Sessegnon

[colinwhite]

Do people really think Jokanovic is just stubborn in playing Ryan at left back and that his best position is clearly further forward ? That yesterday he finally saw the light and hasnt been able to work out the thing that everone else has been able to see? Supporters see it clearly so why hasnt he? One thing is for sure a manager with SJ s abillity to get Fulham playing the type of fotboll we saw yesterday has a vast knowleddge of the game ,which shouldnt be underestimated by frustrated fans. So why on earth does he keep on playing our top scorer at left back ?

To me its seems that Slavisa believes he has a very limited squad in terms of the players he is prepared to start in the team. Soares clearly hasnt worked out and our forward recruits havent been anywhere near good enough.  Fonte is quality but too weak and losses posseision too often and Kamara is a head down and hope merchant , both of which hugely frustrate our head coach. Ayete is clearly ,at present , his number one for the striker position. He is pacey and tricky with the abillity to hold and protect the ball and beat a man as well as scoring the odd goal.
I believe SJ picks the team to win matches and in Sessingnons case wants to provide the best possible environment for him to succeed and develop as a player and person.He is clearly a huge asset and one that needs to be protected.For Ryan to play in a front three with the speedy Ojo and Ayete against teams trying to attack us couldnt be better. But we need other solutions when playing at the cottage against deeply defending teams intrnt on keeping us at bay.
 

I could be wrong but Sessingnon has only started in a more forward  position once at the Cottage this season as i can recall ,and he was ineffectual and actually lost the ball with his back to goal  after a questionable throw out from Buttons which led to a goal conceded. He is great when he the ball to run on to or at his feet but ineffetive in tight areas with back to goal. Im sure this is something the coaching staff are working on but he isnt there yet.
Its no coincidence that Sessingnon started both games against She utd and Cardiff or Newcastle away (last year) in midfield as these are the type of games where teams are going to attack us allowing Ryan space to exploit his pace and mobillity. There is a massive difference between these types of games and playing against the Millwalls ,Sunderlands etc of this division who are going to defend deep and try to hit us on the break. I think for these games Slavisa believes that the team benefits from Ryans pace and mobillity more in defence.
Slavisa doesnt get enough credit for the courage and nouse to play and develop Sessingnon , let alone that he was probably hugely influetial in us being able to hold on to him. I dont expect anything to change any time soon with Ryan switching between defence and midfield depending on  the opposition we are playing against.
The idea that Ryan scored a hatrick away at Sheffield utd who are were second in the league automatiaclly means he ought be able to score a couple of games at home against weaker opposition is frankly a bit silly. It simply doesnt work that way. Indeed the team has played its best football (with the exception of Wolves away ) against the better sides.

As I said to start with I dont think Slavisa fancys alot of the new recruits. I would say that playing Johansen as a lone forward shows a trainer that is prepared to make radical changes, and is not stuck in a groove , but also not one prepared to player a forward he dosent have confidence in ,just for the sake of it,however much they cost the club .
As far as Odoi is concerned ,Jokanovic clearly doesnt see him as  a first choice left back (he does make us a bit unbalanced playing there),but also that he is better suited to the defnsive duties of away games .
Ryan scored a great goal yesterday ,but for me actually didnt have his best game and got outmuscled quite alot. Lets not forget he is only 17 years old and being well looked after by our coaching staff.
It will be interesting to see what players are brought in in January ,but Im not so sure one of them is going to be a left back.
   

[Woolly Mammoth]

Do people really think Jokanovic is just stubborn in playing Ryan at left back and that his best position is clearly further forward ? That yesterday he finally saw the light and hasnt been able to work out the thing that everone else has been able to see? Supporters see it clearly so why hasnt he? One thing is for sure a manager with SJ s abillity to get Fulham playing the type of fotboll we saw yesterday has a vast knowleddge of the game ,which shouldnt be underestimated by frustrated fans. So why on earth does he keep on playing our top scorer at left back ?

To me its seems that Slavisa believes he has a very limited squad in terms of the players he is prepared to start in the team. Soares clearly hasnt worked out and our forward recruits havent been anywhere near good enough.  Fonte is quality but too weak and losses posseision too often and Kamara is a head down and hope merchant , both of which hugely frustrate our head coach. Ayete is clearly ,at present , his number one for the striker position. He is pacey and tricky with the abillity to hold and protect the ball and beat a man as well as scoring the odd goal.
I believe SJ picks the team to win matches and in Sessingnons case wants to provide the best possible environment for him to succeed and develop as a player and person.He is clearly a huge asset and one that needs to be protected.For Ryan to play in a front three with the speedy Ojo and Ayete against teams trying to attack us couldnt be better. But we need other solutions when playing at the cottage against deeply defending teams intrnt on keeping us at bay.
 

