Much of the talk about red cards and the like seems to have eroded the negativity towards John Akinde over the weekend, although I’ve seen it bubbling away under the surface.
John has become the latest target for the social media experts, the fans who watch a handful of games and can immediately assess a player. I’m not sure why Danny doesn’t just appoint 39-year old lorry driver Steve or 54-year old care assistant Tina to the scouting staff because they’re clearly much more informed than him, a man who lives and breathes football.
Sarcasm aside, people are entitled to opinions and (regrettably in this instance) I respect that right. However, opinions should be formed on more than 45 minutes against Cambridge or a couple of headers he failed to win in another game. Opinion should be based on fact and in some cases backed up by statistics.
There’s a saying about statistics and lies which is relevant when talking about how many times we’ve beaten Carlisle since 1954. However, performance statistics don’t lie, not the sort that football clubs are collating and analysing every day. Think about it, why would clubs bother with GPS vests, performance analysts and the like if they were all pure folly? They wouldn’t. They accrue this information and build these statistical overviews because they’re relevant.
If only someone could get hold of some in-depth John Akinde stats eh? Maybe compare them to other players? Well, I have. I’ve not got everyone’s, but I do have the John Akinde stats and I can compare them to players in the Championship or Premier League using the website Whoscored.
If you are one of those fans knocking John Akinde, one who sees him on a Saturday and thinks our other forwards are better, you need to read this. Please.
What I would say, before we go into the numbers, is this shouldn’t even be a thing. Whilst John hasn’t scored recently from open play, we’re top of the league and he’s been a major part of that. Look at the last ten years or so, remember when we were top of League Two for this long in the past? No? You know why? Didn’t happen. yet as soon as it does, we want a scapegoat for not being further ahead.
The reason John came on at the weekend was simple; you can’t leave Matt Rhead alone on his own up front after having a man sent off. If you asked the big man he’d tell you pretty much the same thing. Whatever you feel about John Akinde, he’s more mobile and will chase lost causes. You couldn’t bring Matt Green on because there’s little chance of playing long to him if we needed to. John Akinde, despite carrying a knock, was the only choice. He’s half Rhead / half Green, better than both in their weaker areas but not quite as good as both in their strong areas, as well as having his own attributes that bring something different to both players.
He’s unique in that respect and I guarantee you Cambridge United would have happily taken John Akinde this summer. If they had, they’d not be in the bottom three whether he scored goals or not. Anyway, the rhetoric is all well and good, but you want the numbers, don’t you? these figures are correct up to the Cambridge game, but not including. Go on then, click on Page 2 and let’s try to change your mind.
Well said and some fascinating facts! I equally don’t understand the need to pick on players like this and it’s certainly not going to help anyone, least the side, is it? I have a strong memory of John when he came on. Picking the ball up midway in their half, sprinting (you had to look at the defenders trying to catch him to realise how quickly he was running because he makes it look so effortless..or is it lazy?) with the ball, looking up to see Tom Pett approaching the box and laying a ball towards him that a defender just managed to clear for a corner. He’s a great acquisition in my view and will continue to be a major factor in the success of our season.
Give the lad a chance , He’s just moved up to Lincolnshire, he’s got a lot on his plate at the moment just settling in to his new role at the club let alone moving his family etc. Take mine and lots of others word for it…He will come to the party. If you where marking him for the opponents would you look forward to it ? Doubt it.
“Without him we would not be where we are right now. That, Ladies and Gentlemen, is fact. There’s no conjecture, no opinion, no ‘but he looks lazy’ or ‘he missed this chance or that’. It is fact.”
While not disagreeing with the article, this clearly isn’t “a fact” and is absolutely open to conjecture or opinion. We have no idea where we’d be in the league if a different player had played instead of JA during his time on the pitch…
Fair point.
