[Archived] Preston

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Garner, Speedie, Newell, Jansen were all better players and probably Garner

...Sutton, Cole, Benni Mac, Bellamy, Santa Cruz....

Rhodes is an excellent finisher but the above could all finish and then some.

To be fair we have been spoilt over the years!

[47er]

Tris is no mate of mine...

What's changed?

[Hasta]

Does it not occur to you rhodesettes that a major reason we don't get goals from other areas of the team is because Rhodes creates nothing for others?

Except the one he put on a plate for Lawrence against Burnley which is still in orbit somewhere.

[den]

To drop Rhodes with the team we ve got just how exactly are the goals going to come from ?

Who suggested dropping Rhodes? Not me.

[den]

Sorry if you think I'm putting you down den, that's not my intention, but you do have a fixation with putting Rhodes down and he's the least of our problems.

I also thought I gave good reason for defending Rhodes against your comments that Rhodes and performance don't belong together, but maybe not.

Paul Lambert has already said Rhodes is our talisman, I agree with him, build the team around a 20 goals a season man and we're going places.

I don't believe I did put Rhodes down Gav. For the last three years he's scored 20+ a season. You say build a team round him. We have done. You give him the ball in the box, he scores. You can do no more as far as supporting Rhodes. Team built? No.

Lambert wants to play differently. He wants us to press from the front. He wants us to play with high intensity. That's great as far as I'm concerned. I don't care who's name is on the shirt. I don't care if one player scores 30 goals. All I care for is that the team plays the way that I believe Lambert wants us to. That's the right way to play. Whether he can achieve it or not is another matter. All the best sides play that way.

To play the way he wants to do needs everyone to buy into it. There's no halfway house with that approach. Either everyone buys into it or it doesn't work. Now here's the thing, - if ANY player can't contribute to that style of play, then Lambert will have a judgement to make. There are a few players in the squad that might well struggle, who simply can't play the high tempo game. But, as ever, mention Rhodes by name and people can't see past it. Every player comes under scrutiny, or should do, not just Rhodes. Success for this club doesn't rely on any individual, it will only come when we can impose ourselves on the opposition as a team - and when we dictate the play to them.

[SoldierMo]

OMG. All i asked was how he played?? And i started a war....im a big Rhodes fan...if he was how the fans want him to be he would not be playing in the championship....and by the way he scored our WINNER yesterday....

[Ewooduknow]

Selective memory Speedie. Gestede couldn't hold the ball up but he got a free ride, why's that? Because he's a big lump and some of our fans love big lumps.

Rhodes is better at holding the ball up than people think. Play the ball into his feet and he usually either draws a foul or plays a clever ball wide. Lumping the ball up to him is useless, but then again it was when Rudy/Brown played. I lost count of the number of times Rudy would flick the ball on to absolutely no one but because he was winning the headers, this was ignored.

A quick check of squawka stats disproves a good few arguments. For example, Gestede created just 5 more chances (43) than Rhodes (38) last season in 5 fewer games. His shooting accuracy was 39% compared to Rhodes's 45%. Rhodes's pass accuracy was much better at 73% compared to Rudy's 61%. Rudy may have won more headers but he won an average of 56% of aerial duels compared to Rhodes's 45% which I'm sure isn't the gulf you were expecting.

Aren't those meaningless stats..?

[garnersfags]

Many of us have watched this Rhodes discussion, determined not to be drawn into it on the Preston thread.

I'm the latest to crumble....

Rhodes 'does' create chances for himself.

Rhodes very rarely receives a direct pass from our midfield around the edge, or in, the box.

When he does receive, or win, the ball he rarely gives it away.

His chance to goal ratio is better than more or less any Championship striker.

He does run the channels but is rarely found due to our lack of creative midfielders.

Dunny regularly looked to play incisive balls direct or 'round the corner' to him and let him decide whether to lay it off, turn a defender or shoot.

He will undoubtedly benefit from a 2nd regular strike partner.

I repeat, he does not give the ball away (that doesn't include long balls in the air to him which only Gestede types are happy with).

For a striker who rarely sees the ball his record is supreme. No Bowyer side has made it a priority to get the ball to his feet, if Lambert chooses to do this, he will score 30 goals a season.