I could be wrong but Sessingnon has only started in a more forward  position once at the Cottage this season as i can recall ,and he was ineffectual and actually lost the ball with his back to goal  after a questionable throw out from Buttons which led to a goal conceded. He is great when he the ball to run on to or at his feet but ineffetive in tight areas with back to goal. Im sure this is something the coaching staff are working on but he isnt there yet.
Its no coincidence that Sessingnon started both games against She utd and Cardiff or Newcastle away (last year) in midfield as these are the type of games where teams are going to attack us allowing Ryan space to exploit his pace and mobillity. There is a massive difference between these types of games and playing against the Millwalls ,Sunderlands etc of this division who are going to defend deep and try to hit us on the break. I think for these games Slavisa believes that the team benefits from Ryans pace and mobillity more in defence.
Slavisa doesnt get enough credit for the courage and nouse to play and develop Sessingnon , let alone that he was probably hugely influetial in us being able to hold on to him. I dont expect anything to change any time soon with Ryan switching between defence and midfield depending on  the opposition we are playing against.
The idea that Ryan scored a hatrick away at Sheffield utd who are were second in the league automatiaclly means he ought be able to score a couple of games at home against weaker opposition is frankly a bit silly. It simply doesnt work that way. Indeed the team has played its best football (with the exception of Wolves away ) against the better sides.

As I said to start with I dont think Slavisa fancys alot of the new recruits. I would say that playing Johansen as a lone forward shows a trainer that is prepared to make radical changes, and is not stuck in a groove , but also not one prepared to player a forward he dosent have confidence in ,just for the sake of it,however much they cost the club .
As far as Odoi is concerned ,Jokanovic clearly doesnt see him as  a first choice left back (he does make us a bit unbalanced playing there),but also that he is better suited to the defnsive duties of away games .
Ryan scored a great goal yesterday ,but for me actually didnt have his best game and got outmuscled quite alot. Lets not forget he is only 17 years old and being well looked after by our coaching staff.
It will be interesting to see what players are brought in in January ,but Im not so sure one of them is going to be a left back.
   

All the players recruited in January will be wingers.

[One Martin Thomas]

I think the obvious point here is that he does not rate Odoi. He was not first team last year, they tried to get rid and bring in the left back from Cardiff ??!! and ended up with Soares. Tricky.

[Fernhurst]

Very interesting synopsis Colin, found myself nodding in agreement whilst reading.

Our wonderkid is lucky to have such guidance to hand. The pictures from yesterday's game on offal shows the lad patting the badge on his shirt after scoring, he certainly appears to have a deep affinity with our beloved club. Is it beyond reason that if a miracle occurs and we gain promotion he could stay for a couple more years?
The Club and the fans are extreamly proud of young Sess, but he's not the finished product yet, however, his goal yesterday will further inflate the groundswell from his super agency to move him on. Let's hope he remains living at home and the family continue to have his best interests at heart to overrule the clamour surrounding him.
Man U are a huge club but have a chat with the outgoing Luke Shaw, is it the club for one so young?

[toshes mate]

SJ has publicly stated that he rates Ryan Sessegnon as both full back and winger and selects his teams according to how best he can set them up to win games.  As colinwhite says 'why on earth would SJ do anything else'.   What must be obvious to all of us this season is our lack of goal punch which has been largely down to a misfiring midfield, poor final balls, and poor finishing.  We have had glimpses of the midfield magic of last season in several of the last six or seven matches, but yesterday was the closest we have got to demonstrating how even some of the best competition in the Championship will struggle to defend against us.  The key yesterday was four goals from nine shots with six on target.  I still say we need to strengthen the squad in January but, as I have said many times now, we do not need to necessarily spend big - we need to spend for a promotion push from January to May.  That means no cross wires in communication between coaches and recruiters.

[f bloke]

 First time I have seen comments on Sess that agree with my own. I get annoyed when people say he ain't no fallback. I think he is a very good full back  and, for his age, possibly an exceptional one.  The question is, is he better playing further forward?

I think it depends. His better performances in that position have been away from home against the better sides  where the team has been set up to play more on the counter offensive.  In these matches he has been able to attack space rather than players.  The situation is very different when we are playing at home,  particularly against teams that are set up to play very defensively. Each of Ayite, Kebano and Ojo are currently better than him in tight areas.

