Michael Kayode

[Untouchable]

 

[Ashford Bees]

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Funny coincidence that their fortunes have vastly improved since he cemented his right back slot.

 

[TadB]

Been wanting to throw this out for a little while so interested in everyone’s thoughts.

I love watching Kayode - his style and enthusiasm and energy and crazy diagonal runs through the middle. It’s fantastic to see. But…

I have concerns. Especially bearing in mind at this level, we are talking small margins.

His long throwins seem to have been relatively ineffective this season. He does always look like he has at least one big clanger a game up his sleeve, if not more. Against, mobile attackers, I don’t feel comfortable.

But most importantly, and maybe unfairly, as I’m comparing to the past and KLP at left back today, Im not sure I see him providing that link-up support, those clever little passes, down the right wing in the way that we have enjoyed in the past. I remember plenty of games where our right side was so threatening, and attacks that started with the right back. I can’t help but wonder whether Hickey, given a prolonged spell in the team, might provide that slightly more cultured service while offering the same defensive qualities.

You make some massively important points, also some insightful observations. I find it exceptionally difficult to arrive at my own conclusion on this. What must be going on in Keith Andrews head as he seeks a solution to this situation cannot be contemplated. Clearly he has made several attempts to reposition Hickey, but with little apparent success. Whilst this gives him the opportunity to build a very strong bench I believe that it is also likely to give us a major problem. Both players whilst providing strength are too good to sit on the Bench. I am thankful that it is not my problem to pick the starting eleven.

 

[Beelated]

The saying ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ might be a little strong, but I think it’s normal for supporters to become intoxicated about a player’s talent when that player excites the watching crowd and subsequently becomes a crowd favourite. We then become familiar with his (or her) performances and sometimes feel unrewarded when the performance is not repeated.

I think with Michael, he made such an impact in his first full season that opponents are now trying to figure out how to play against him and added to that is that KA is also trying to confuse the opposition by almost using him as a decoy; getting him to do a few more unexpected things, such as not always getting him to throw long or to go on his marauding runs down the right so that the left hand side attack more often, etc.

Like any player, Michael is never going to play the perfect game every time he gets to play, but each game is another experience for him to improve on what he’s capable of doing and gain that almost telepathic understanding with his teammates.

He’s obviously impressed whilst playing for his country which is another great opportunity for him to learn and develop his own skills which can only be good for us, too.

 

[BURFORD BEE]

Been wanting to throw this out for a little while so interested in everyone’s thoughts.

I love watching Kayode - his style and enthusiasm and energy and crazy diagonal runs through the middle. It’s fantastic to see. But…

I have concerns. Especially bearing in mind at this level, we are talking small margins.

His long throwins seem to have been relatively ineffective this season. He does always look like he has at least one big clanger a game up his sleeve, if not more. Against, mobile attackers, I don’t feel comfortable.

But most importantly, and maybe unfairly, as I’m comparing to the past and KLP at left back today, Im not sure I see him providing that link-up support, those clever little passes, down the right wing in the way that we have enjoyed in the past. I remember plenty of games where our right side was so threatening, and attacks that started with the right back. I can’t help but wonder whether Hickey, given a prolonged spell in the team, might provide that slightly more cultured service while offering the same defensive qualities.

You're comparing chalk and cheese. They're absolutely two totally different players and having one of them as a sub and the other playing is an asset not a problem.
His long throws are not as effective this season because coaches are now wise to them due to the fact that a great deal more teams were using the tactic. What they cannot plan for though is Kayode's unpredictability
Hickey has reached his peak and won't improve further as good as he is, whereas with MK he could, not necessarily will, become world class. The same is true for Sangare. His form seems to have dropped off. The PL has a very steep learning curve and it will take time before becoming the player who impressed so much at the start. Remember also just how young these guys are, they'll have the occasional drop in form. We're little old Brentford. We simply can't spunk £100k on the finished article.

 

[jlove]

They're absolutely two totally different players and having one of them as a sub and the other playing is an asset not a problem.

I think many fans just can't get their heads around football at the higher end of the Premier League being a squad game – it's not really "I've got my favourite eleven and I'm sticking with it" anymore.

There's at least two dimensions: 1. there's so much emphasis on athleticism, power and pace, that a player's performance is likely to tail off after 60 minutes; 2. game tactics are now very sophisticated, with so much data about opponents available, so a head coach trying to outthink his opposite number is high on the list of match planning.

This means our 'playing sixteen', particularly in the high distance positions like midfield, needs in-game rotation plus individual positional characteristics need to offer starting selection alternatives based on game tactics.

So... there are full backs who may give a higher attacking contribution and others who are more solid defenders. It's good to have the options. And, given the injuries and suspensions we've had in midfield, it's good to have players in other positions who can step up – even if it's experimental.

As others have identified, fans do love a free-running, smiling player to entertain them but sometimes just have a defender defending is necessary.