We need a creative midfielder who can thread incisive balls through to the best front man in the divsion.

Now back to Preston. Sorry.

[Ewooduknow]

Would I want Rhodes dropped now? No.. Replaced in January? Maybe..

[mustard]

Would I want Rhodes dropped now? No.. Replaced in January? Maybe..

Name some better players we could realistically sign that will replace Rhodes's 20+ goals, assuming we come out of the embargo...

[Jock]

I thought this was a PKE thread not a Rhodes bitchfest.

[Ewooduknow]

Name some better players we could realistically sign that will replace Rhodes's 20+ goals, assuming we come out of the embargo...

Assuming we got around 12m for Rhodes, that could potentially purchase grabben from Norwich(3-4m poss) and be left with up to 8m to strengthen other areas of the TEAM.

[old darwen blue]

I thought saxo had been banned?

Mods, if not please could you do so as he is annoying me now.

Thanks.

[Ewooduknow]

?

[mustard]

Assuming we got around 12m for Rhodes, that could potentially purchase grabben from Norwich(3-4m poss) and be left with up to 8m to strengthen other areas of the TEAM.

Bad attitude on him. He walked away from the team a couple of months back and refused to play because he wasn't getting a move back to Bournemouth. Norwich rejected bids of over £5mill from them in the summer stating it was 'nowhere near their valuation' and he threw a paddy.

A lot of money to risk on a bad egg whose goal record is decent but nowhere near as good as Rhodes's. NEXT...

[Stuart]

Well, Stuart, it would seem that I'm not alone in being underwhelmed by Rhodes. However, I'm the only one you accuse of being churlish. Why is that?

I based my opinion on two live games and several watched on tv, as well as two friends who watch Rovers on a regular basis.

Players like Vardy at Leicester have shown a killer instinct. Rhodes seems to lack that. He just needs too many chances to finish. If that upsets you then I'm sorry.

Because it would be a bit silly to sit here typing churlish after everyone's post. Get over yourself. I've given Tyrone more stick than you.

I just find it really hard to believe that people keep rounding on Rhodes, of all people. The record books show trophies, wins and goals. Our trophy opportunities are much more limited than they used to be but Rhodes is still our biggest chance for the other two.

[philipl]

Too many Championship Manager players on this thread.

Proven 20 goals a season strikers are as rare as hen's teeth.

End of discussion.

Oh and by the way, Rhodes scored the most perfect penalty at PNE if nobody has noticed- there was only a ball's width between the keeper's finger nail and the post and he stroked it there.

[Speedie Dived]

...Sutton, Cole, Benni Mac, Bellamy, Santa Cruz....

Rhodes is an excellent finisher but the above could all finish and then some.

To be fair we have been spoilt over the years!

The ones I listed were to show the quality we had in he Championship or equivalent league.

Those questioning his finisher must not see him often, would never question that in a million years.

[Gav]

I don't believe I did put Rhodes down Gav. For the last three years he's scored 20+ a season. You say build a team round him. We have done. You give him the ball in the box, he scores. You can do no more as far as supporting Rhodes. Team built? No.

Lambert wants to play differently. He wants us to press from the front. He wants us to play with high intensity. That's great as far as I'm concerned. I don't care who's name is on the shirt. I don't care if one player scores 30 goals. All I care for is that the team plays the way that I believe Lambert wants us to. That's the right way to play. Whether he can achieve it or not is another matter. All the best sides play that way.

To play the way he wants to do needs everyone to buy into it. There's no halfway house with that approach. Either everyone buys into it or it doesn't work. Now here's the thing, - if ANY player can't contribute to that style of play, then Lambert will have a judgement to make. There are a few players in the squad that might well struggle, who simply can't play the high tempo game. But, as ever, mention Rhodes by name and people can't see past it. Every player comes under scrutiny, or should do, not just Rhodes. Success for this club doesn't rely on any individual, it will only come when we can impose ourselves on the opposition as a team - and when we dictate the play to them.

I personally think Rhodes would thrive in a quicker more high intense style of football that we believe Lambert is going to adopt. But if that style means hitting the front man early and hoping he'll hold the ball up? Well its never going to work, that's not his game.

