Salech vs Robinson

In games where they've started:

Win percentage:
Salech - 20%
Robinson - 29.2%

Goals per game average (player):
Salech - 0.3
Robinso - 0.38

Goals scored average (by the team):
Salech - 0.9
Robinson - 1.21

It should be noted, perhaps, that the only two occasions where we've won when Salech has started has been when Robinson has started alongside him.

I'm sure someone will think I'm having a go at Salech and I'm not. He certainly made an impact when he came off the bench in his first games for us. However, our record with him as a starter isn't great and seems to coincide with our dip in form, though we haven't really been right since we got thumped at Leeds. Having Salech up front means a different approach than Robinson, though it has to be said that we had a more mobile attacking unit with Robinson up front with better movement off the ball. Robinson's form has certainly dipped since Salech has been starting.

Does Salech offer more up front than Robinson? Do they work well together? Answers on a postcard...

Great question... I think no striker will ever look good in a struggling team, especially not a target man like Salech. He's certainly been as bad as the rest the last few weeks but the team in general looks to have given up. How much is him vs the the service he's getting is very difficult to judge.

Robinson is an enigma for me throughout his time with us, when he's on he's one of the best off the ball and one of the best finishers in the division, but there are far too many games where he doesn't make an impact at all. I guess I'd say Salech probably has more of a baseline in which he contributes positively to the team, but Robinson when he's playing well is a far better and more impactful player for us.

Can they play together... who knows. A better more experienced manager who didn't go through lineups and tactics like a 13 year old playing Championship manager might have come up with something that worked and stuck with longer than a game or two to give it a chance.

They’ve both been lazy recently

Robbo has lost his form since Salech arrived.
I think we are a more fluid side with Robbo up top on his own. He is still leading goal scorer for a reason.
I have felt for a few weeks that Salah should be rested. He is young and will come again.

The way we are playing at the moment I think our only hope is the big man.

I suppose you could flip that and say we may play on the floor a little more with Robinson but he looks woefully out of form.

For me it’s Salech, just wish we would get the ball out wide quicker and get balls into the box.

I think Salech has been figured out a bit — teams have worked out how to contain him, and he's not getting the same space as before. Robinson looks like he’s carrying a knock, so he’s clearly not at full tilt. It’s poor timing for both. They rely heavily on the wingers to stretch play and create space, but right now, there’s just not enough support out wide — it’s making them far too easy to mark out of the game.

Has Robinson been carrying a knock his entire City career then? Because he's always had runs of games where he's barely involved and looks like he can't be arsed, then runs of games where he looks like he could play at a much higher level.

Totally agree on the wingers and the service mind. Earlier in the season I felt like better options up front would have dragged us out of trouble but in this poor run that will likely get us relegated, I'm not sure it would have made much of a difference. No striker in the world can make anything out of the service and support we've been giving Salech and Robinson.

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Originally Posted by BLUETIT

They’ve both been lazy recently

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he really hasn't, this is just your go to criticism

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Originally Posted by LA Bluebird

Has Robinson been carrying a knock his entire City career then? Because he's always had runs of games where he's barely involved and looks like he can't be arsed, then runs of games where he looks like he could play at a much higher level.

Totally agree on the wingers and the service mind. Earlier in the season I felt like better options up front would have dragged us out of trouble but in this poor run that will likely get us relegated, I'm not sure it would have made much of a difference. No striker in the world can make anything out of the service and support we've been giving Salech and Robinson.

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Yes, Robinson has had an injury which he's been carrying throughout his time with us. If I had to choose it would be Robinson - if fit. I also think he's lost a yard of pace towards the end of the season.

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Originally Posted by LA Bluebird

Has Robinson been carrying a knock his entire City career then? Because he's always had runs of games where he's barely involved and looks like he can't be arsed, then runs of games where he looks like he could play at a much higher level.

Totally agree on the wingers and the service mind. Earlier in the season I felt like better options up front would have dragged us out of trouble but in this poor run that will likely get us relegated, I'm not sure it would have made much of a difference. No striker in the world can make anything out of the service and support we've been giving Salech and Robinson.

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Your last sentence says it all, but I’d also add that too many players, including Salech and Robinson, are taking wild pot shots once they get within thirty yards of goal rather than passing to better placed team mates.

Salech could still be acclimatising to Championshiop football whereas Robinson is now at a point of his career where he is perhaps one of the most experienced Strikers in the league.

What do you or I know? We're clueless.

Even the best strikers won't score if the rest of the team don't feed them the ball.

Its our counterintuitive tactics that do me.

Inverted wingers who can't cross the ball in stride so don't, doesn't play to Salech's strengths, and when Robinson started, there were a lot of straight long balls that he doesn't have the minerals for.

#clueless

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Originally Posted by llan bluebird

Its our counterintuitive tactics that do me.

Inverted wingers who can't cross the ball in stride so don't, doesn't play to Salech's strengths, and when Robinson started, there were a lot of straight long balls that he doesn't have the minerals for.

#clueless

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Since Salech has been starting it seems to me like we've gone more direct, with dismal results- symptomatic of a team that's lost confidence. When he plays it gives the team an easy option of lumping it forward in his general direction and hoping for the best. Salech seems to thrive on quality crosses into the box but there have been pitifully few of those recently. Robinson needs confident midfielders behind him who can move the ball on quickly- we haven't had that for most of the season.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by D. Advocaat

Since Salech has been starting it seems to me like we've gone more direct, with dismal results- symptomatic of a team that's lost confidence. When he plays it gives the team an easy option of lumping it forward in his general direction and hoping for the best. Salech seems to thrive on quality crosses into the box but there have been pitifully few of those recently. Robinson needs confident midfielders behind him who can move the ball on quickly- we haven't had that for most of the season.

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I think you’ve summed up Cardiff City’s historical problems.👍🏻

We buy strikers who are perfectly capable of scoring and turn them into bang average performers.

No wingers getting in quality crosses; no midfield creativity to provide the incisive pass.