Match reports 2007/2008
|
|
|
| |
DOWNLOAD OF THE WEEK |
 | |
| | WHAT'S ON | | | | |
| | GOING GREEN | | |
| | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | | | | |
| | COMMENT AND ANALYSIS | | |
|
|
|
Jake takes centre stage for Albion
JAKE Robinson is back where he wants to be, in more ways than one.
Not just back in the team but also in his preferred position.
Robinson returned not on the right wing, where he has been used so far this season. Bas Savage remained in that role for the third match running.
Instead he made only his third start of the campaign as a central striker, in a straight swap for the injured Nicky Forster.
It was a shrewd move by Dean Wilkins, in keeping with the manager's sensible handling of his fleeting rumpus with Robinson.
He had to assert his authority when the frustrated 20-year-old reacted sulkily to his continuing exclusion from the starting line-up at Swansea.
Wilkins dropped him from the squad altogether, when he could have taken the easy option of keeping him on the bench, which would have left us none the wiser about their training ground spat in Wales.
A dead leg ruled Robinson out of contention at Bournemouth three days later but he responded to his recall against Rovers with a lively performance alongside Alex Revell.
"I see myself as a striker, so it was really good to be given the chance to go back up there again and show I can still do it," Robinson said.
"I had to adjust, because I haven't played up there for quite a long time, but I thought things went well.
"Nicky's done really well for us this season. He has brought other things to the side apart from goals, which we know he can get, so to replace him was always going to be a task for me.
"It meant we had another option. With me being a bit quicker we could play the balls down the channels and get in behind them."
Robinson's desire to run the channels and with the ball from deep, together with his movement, kept the Rovers' defence stretched throughout a contest in which Albion ended up with so much less than they deserved. They will rarely play as well without winning.
The failure to take all three points was partly due to inaccurate finishing by the front pair but had much more to do with the excellence of Bristol keeper Steve Phillips.
Robinson was honest enough to admit he ought to have opened his account for the season early in the second half when Dean Hammond picked him out. The ball got caught under his feet as he controlled it and he narrowly missed the target.
"The pitch was a bit slow," Robinson said. "I think they'd put some sand in it and the ball wasn't running very true but I should have scored."
Revell missed a better chance just two minutes into the game.
A free-kick from Matt Richards found him unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box but his header bounced down and over the bar.
Revell could have emulated Robinson's hat-trick at Huddersfield a year ago. Head in hands, he was a picture of despair in the dugout after being substituted late on but he should not be so hard on himself.
The two chances he had in the second half were foiled by Phillips, not errant finishing.
An outstretched left hand by the former Bristol City keeper repelled a close range volley from Savage's knockdown and Phillips rounded off an outstanding display five minutes from time by dashing off his line to smother Revell when Robinson put him clean through.
Revell just needs to learn to relax a bit more. As Wilkins pointed out: "Alex is better than he gives himself credit for at times and sometimes the pressure he puts on himself can affect his performance."
There was not much pressure on Albion's defence as they completed a hat-trick of clean sheets.
Their early momentum was punctured by a calf injury which forced Guy Butters off midway through the first half, depriving them of his experience and steadying influence at the heart of the defence.
Butters' replacement, Adam El-Abd, after a rocky first five minutes including an underhit backpass which Andy Williams should have punished, proved an able deputy.
Wilkins said: "If you include the game at Cardiff over 90 minutes (where Albion lost in extra-time), we have kept five clean sheets in 11 games.
"That's something we need to do throughout the season to be successful. The flip side of that is that when we are on top we need to make sure we get in front. I am sure we will do that on another day."
On another day they also might not find the opposition keeper in such commanding form. Phillips also had all the answers to Albion's shoot-on-sight policy, dealing capably with long range efforts from Dean Cox (twice), Robinson and George O'Callaghan.
Robinson said: "I thought we played some really good stuff, especially early on. Towards the end of the first half we were hit a bit after Butts got injured.
"It kind of killed the flow but we put together some really nice moves in the second half and made some chances. We just lacked a goal but there is plenty to be encouraged by."
He is right. Albion are up a place to ninth, only two points outside the play-off zone and five behind new leaders Tranmere.
Joel Lynch, a key figure at the back, is also on course for a sooner than expected return from a hairline leg fracture after taking part in a post-match running session with fringe members of the squad.
