He looks a bit low on confidence. It can't be easy playing out of position.
Bowyer put in him in the team for the last 10 games last season - he put in the graft and played his part with some decent performances, albeit with only 1 match winning goal and a couple of assists. But he never let anybody down and worked hard for the team.
He's come on as sub in some recent games and made a very decent contribution v Peterboro, for example. But as any player will know - when it's not going right for you, then it doesn't go right.
He needs to play as part of a front pairing. Taylor & Grant compliment each other well, and Igor's next in line. But a midfielder he ain't.
Just seen your post, Henry, after I'd already posted mine. I see we've made some similar points.
Ajose has got his limitations and at the moment he's way down the pecking order but, looking at it from the player's perspective, he's on a hiding to nothing right now.
He's not 1st choice in his own position and the only way he can get a game, is to play out of position - where yesterday he was plainly struggling. It's harsh to judge him on that.
Remember, most of the team struggled to get their game together for most of the 1st half, not just Ajose. That was because Wycombe had a gameplan which stopped us playing.
I could have sworn he played a good through ball for Grant shortly after the equaliser, from which Grant really should have scored. Reading all of the comments on here, I'm starting to wonder if I actually did see it, or if I've remembered it incorrectly. I thought it was following that moment that the team seemed to spark into life, winning that succession of challenges in the middle shortly after.
I could have sworn he played a good through ball for Grant shortly after the equaliser, from which Grant really should have scored. Reading all of the comments on here, I'm starting to wonder if I actually did see it, or if I've remembered it incorrectly. I thought it was following that moment that the team seemed to spark into life, winning that succession of challenges in the middle shortly after.
Yep, that happened, thought he was mediocre but not shit.
The position he was playing on Saturday didn’t suit his (few) strengths at all. It was a failed experiment to ask him to link defence & attack plus take the set pieces - he built a reputation on being the ‘fox in the box’ for Swindon and not as a playmaker.
If LB starts with Taylor/Grant/Ajose again next time out, I will be truly puzzled. Reeves did a far better job creating openings and linking the play. Plus we have Fosu and Clarke returning soon.
I could have sworn he played a good through ball for Grant shortly after the equaliser, from which Grant really should have scored. Reading all of the comments on here, I'm starting to wonder if I actually did see it, or if I've remembered it incorrectly. I thought it was following that moment that the team seemed to spark into life, winning that succession of challenges in the middle shortly after.
You did see it and it was a terrific through ball. outside of that he was a bit of a passenger.
The position he was playing on Saturday didn’t suit his (few) strengths at all. It was a failed experiment to ask him to link defence & attack plus take the set pieces - he built a reputation on being the ‘fox in the box’ for Swindon and not as a playmaker.
If LB starts with Taylor/Grant/Ajose again next time out, I will be truly puzzled. Reeves did a far better job creating openings and linking the play. Plus we have Fosu and Clarke returning soon.
So where exactly was Ajose playing on Saturday? In the hole just behind the front 2?
Worked at Southend. The interplay between the 3 up top was class.
I can see it working away from home (sometimes) but it certainly didn't produce anything on Saturday - first half we were all over the place up front, not helped by our midfield. However, I did like Steer's drop kicks, nice flat trajectory and just the right distance. Caused their centre backs problems.
It (3-4-3) does work if the two wide players drop into midfield covering wing backs out of possession (5-4-1). But for the 1st goal (Grant? didn't - and from a throw in so no excuse) so despite Aribo going across from the middle, they had 3 vs 2 wide and they passed their way round us and shot through Sarr's legs for the goal.
On the subject of three up front, I can recall a game at home to Pompey in Dowie’s disastrous reign, where he decided to go for a front free of Darren Bent, Marcus Bent with Jimmy Floyd Hasselibaink playing in behind the other two.
The only problem with this of course is that by the time JFH joined us, his mobility was like that of an obese sea lion, that had won a pie eating contest, and we were rendered as impotent as I can remember, as Jimmy waddled around aimlessly as the game zipped around him.
I may be wrong about this, but this may have also been the game where the legendary Omar Puoso made his one and only showing in a red shirt, though I am happy to stand corrected.
On the subject of three up front, I can recall a game at home to Pompey in Dowie’s disastrous reign, where he decided to go for a front free of Darren Bent, Marcus Bent with Jimmy Floyd Hasselibaink playing in behind the other two.
The only problem with this of course is that by the time JFH joined us, his mobility was like that of an obese sea lion, that had won a pie eating contest, and we were rendered as impotent as I can remember, as Jimmy waddled around aimlessly as the game zipped around him.
I may be wrong about this, but this may have also been the game where the legendary Omar Puoso made his one and only showing in a red shirt, though I am happy to stand corrected.
You are correct.
It didn’t work because he played rommedahl and ambrose in the midfield too leaving just Pouso sitting on his own.
Comments
Bowyer put in him in the team for the last 10 games last season - he put in the graft and played his part with some decent performances, albeit with only 1 match winning goal and a couple of assists. But he never let anybody down and worked hard for the team.
He's come on as sub in some recent games and made a very decent contribution v Peterboro, for example.
But as any player will know - when it's not going right for you, then it doesn't go right.
He needs to play as part of a front pairing. Taylor & Grant compliment each other well, and Igor's next in line.
But a midfielder he ain't.
I see we've made some similar points.
Ajose has got his limitations and at the moment he's way down the pecking order but, looking at it from the player's perspective, he's on a hiding to nothing right now.
He's not 1st choice in his own position and the only way he can get a game, is to play out of position - where yesterday he was plainly struggling. It's harsh to judge him on that.
Remember, most of the team struggled to get their game together for most of the 1st half, not just Ajose.
That was because Wycombe had a gameplan which stopped us playing.
But that's not what some want to hear.
If LB starts with Taylor/Grant/Ajose again next time out, I will be truly puzzled. Reeves did a far better job creating openings and linking the play. Plus we have Fosu and Clarke returning soon.
The only problem with this of course is that by the time JFH joined us, his mobility was like that of an obese sea lion, that had won a pie eating contest, and we were rendered as impotent as I can remember, as Jimmy waddled around aimlessly as the game zipped around him.
I may be wrong about this, but this may have also been the game where the legendary Omar Puoso made his one and only showing in a red shirt, though I am happy to stand corrected.
It didn’t work because he played rommedahl and ambrose in the midfield too leaving just Pouso sitting on his own.