I’m afraid you come across as a bit preachy sometimes Gary…… those who disagree with your view often described as numpties or words to that effect… You have always had the odd player you didn’t rate Ollie Palmer for one. Almost from day 1 you didnt give him much of a chance. I think you tweeted him as being the most over rated of Danny’s signings…. given he is a goal machine for Crawley it would be interesting to see if he would have been similarly prolific given the opportunities being created by the current Imps side. Apart from the very occasional run into the channels it’s hard to argue that Akinde is a better player than Rheady on the evidence so far. It would be interesting to see how effective Rhead would be in the more forward roll he would occupy compared to last season if he were given a run of games. That said most would agree he couldn’t sustain a full season in the roll. Rheady will be first choice tomorrow. It would take a numpty to argue against that on current form.?
The most surprising stat from Whoscored.com on John Akinde is the fact they have him down as being South African! Since when…?
Said this before. If he was white, he’d be lauded as a fantastic signing who has contributed extremely well in the short time he’s been here. But no. Hes ‘lazy’ and ‘uninterested’. Embarrassing. You know what’s even funnier? People screaming at him to press the Cambridge back 4 in the second half on Saturday. Yea, great idea lads, commit yourself by pressing WITHOUT SUPPORT FROM YOUR TEAM-MATES therefore abandoning the defensive shape and leaving a huge gap for Cambridge to expose. Idiots. These people would rather see themselves proved right than see John do well.
Agree with JB on all his/her points
You’re spot on. And it’s an opinion that most probably can’t voice because “UGH SNOWFLAKE IM NOT A RACIST MY UNCLES POSTMAN IS BLACK” will be the reply. Were 3 clear and in first why make a scape goat?
Tricky one to say. I can think of Torpey and Palmer who are similalry sized players who get stick, and they are white. But saying that neither of them scored half the goals Akinde did and not even near the same quality. I do start to wonder if it is this. The last great player we had who ended up playing much higher up who was labelled lazy and over paid etc was N’Guessan. Which says a lot to me.
John doesn’t need anyone or anything to “defend” him, he’s quality through and through. Our club are on a roll, enjoy,enthuse and love every damn minute. We have never been in such good hands, from the Chairman downwards.
Don’t think there is any question on Akindis ability,but last season it was deemed we didn’t score enough goals and if we had have done promotion would have happened, so the fans said we need a goal scorer in the likes of Pope, Doidge or Norwood,so money was spent to bring in a goal machine, Akindi as yet hasn’t produced and with Rheady showing more quality in front of goal I wonder if he will get the chance.
The position we find ourselves in the league no player needs to be questioned about their ability, least of all John Akinde. People need to sit back and reflect where we are, get down to sincil bank and cheer the team on. If a player is a bit “off it” that’s what it is. 14 players have contributed to our goal tally this year and remember a striker is not a “goal machine” Go look at the stats of stikers up and down the country. I would rather have a striker contributing to those other 13 players, that’s what makes successful teams. what would peoples opinion be if in the next ten game Akindie scored none but assisted 6? answers on a postcard please. Would a lot of fans still be binkered?
Personally i thnk JA will get better later in the season plus next(hopefully in league 2) he will enjoy more space to run with ball.Im not a manager but would have brought greeny on to run the channels and chase down the goalie /defenders but im not Danny or Nicky who do know best.
The Cowleys’ objective for strikers is overall contribution, a ‘goal machine’ who does nothing else isn’t their type of player, Rheady and Green both had long goaless periods but were contributing to creating opportunities for others.
The stats prove what most of us can see, that Akinde is an integral part of a top of the table team, our goals are coming from many sources and he’s creating a fair few either directly (2 great headed layoffs for Pett and McCartan v Macc and MK) or through his movement pulling the defence out of shape.
We’re top of the league yet people still want to moan. There are some sad individuals out there.
We are top of the league.
We are playing some of the best football I have seen in 47 years of following the Imps.
We have a couple of blokes running this team who have raised the whole city.
We went to Wembley last season, and won.
We are favorites to win the league this season.
People will always find something to moan about.
As JB said above: ‘These people would rather see themselves proved right than see John do well.’
Move on Gary, you can’t change the way people are wired-up.
Whatever happens between now and next May, we will always have the highlights film from Exeter v Lincoln on 1st Sept 2018. It takes just two minutes to watch. John’s skill and attitude during that game were enough to convince me that he is a remarkable player, and that we are lucky to have him at our club.