ALBION (4-4-2): Michel Kuipers (GK), Andrew Whing (RB), Tommy Elphick (CB), Guy Butters (CB), Matt Richards (LB), Bas Savage (RM), George O'Callaghan (CM), Dean Hammond (CM), Dean Cox (LM), Alex Revell (CF), Jake Robinson (CF).
Subs: Adam El-Abd (for Butters 24), Nathan Elder (for Revell 85), John Sullivan, David Martot, Doug Loft.
YELLOW CARDS: None.
RED CARDS: None.
BRISTOL ROVERS (4-4-2): Steve Phillips (GK), Ryan Green (RB), Byron Anthony (CB), Steve Elliott (CB), Joe Jacobson (LB), David Pipe (RM), Stuart Campbell (CM), Craig Disley (CM), Lewis Haldane (LM), Andrew Williams (CF), Richard Walker (CF).
Subs: Rickie Lambert (for Williams 55), Sean Rigg (for Haldane 85), Craig Hinton, Chris Carruthers, Chris Lines.
YELLOW CARDS: None.
RED CARDS: None.
How did you rate Jake Robinson on his return to the side?
3:54pm Sunday 7th October 2007
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: Bill Porter, Sussex on 5:51pm Sun 7 Oct 07
Typical Jake performance. Ran around a lot but never really looked like scoring. The kid just isn't good enough to be a League One striker and it's time to let him go.
Typical Jake performance. Ran around a lot but never really looked like scoring. The kid just isn't good enough to be a League One striker and it's time to let him go.
Posted by: mark, brighton on 7:03pm Sun 7 Oct 07
[quote][bold]Bill Porter[/bold] wrote:
Typical Jake performance. Ran around a lot but never really looked like scoring. The kid just isn\'t good enough to be a League One striker and it\'s time to let him go.[/quote] your a fool bill, maybe he did snatch at his chances, but thats because he was desperate to prove himself, would like to see him start with forster, and revell on the right wing. have lynch at centre back instead of butters and were have a half decent side, as for jake , he needs to remember its 40 games in a season and perform in everyone. however lets not get carried away as we scored 3 goals in 4 games, two against the worse team i have seen in 3 years.
Bill Porter wrote:
Typical Jake performance. Ran around a lot but never really looked like scoring. The kid just isn\'t good enough to be a League One striker and it\'s time to let him go.
your a fool bill, maybe he did snatch at his chances, but thats because he was desperate to prove himself, would like to see him start with forster, and revell on the right wing. have lynch at centre back instead of butters and were have a half decent side, as for jake , he needs to remember its 40 games in a season and perform in everyone. however lets not get carried away as we scored 3 goals in 4 games, two against the worse team i have seen in 3 years.
Posted by: James, T.Wells on 10:29pm Sun 7 Oct 07
Thought Jake played well. By far our best player on the day and the goals will come if he is given a run in that position.
Thought Jake played well. By far our best player on the day and the goals will come if he is given a run in that position.
Posted by: Rob, Portslade on 9:03am Mon 8 Oct 07
[quote][bold]Bill Porter[/bold] wrote:
Typical Jake performance. Ran around a lot but never really looked like scoring. The kid just isn't good enough to be a League One striker and it's time to let him go.[/quote] Bill, you're a prat. Perhaps us Albion supporters should look at letting YOU go!
Bill Porter wrote:
Typical Jake performance. Ran around a lot but never really looked like scoring. The kid just isn't good enough to be a League One striker and it's time to let him go.
Bill, you're a prat. Perhaps us Albion supporters should look at letting YOU go!
Posted by: Anneka on 10:56am Mon 8 Oct 07
Jake is a great player who needs our support and he may not always get the goals but he runs his socks off every game he plays in!!
Jake is a great player who needs our support and he may not always get the goals but he runs his socks off every game he plays in!!
Posted by: JRL, Brighton on 11:03am Mon 8 Oct 07
Sexy football from the heart-throb, only lacking a finish. Jake's movement is different class and his pace causes problems to most defences. I hope he gets a run in the team, preferably up front. Would be good to see Robinson and Forster together at last!
Sexy football from the heart-throb, only lacking a finish. Jake's movement is different class and his pace causes problems to most defences. I hope he gets a run in the team, preferably up front. Would be good to see Robinson and Forster together at last!
Posted by: Bill Porter, Sussex on 8:26pm Mon 8 Oct 07
Rob and Mark - look at the facts. Jake has made 90 league appearances in total and scored a grand total of 12 goals. Not exactly a sparkling return from a striker is it? Yes, some have been as sub and some have been played on the wing but even so, it's not good enough. Of his wondeful goalscoring run last season four of the goals were against non-league opposition.
