Okeneberie

[RoversAlias]

Okenabirhie has been poor for the last few games. He is clearly not a lone striker but he still hasn't done much. I thought he had a few half decent touches and passes after he moved wide to accommodate John-Jules late on. I'm not sure how much is down to him not getting service in the box, and how much of it is him actually not getting into those positions.

The Carlisle Centre Forward look miles better than him, he’s had a run of games but hasn’t cut the mustard for me

You must be joking. His shooting was terrible for most of the game and he didn't look like someone who had the intelligence required for a higher level.

[andyst79]

Okenabirhie has been poor for the last few games. He is clearly not a lone striker but he still hasn't done much. I thought he had a few half decent touches and passes after he moved wide to accommodate John-Jules late on. I'm not sure how much is down to him not getting service in the box, and how much of it is him actually not getting into those positions.

The Carlisle Centre Forward look miles better than him, he’s had a run of games but hasn’t cut the mustard for me

You must be joking. His shooting was terrible for most of the game and he didn't look like someone who had the intelligence required for a higher level.

He may have been referring to their 11 Omari Patrick. He was lively throughout and a handful at times, their biggest threat to be fair.

[Pancho Regan]

Fej was poor again today, sadly he’s just not good enough.

I fail to see what he offers to be brutally honest.
He’s slow, his decision making is poor, he lacks strength, not a threat in the air.....
I hate to be negative but he shouldn’t be in this team.

[Padge_DRFC]

His reaction to passes played to him is a joke. Probably no wonder nobody passes to him. He sets off after the defenders booted the ball away

[Pancho Regan]

I don’t think we can achieve our ambitions to challenge for promotion when we have Fej as our centre forward.

Harsh but true.

[Michael Shaw]

I don’t think we can achieve our ambitions to challenge for promotion when we have Fej as our centre forward.

Harsh but true.

I agree with that. it's a shame but it's a waste of our no 9 position.

[EasyforDennis]

Nobody has mentioned the fact that most of the time he can't control a ball when passed to him.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

So what (Watters) Apart from it being good for him! We had the same wake when Alfie left us last season when he scored a few. I watched him, Blair and Williams yesterday and you wouldn't want any of them back.

With not having a development team this year, was always going to be difficult to give Watters the games he needs and with JJ and Tulloch signed up, he was never likely to get much of a chance so you can understand why DM was fair, and let him go.

We have to deal with the now and not linger on what might have been.

You can’t compare how watters has done at Crawley to what May has done at Cheltenham

I didn't.

[Bentley Bullet]

I hope I'm not being unfair here because it must be difficult being up front and alone with your back to the goal most of the time, but his reactions remind me of Corporal Jones from Dad's Army, in that he always seems to react later than those around him. He also looks like he's running in treacle when he's chasing the ball. Maybe I'm over critical of him because I've thought exactly the same about several other players who have played up front since Marquis left.

[steve@dcfd]

Just hope no one mentions Watters scored again

It was a goal like Okenbirhie’s last where it was right on the line.

[jmt23]

Im glad somebody brought Chris Brown up, as Fej is being asked to play that style - selfless running and holding the ball up - it just doesn't look his game, and its not for most strikers.
It is ridiculously hard work, and hardly any merit comes from it - you need to be seriously mentally strong, as well as obviously fit - and I think that has been a part to play also, he looks out of legs (wobbly legs) at stages.

As for goals, Chris didn't score that many per season, so Fej may end up on par if not better.

We need to play to his strengths, or find someone else. If we just put it in the box faster and with more accuracy we/he might stand half a chance.

Seems to late though looking through the posts and opinions, he has become this years fall guy.

[Janso]

I hope I'm not being unfair here because it must be difficult being up front and alone with your back to the goal most of the time, but his reactions remind me of Corporal Jones from Dad's Army, in that he always seems to react later than those around him. He also looks like he's running in treacle when he's chasing the ball. Maybe I'm over critical of him because I've thought exactly the same about several other players who have played up front since Marquis left.

He just never seems like he's going to get to the ball, whether it's an aerial pass - which more often than not he'll get nowhere near - or a pass to feet - which more often than not the defender he's stood next to will beat him to.

He doesn't seem interested. At least when Marquis was playing horrendously, he still added something to the team being a bloody nuisance to the opposition defence. Fej may as well be sat watching with me 99% of the time he's on the pitch.

[Lesonthewest]

He’s bang average for me... so slow to react to any balls played in or around him. Definitely need a better option moving forward
[/quote

Agreed, he doesn't anticipate anything played around him, making it hard for himself, he ends up chasing his marker who does anticipate it, & often concedes a foul. Really don't think he suits the lone striker role.