Odoi  is the only current viable alternative as a left back  and he has limitations in that position since he is naturally right footed and, as a consequence, is less able to attack on the outside.  With Odoi's attacking limitations, I would argue that, at home, the team is set up more Offensively with Sess and either Ayite or Kebano on the left than with Odoi and Sess on the left. Playing him at LB allows us to bring in another attack minded player with tight skills, which allows Sess to attack from LB the space created by the close skills of that attacking player.

For me it would be mainly horses for courses, play him further forward away or against the more attacking teams at home, otherwise play him at LB at home

[filham]

Sorry, I am not buying all the above high tech thinking.
I see Sess. at times  in some difficulties at left back at the Cottage, it seems to me that he is outmuscled from time to time at the Cottage and that Odoi is in fact better than Sess. in defence.

This season our attack has lacked sparkle and Sess. in a forward may well have helped to get a much needed goal here  and there.

I find it hard to get my head around the idea that we can risk Odoi to the top teams away from home but not against the weaker but defensive teams at the Cottage.

[colinwhite]

its a question of mobillity as well- Sessingnon can be offensive at home and is still mobile enough to get back. In this sence he better defensively at home than Odoi. keep on banging the drum about sessingnon being à left winger `if you like but times have changed and Life is not as simple as that.

[Woolly Mammoth]

I personally do not wish to see Sess fall back to full back, as to my mind it's a criminal waste of precious talent.

[f bloke]

Sorry, I am not buying all the above high tech thinking.
I see Sess. at times  in some difficulties at left back at the Cottage, it seems to me that he is outmuscled from time to time at the Cottage and that Odoi is in fact better than Sess. in defence.

This season our attack has lacked sparkle and Sess. in a forward may well have helped to get a much needed goal here  and there.

I find it hard to get my head around the idea that we can risk Odoi to the top teams away from home but not against the weaker but defensive teams at the Cottage.

———————————————————————————————————

Have to agree to disagree on the defensive side, even with Sess attacking instincts I have seen Odoi caught out positionally more than Sess. Sess defensive shortcomings are hugely overstated on here.

Against Barnsley Sess was a real threat offensively and worked well with both Ayite and Kebano when he came on. He was my MOM. Odoi simply does not carry anything like the same attacking threat as Sess, less important away from home, more important against a park the bus sideat home. To accommodate Sess further forward, only one of Kamara,Ayite, Kebano and Fonte can play

What we have lacked most of the season is a properly balanced team. Dropping Parker last season and going with KM, TC and SJ made a real difference. Getting those three back to fitness and dropping Norwood to accommodate them hopefully will make a similar difference this season and help Sess to shine in either position

[Woolly Mammoth]

Sorry, I am not buying all the above high tech thinking.
I see Sess. at times  in some difficulties at left back at the Cottage, it seems to me that he is outmuscled from time to time at the Cottage and that Odoi is in fact better than Sess. in defence.

This season our attack has lacked sparkle and Sess. in a forward may well have helped to get a much needed goal here  and there.

I find it hard to get my head around the idea that we can risk Odoi to the top teams away from home but not against the weaker but defensive teams at the Cottage.

———————————————————————————————————

Have to agree to disagree on the defensive side, even with Sess attacking instincts I have seen Odoi caught out positionally more than Sess. Sess defensive shortcomings are hugely overstated on here.

Against Barnsley Sess was a real threat offensively and worked well with both Ayite and Kebano when he came on. He was my MOM. Odoi simply does not carry anything like the same attacking threat as Sess, less important away from home, more important against a park the bus sideat home. To accommodate Sess further forward, only one of Kamara,Ayite, Kebano and Fonte can play

What we have lacked most of the season is a properly balanced team. Dropping Parker last season and going with KM, TC and SJ made a real difference. Getting those three back to fitness and dropping Norwood to accommodate them hopefully will make a similar difference this season and help Sess to shine in either position

f bloke, you are I feel absolutely correct regarding the problem with the balance of the team.
Yesterday we got it as close to a balanced side as we could so far this season, and we reaped the dividend with a superb result and a very encouraging quality performance.
That is the key, and balance is so important, ask any Set of Scales, or Tightrooe Walker or Trapeze Artist.

[toshes mate]

Getting TC, KMc, SJ back to fitness and dropping Norwood to accommodate them hopefully will make a similar difference this season and help Sess to shine in either position

An analysis I concur with.  I'd also mention that defensively we have been getting better and better at covering Sessegnon's attacks.  There'll always be the exceptions when the ball is giving away too cheaply and attacks breakdown via a poor pass or poor control rather than pressure, but lately we do seem to be playing as a whole unit rather than as eleven individuals and that is a welcome improvement on some earlier season team performances. 

[colinwhite]

The comparison between Norwood and parker is valid. Feel sorry for him but we are better without him if those three are at it.