The problem for me is the players around Rhodes. If we had 4 midfielders with the hunger/heart of the ever willing Taylor then we'd be a force, and Rhodes would thrive, sadly we don't have that and Lambert needs to address that key problem area for me.

I can see the arguments for cashing in on Rhodes, but as philipl says, 20 goal strikers are like hens teeth and I doubt selling Rhodes has even entered the managers head.

[philipl]

Just out of interest for those who were there, how did Garner and Gallagher do?

I always like them (and Matty Derbyshire for that matter) when they were at Rovers even though it was obvious they were never going to be Premier League players.

[Gav]

Just out of interest for those who were there, how did Garner and Gallagher do?

I always like them (and Matty Derbyshire for that matter) when they were at Rovers even though it was obvious they were never going to be Premier League players.

Garner was a horrible little swine on the day, stamped on Duffy I think it was, elbowed Hanley in the mouth several times and scored, Gally had a decent game, nothing special but decent.

Garner reminded me of Dickov, I'll not say Speedie because he couldn't lace his boots, but if he plays for you great, if he doesn't then he's public enemy No1.

[Speedie Dived]

Good to read the lads were brought in for training on Sunday. Led to believe it was far from a holiday camp under Bowyer, as portrayed by a few on here, but there is a clear attempt to up the fitness.

Slight danger that we will incur an increase in injuries, think Lambert alluded to this with Lawrence.

[arbitro]

I personally think Rhodes would thrive in a quicker more high intense style of football that we believe Lambert is going to adopt. But if that style means hitting the front man early and hoping he'll hold the ball up? Well its never going to work, that's not his game.

The problem for me is the players around Rhodes. If we had 4 midfielders with the hunger/heart of the ever willing Taylor then we'd be a force, and Rhodes would thrive, sadly we don't have that and Lambert needs to address that key problem area for me.

I can see the arguments for cashing in on Rhodes, but as philipl says, 20 goal strikers are like hens teeth and I doubt selling Rhodes has even entered the managers head.

I really think though that Rhodes has never really been asked to hold the ball up before. At Huddersfield their game was designed to get the ball into the box early from wide positions and here there hasn't really been a set way of playing, no real pattern. If Lambert wants Rhodes to do this I think he is smart enough to see it is an aspect of his game he will need to work on. Hopefully they will be working on this on the training ground along with several other deficiencies that Lambert has identified in the squad.

[sambo]

Reading this thread you'd struggle to realise Jordan Rhodes has bagged 20 goals every season he's been with us, is the 2nd highest scorer in the league this season (in a profligate Rovers team) and was almost entirely responsible for us not playing League One football.

What more does the lad have to do? I've heard plenty from people about his all round game improving this season, but one quiet game (where he still scored an expertly taken penalty) and he's a target.

£12m is a lot of money and I guess I can understand people having that debate (I'd keep him personally), but reading posts knocking him is completely wrong.

I see a lot of posts calling him lazy, which I think is wide of the mark. He does more running than people give him credit for. And whilst he isn't the quickest, he is brilliant positionally and his brain in the box gives him an extra half yard anyway.

After everything Rhodes has done for the club he is surely above some of the stuff that gets levelled at him on here. Most clubs would snatch your hands off to have Rhodes but are put off by Venky's stubbornness and the high asking fee.

Back to the PNE game - great atmosphere, scrappy win (who cares) and 3 points closer to an unlikely stab at the play offs. Hanley and Duffy the star men for me.

Henley looked lost in the first half hour but improved. Akpan let down by passing. Koita was very hit and miss when he came on, hoping some of the poorer moments were ring rust, but he has proved that he can be a little eccentric.

For all Preston's pressure, there were very little chances. Lots of crosses for Hanley and Duffy to clear (LET had an incredible stat about the clearances Duffy made) but very little moments where they looked like scoring.

Not sure if we'd have held on under GB - we always had a soft touch. I like to think the support from the away end helped too.

When all the players came over to the away end at the game it was a really great moment and hopefully indicative of the new optimism and feeling of togetherness.

[Cherry Blue]

Just been shown a Facebook clip of noise we made on Saturday. Most be best Deepdale have heard.