[steve@dcfd]

Im glad somebody brought Chris Brown up, as Fej is being asked to play that style - selfless running and holding the ball up - it just doesn't look his game, and its not for most strikers.
It is ridiculously hard work, and hardly any merit comes from it - you need to be seriously mentally strong, as well as obviously fit - and I think that has been a part to play also, he looks out of legs (wobbly legs) at stages.

As for goals, Chris didn't score that many per season, so Fej may end up on par if not better.

We need to play to his strengths, or find someone else. If we just put it in the box faster and with more accuracy we/he might stand half a chance.

Seems to late though looking through the posts and opinions, he has become this years fall guy.

What are his strengths I’ve not seen any?
When he went out wide he was no better.

[jmt23]

In all honesty I've not seen enough of him to say - I would like to see him in the flesh, watching on the tv doesn't give you an appreciation of the game, just the snap shot of where the ball is.

In pre season, he was receiving through balls, and leaving players with his speed and power, and his finishing was excellent. That was against some decent teams, albeit preseason.

He finds space in the box well enough, but we do not pass to him fast enough, every time we have found him, with a first time early cross, he has scored (last FA cup game from Halliday cross, and last league game, again a great cross from Halliday.)

We have a group of players in the copps mould, they love to chop/cut back several times, or try intricate passing in the wrong places - by the time they realise they have not achieved anything, they revert to crossing it in, as a last gasp - when the box is full of players and no space.

[drfchound]

Im glad somebody brought Chris Brown up, as Fej is being asked to play that style - selfless running and holding the ball up - it just doesn't look his game, and its not for most strikers.
It is ridiculously hard work, and hardly any merit comes from it - you need to be seriously mentally strong, as well as obviously fit - and I think that has been a part to play also, he looks out of legs (wobbly legs) at stages.

As for goals, Chris didn't score that many per season, so Fej may end up on par if not better.

We need to play to his strengths, or find someone else. If we just put it in the box faster and with more accuracy we/he might stand half a chance.

Seems to late though looking through the posts and opinions, he has become this years fall guy.

There were two or three occasions today when Fej made good runs into the box and was in space but the ball across goal was played behind him.
That clearly isn’t his fault.

[Alan Southstand]

Doesn’t excuse the fact his second touch is a slide tackle, hound! We either stop playing down the middle to him and change it to attacking purely down the flanks, or let someone else have a go. I thought JJ showed more in 20 minutes that Fej had shown the previous 70!

He simply has to do a lot better than what he’s shown over the last few games.

[since-1969]

Okenabirhie Is a quality player who needs to be played along side players who feed of scraps like him . John Jules coming back should provide the makings of great pairing . Sims IMO should be playing out wide and not through the middle as he needs space to run at defenders not dodging tackles from centre backs with murder in mind . Today we looked out of sorts and we only got success when coming in off the flanks with players lined  up around the box taking shots . 

[Chris Black come back]

We’re not going to play with two strikers. At best the two wide players either side of the three behind him might push up more. We’re not going to have two strikers playing together.

[jmt23]

I agree, it has not been DM style, he seems to favour 1 up top.

[Filo]

Fejiri’s record before joining us is nothing special, a short time at Arsenal youth, a host of non league clubs and a half decent stint at Shrewsbury, to me that suggests he’s not as good as some folk thinks he is. I would love to be proved wrong, but he’s had his chance since JJ has been injured and for me has failed to impress

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Of course he isn't Filo, but I guess neither are we as a club, if he was better than he is he'd probably be elsewhere.  The thing for me is whether he can get better.  Should not just write someone off as they may suddenly improve.  On one hand there are some saying Fejiri isn't good enough (6 weeks ago it was why is a loanee playing over him), the other why did we let Watters go?  Fine lines and difficult decisions, it may well just click for Fejiri soon.

[selby]

  Like Marquis his best work is in the area twelve yards from goal in the penalty box. He is a 10 to 20 goals a season man and does his fair share of harrying the central defenders to create space for others and scores the knock ins, put the ball in that area as someone said quicker and he will score the scruffy knock ins.
  If he has a weakness to me it is his aerial work which could be better both on crosses and for knock ons, as someone has said lots of coaching improvements to make, but please don't coach his runs in the box out of him, which are very good and other players should be picking out better and quicker.

[Alan Southstand]

It’s simply madness to suggest playing 2 up top - we only have 2 ‘strikers’ at the Club! One game could see both wiped out with no back-up at all. Last season, we had 3 or 4 to pick from (including Watters) at times. As a Club, I don’t think we could afford 3 or 4 strikers on the books!

[EasyforDennis]

Of course he isn't Filo, but I guess neither are we as a club, if he was better than he is he'd probably be elsewhere.  The thing for me is whether he can get better.  Should not just write someone off as they may suddenly improve.  On one hand there are some saying Fejiri isn't good enough (6 weeks ago it was why is a loanee playing over him), the other why did we let Watters go?  Fine lines and difficult decisions, it may well just click for Fejiri soon.