Unfortunately like many young players before him he just hasn't progressed from being a promising youth team player for which I am very sad. However, as I said, it's time to face facts that he's just not good enough at this level.
Rob and Mark - look at the facts. Jake has made 90 league appearances in total and scored a grand total of 12 goals. Not exactly a sparkling return from a striker is it? Yes, some have been as sub and some have been played on the wing but even so, it's not good enough. Of his wondeful goalscoring run last season four of the goals were against non-league opposition.
Unfortunately like many young players before him he just hasn't progressed from being a promising youth team player for which I am very sad. However, as I said, it's time to face facts that he's just not good enough at this level.
Posted by: mark, brighton on 9:00pm Mon 8 Oct 07
[quote][bold]Bill Porter[/bold] wrote:
Rob and Mark - look at the facts. Jake has made 90 league appearances in total and scored a grand total of 12 goals. Not exactly a sparkling return from a striker is it? Yes, some have been as sub and some have been played on the wing but even so, it\'s not good enough. Of his wondeful goalscoring run last season four of the goals were against non-league opposition. Unfortunately like many young players before him he just hasn\'t progressed from being a promising youth team player for which I am very sad. However, as I said, it\'s time to face facts that he\'s just not good enough at this level.[/quote] would agree with you, the youth set up is all hot air, while most clubs are academy standard we are centre of excellence! that means we play clubs like orient and cambridge, while palace boys play against the best youth in europe playing arsenal spurs and chelsea, the year we got to the quater finals ,( we took on 12 lads) liverpool won the cup and took on 2 boys, thats why we constantly dont produce premiership players, as for jake , what other player has scored regulary? next year wilkins youth wonders will be at eastbourne or bogner. thats the level we produce.
Bill Porter wrote:
Rob and Mark - look at the facts. Jake has made 90 league appearances in total and scored a grand total of 12 goals. Not exactly a sparkling return from a striker is it? Yes, some have been as sub and some have been played on the wing but even so, it\'s not good enough. Of his wondeful goalscoring run last season four of the goals were against non-league opposition. Unfortunately like many young players before him he just hasn\'t progressed from being a promising youth team player for which I am very sad. However, as I said, it\'s time to face facts that he\'s just not good enough at this level.
would agree with you, the youth set up is all hot air, while most clubs are academy standard we are centre of excellence! that means we play clubs like orient and cambridge, while palace boys play against the best youth in europe playing arsenal spurs and chelsea, the year we got to the quater finals ,( we took on 12 lads) liverpool won the cup and took on 2 boys, thats why we constantly dont produce premiership players, as for jake , what other player has scored regulary? next year wilkins youth wonders will be at eastbourne or bogner. thats the level we produce.
Posted by: Bill Porter, Sussex on 1:19pm Tue 9 Oct 07
My comment was about young players in general and not just the Albion but I do take your point on the youth team.
My comment was about young players in general and not just the Albion but I do take your point on the youth team.
Posted by: Daniel B, Portslade on 12:46am Wed 10 Oct 07
[quote][bold]Bill Porter[/bold] wrote:
Rob and Mark - look at the facts. Jake has made 90 league appearances in total and scored a grand total of 12 goals. Not exactly a sparkling return from a striker is it? Yes, some have been as sub and some have been played on the wing but even so, it's not good enough. Of his wondeful goalscoring run last season four of the goals were against non-league opposition. Unfortunately like many young players before him he just hasn't progressed from being a promising youth team player for which I am very sad. However, as I said, it's time to face facts that he's just not good enough at this level.[/quote] 57 starts, 17 goals for Jake at BHA. He wasn't up front for all of those starts and he's sometimes been taken off even when playing well.
Bill Porter wrote:
Rob and Mark - look at the facts. Jake has made 90 league appearances in total and scored a grand total of 12 goals. Not exactly a sparkling return from a striker is it? Yes, some have been as sub and some have been played on the wing but even so, it's not good enough. Of his wondeful goalscoring run last season four of the goals were against non-league opposition. Unfortunately like many young players before him he just hasn't progressed from being a promising youth team player for which I am very sad. However, as I said, it's time to face facts that he's just not good enough at this level.
57 starts, 17 goals for Jake at BHA. He wasn't up front for all of those starts and he's sometimes been taken off even when playing well.
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
