Ilmari Niskanen (Welcome)

[Grecian Max]

Bit harsh that Max imo. As fans we are fixated on certain metrics of how we judge players - generally speaking we measure forward players by goals and assists and not much else. On that basis Ilmari wouldn't be in a lot of fans starting line up. However, it appears managers and coaches view performance altogether differently than to us. Ilmari's running is I suspect in the top three of all our players and his defensive work is incredible - witness how he ended up side by side putting off their 32 player who was in on goal in the 2nd half. His off the ball work is impressive when we have lost possession and his awareness of what is going on around him filling in when others have been caught out of position is the sign of an intelligent player. His heading is also excellent. You can work on goals and assists on the training ground the other attributes not so. He has already started to add better crosses and assists to his game it wont be long I'm sure till he starts scoring.

I can't see how my post was harsh, half of it was good praise

Not sure where the expectation for a wing back to score has come from - I do, however expect him to make basic passes without giving it away which has the been him all season

He clearly isn't very good on the ball, however that doesn't make him useless. He works hard, has a good engine and stretches the oppo. Aitchison rarely wants to pass to him even when he's in space... he knows.

As I said, had his best game for us yesterday

 

[JGrecian23]

I can't see how my post was harsh, half of it was good praise

Not sure where the expectation for a wing back to score has come from - I do, however expect him to make basic passes without giving it away which has the been him all season

He clearly isn't very good on the ball, however that doesn't make him useless. He works hard, has a good engine and stretches the oppo. Aitchison rarely wants to pass to him even when he's in space... he knows.

As I said, had his best game for us yesterday

Seems harsh to me!

 

[Red & White]

I can't see how my post was harsh, half of it was good praise

Not sure where the expectation for a wing back to score has come from - I do, however expect him to make basic passes without giving it away which has the been him all season

He clearly isn't very good on the ball, however that doesn't make him useless. He works hard, has a good engine and stretches the oppo. Aitchison rarely wants to pass to him even when he's in space... he knows.

As I said, had his best game for us yesterday

Our goal yesterday came from a nice reverse pass from Aitchison to Ilmari to run onto, his cross was almost identical to the move which saw Harris put one over the bar in the first 10 minutes. It has taken him time to settle in since his return from injury and I think we are starting to see him at his best.

Not the most technically gifted but certainly has a good engine on him to enable him to get up and down the flank and just keeps running for 90 minutes.

 

[edwin_price]

I don't think it's harsh to say that someone's energy is their best attribute. We've got players, like Woods, Cole and Carroll, who are better technicians than Niskanen, but it's the blend of different abilities that make up a team. Need players like Niskanen. Comparisons with Kuyt and Milner are reasonable I think... Neither of those players were terrible technically, but they were playing at a very high level... The thing they brought to the table over other players at that level was the energy and positional discipline.

As for how fans rate or don't rate players, workhorse types are often appreciated more than technical players... We've had real grafters here before who the fans loved. Adam Stansfield the obvious one. Not a bad footballer, but it was his energy that was his trump card. Compare that to better technical players, like Coppinger or Harley, where they're always a bad game away from getting a proper moaning at. A couple of stinkers back to back aside, Ilmari looks fine to me up and down that right side.

 

[Super Ronnie Jepson]

Niskanen is one of those players that will always look better in a bottom half team, because of his running and energy etc. If we have ambitions of being better then he shouldn't be a first choice.

 

[suffolklad]

Niskanen is one of those players that will always look better in a bottom half team, because of his running and energy etc. If we have ambitions of being better then he shouldn't be a first choice.

Simply rubbish, He is sone of the best wing backs we have had for ages.He has improved beyond measure and will continue to do so. So much better than that previous bloke Josh Key who ran around with no end product at all.

 

[Devon Red]

Simply rubbish, He is sone of the best wing backs we have had for ages.He has improved beyond measure and will continue to do so. So much better than that previous bloke Josh Key who ran around with no end product at all.

Better than Josh Key?! Bed time I think, that's enough internet for one day.

 

[JGrecian23]

Simply rubbish, He is sone of the best wing backs we have had for ages.He has improved beyond measure and will continue to do so. So much better than that previous bloke Josh Key who ran around with no end product at all.

Haha nice try but you've got a lot to learn when it comes to fishing.

 

[Snoop Fog]

Niskanen is one of those players that will always look better in a bottom half team, because of his running and energy etc. If we have ambitions of being better then he shouldn't be a first choice.

Sorry but this is nonsense. Do you think top half teams don't need players whose running and energy is their main attribute?

 

[Super Ronnie Jepson]

Sorry but this is nonsense. Do you think top half teams don't need players whose running and energy is their main attribute?

No they need players that make good decisions and can execute them.

As an example, in the second half on Saturday he was in a great position and tried to cut a ball back from near the byline to Aitchison (I think) who was only just inside the penalty area and had a defender stood next to him. The ball was easily cut out by the defender. The obvious option was to play it across the six yard box.