BFYP remember how long we persevered with the best striker in the division (on the training ground)?? I give you...... Lewis Guy.

[RoversAlias]

Fejiri’s record before joining us is nothing special, a short time at Arsenal youth, a host of non league clubs and a half decent stint at Shrewsbury, to me that suggests he’s not as good as some folk thinks he is. I would love to be proved wrong, but he’s had his chance since JJ has been injured and for me has failed to impress

I doubt we expect him to blow other teams out of the water week after week, he didn't cost us much to sign, but he had an excellent season at Shrewsbury in 2018/19, scoring 16 goals, so he isn't totally unproven either. His career goalscoring record is irrelevant to this discussion in my opinion because his scoring rate is actually the one thing he's doing well with at the moment.

[Leedsrover]

We would all like to see Feji doing well but he just doesn't have the skill to support his physique- He was easily managed by an average League 2 centre back at Carlisle, always second to the ball, and hasn't really troubled any team since Blackburn. He doesn't seem to have the ability to use his physical strength to mess centre backs around in the way that he needs to do to effectively lead our line. Really hope he comes good but at the moment a fit John Jules would play up front every game going forward in my opinion.

[Campsall rover]

We would all like to see Feji doing well but he just doesn't have the skill to support his physique- He was easily managed by an average League 2 centre back at Carlisle, always second to the ball, and hasn't really troubled any team since Blackburn. He doesn't seem to have the ability to use his physical strength to mess centre backs around in the way that he needs to do to effectively lead our line. Really hope he comes good but at the moment a fit John Jules would play up front every game going forward in my opinion.

Hayden one of the Carlisle centre backs was being tipped to go on to great things by the Radio Cumbria commentators. The Premier League was mentioned.
Some of the criticism Ferji is getting is ridiculous. If he doesn’t get decent service into the box what is he supposed to do? The ball needs to come in much quicker from both flanks.
His hold up play is work in progress and I do feel every one is comparing him to Marquis. Maybe some of the Marquis bashes will now realise just how good he actually was and how phenomenal his work rate was.
Ferji has a lot to live up to and is doing his best in a lone striker role which with 2 centre backs permanently up your behind is a thankless task.
Give the lad a break. He has scored 6 goals and if he continues at the goals per match rate for the whole season would get 20

[Donnybob]

This forum requires a fall guy, that's the rules.

So far this season the critism has been mild. Its been a toss up between the left back position and  whoever leads up front. The focus has now irmly shifted to Feji.

Let me say I wasn't impressed by him on Sunday. I would go so far as to say he had a stinker and unless he is as thick as a plank, he knows it, too. We can rip him to shreds all day long, but don't go thinking players don't look in on web forums now and then, so what will that achieve?

I'm prepared to be patient, give him a chance. Hopefully let him develop some confidence. No point in undermining him.

Unfortunately others won't. They need a victim on which to vent their collective spleens. So go on, give me an example of when dishing out dog's abuse ever improved a player.

I'm not expecting much in the way of recruitment in January. I doubt anyone is. If Whiteman leaves, maybe a replacement. But these are difficult times. We are where we are. It's unlikely we will see a proven 20-goals a season player beating down our door at the start of 2021.

Cut Feji a bit of slack. It won't make him less confident in a role that clearly doesn't suit his attributes.

It's up to Darren to get the most he can from the resources he already has. We can help in a small way by supporting his choices.

[EasyforDennis]

We would all like to see Feji doing well but he just doesn't have the skill to support his physique- He was easily managed by an average League 2 centre back at Carlisle, always second to the ball, and hasn't really troubled any team since Blackburn. He doesn't seem to have the ability to use his physical strength to mess centre backs around in the way that he needs to do to effectively lead our line. Really hope he comes good but at the moment a fit John Jules would play up front every game going forward in my opinion.

Hayden one of the Carlisle centre backs was being tipped to go on to great things by the Radio Cumbria commentators. The Premier League was mentioned.
Some of the criticism Ferji is getting is ridiculous. If he doesn’t get decent service into the box what is he supposed to do? The ball needs to come in much quicker from both flanks.
His hold up play is work in progress and I do feel every one is comparing him to Marquis. Maybe some of the Marquis bashes will now realise just how good he actually was and how phenomenal his work rate was.
Ferji has a lot to live up to and is doing his best in a lone striker role which with 2 centre backs permanently up your behind is a thankless task.
Give the lad a break. He has scored 6 goals and if he continues at the goals per match rate for the whole season would get 20

Come on the commentary was farcical at times. The biased one thought they were playing Dagenham & Redbridge and thought it was only us who commited any fouls.
Of course he thought one of their players was premiership quality.