to watch as well, and this is a great example of the aptitude of our coaching staff for preparing Craig at short notice to not only provide cover but also thrive while doing so.
Another player who seems to have flourished from having had a proper pre-season, Ben Elliott has been in electric form since the end of the last season. His quality in possession has never been in question, but we are beginning to see more end product when he has the ball now, often looking to create opportunities for those around him.
I have been particularly impressed with his off-the-ball work, however. It seems to me that he has spent some time on the weights this summer, because his tenacity and physicality to win the ball back are things we haven’t seen before. But not only has he acquitted himself well in this regard, but he’s rarely being muscled off of the ball when in possession.
This is fantastic news for Adrian Akande and Mamadi Camara, who have occupied that right-wing spot, because the harder it is to get the ball off Elliott, the more likely he is to draw opposition players towards him and create the space for their runs. Lovely stuff.
What I’d like to see more of from him is more confidence around shooting. He scored in pre-season against Hull City, but I do still remember watching him take too many touches outside of the area against Wrexham and delaying pulling the trigger, when shooting opportunities have been there. It does feel like, as a team, we are not taking all the chances we get when we are in a spell of dominating the game, so adding this string to his bow will help relieve pressure on us.
Now, I’m not going to suggest that they are Xavi and Iniesta here but there is a similarity in that it is difficult to talk about one without the other. The partnership continues to blossom and I have loved seeing how they have developed their games over the summer: Tyler Bindon looks stronger in the air and Amadou Mbengue’s runs from deep have been a joy to watch.
Mbengue did come a little unstuck against Wrexham’s Ollie Palmer – a mismatch of around 15cm in height – so I do wonder if there is an ability for the defensive shape to be a little more fluid to allow Bindon to drift over to provide that cover, and for Mbengue to switch across to the other side to use his pace to catch the runners looking for the flick-on from the header.
Perhaps I am overthinking it – it’s only something that has been exploited the one time, but there could be other teams who look to play more direct. I’m looking at you, Lincoln City.
I don’t doubt for one moment that Bindon and Mbengue’s developing partnership (Mbgendon? Bingue?) has also been aided by Lewis Wing dropping unusually deep.
Perhaps this gives him the ability to use his reading of the game to relieve pressure by holding up the ball while others find space to create a passing option with runs. Perhaps it’s his ability to be in the right place at the right time to allow the back four to play the triangles. Perhaps his leadership in being vocal and offering guidance and encouragement is a factor.
It’s working, though the obvious downside is that we are not seeing so much of the attacking aspect of his game. He has definitely seemed a bit quieter than last season, perhaps though because he is doing more of the unglamorous work.
I think his presence has helped Craig settle into the unfamiliar right-back role as well and allows players like Elliott and Savage, who are more naturally 8s, to play as such. Essentially, the deeper he is, the more passes he can and will ping to the willing runners, but it would be nice to see him smash in a spag-bol-fuelled 30-yarder effort some time soon.
However, this need is not as pressing because…
…this lad here has found his scoring boots and just can’t stop hitting them in for poops and giggles. He even did one with his supposed weaker right foot, because this is Charlie Savage’s world and we are all just living in it.
His work-rate is phenomenal and although I haven’t checked the stats, I would be surprised to see if anyone covers more distance than him during a 90-odd-minute game. As always, he isn’t shy about getting stuck in to win the ball back, dropping deeper to support the left-back or pushing up to help the attack.
I do wonder, however, if the tenacity we all applaud is a possible weakness in the bigger scheme of things. Hear me out here: I do love it, but his willingness to meep meep around the pitch and win the ball back will more often than not draw him slightly, or not so slightly, out of the midfield shape.
If he wins the ball back, it’s OK. However, if not, then it creates a misbalance in the shape and that can be exposed. I felt this was a largely overlooked contributing factor for Wrexham’s third goal in the earlier loss, as it left Dorsett to have to step up and try to win the ball back to compensate, which didn’t work.
I’m no expert, and maybe I’m talking nonsense, but I do wonder whether, if he were able to work on reading the defensive transitions, he would be better off for it. He’s clearly an intelligent footballer – you can’t help but feel that this is without a doubt a tool he has – but I’d like to see a little more of it.
Personally, it’s just fantastic to see the likes of Adrian Akande, Andre Garcia, Basil Tuma and Tivonge Rushesha getting minutes in the league this season. This, coupled with Mamadi Camara and Jayden Wareham getting further involved, and the likes of Abraham Kanu waiting in the wings as well, shows we have a bright future.
It’s a shame they are getting minutes due to the circumstances, but credit to them all for taking their opportunities and it’s a credit to the coaching staff to give them the support and guidance to be able to be ready to step up and make a difference when injuries and fatigue are already seeping in.
