Is this the answer to Bristol City's attacking problems? Niclas Eliasson is the Robins' most creative player but has started one game in 2019 When speaking earlier this week about his return to Ashton Gate with the England Under-21s, Tammy Abraham reflected on his time at Bristol City and the difference with the move the following year to Swansea and how, he particularly struggled due to a lack of chances being created. During the 2016/17 season as a Robin, Abraham scored 23 goals in a team which ranked fifth in the Championship for chances created per game (10.6) and third for shots (14.7); unsurprisingly, those numbers dropped to 5.8 and 8.9 during his difficult spell with the Swans. The reason why that is pertinent is because two seasons on, with Lee Johnson in charge as he was then, Bristol City are now struggling as an attacking side, 14th in the Championship for goals scored (45) and 12th for shots (12.7) - it's a basic statistic but does show a huge difference on that previous campaign. Theories for this decline range from the need to play two up front, the eternally-isolated Famara Diediou being tired and overworked and, quite simply, too much emphasis being placed on defence, at the expense of being a consistent threat in the opposition's final third. There is merit to all of them but the overriding problem is that City's midfield just do not create chances like they used to when Abraham was spearheading the attack, to the extent that if the 21-year-old was in a red shirt this season it's reasonable to assume he would struggle to match the 21 goals he has scored for Aston Villa so far. Of the top 100 players in the Championship, in terms of key passes - a pass directly leading to a shot - City's highest representative is Niclas Eliasson in 38th with 45. Andi Weimann is 49th on 38, Callum O'Dowda 64th with 35, Jamie Paterson 71st with 33 and Marlon Pack 86th on 30. You get the picture: as it stands, City just don't have a playmaker operating at an elite level, in the context of the Championship, to provide Diedhiou with enough chances to match his workrate and unselfish play in attack. Those are raw totals and affected by how many minutes each player has played. And of that quintet, the man leading the way has been on the pitch for the least amount of time this season. Time on the field 05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,500 Championship minutes playedJS chart by amCharts Pack : 3205 Weimann: 2616 Paterson: 2241 O'Dowda: 1803 Eliasson: 1654 Converting the numbers to per 90 averages, to asses their production if they had played the same amount, reveals Eliasson is even further out in front, despite being in and out of the starting XI as Paterson and O'Dowda have become Johnson's preferred two of late, leaving room for only one more attacking midfielder; a rotation of Weimann, Eliasson and Antoine Semenyo. The art of creation 0.00.51.01.52.02.53.0Key passes per 90JS chart by amCharts Eliasson: 2.4O'Dowda: 1.7Adelakun: 1.6Taylor: 1.4Paterson: 1.3Weimann: 1.3 City fans will no doubt love the inclusion of Matty Taylor into the top five, while Hakeeb Adelakun is an interesting addition, but the Swede, on average, is creating more than chance a game than two of his direct positional rivals. To revisit the Abraham reference in the 2016/17 campaign, of players who have made 10 or more appearances, City had six averaging 2.0 or more key passes per 90: David Cotterill (2.8), Milan Djuric (2.1), Luke Freeman (2.1), Paterson (2.0), Lee Tomlin (2.0) and Gary O'Neil (2.0). This season they have just one, and in 2019 he's made just four appearances, only one of which was a start. Of course, the eternal concern about Eliasson, both from within the club and in the stands, is that he's not at the same defensive level as some of his teammates and he didn't exactly help his cause with a largely ineffectual 83 minutes against Ipswich. Although, in mitigation, it was his first start since December 8. But City, having dragged themselves into the top six conversation, are in danger of the season slipping away. Johnson is a manager who has always taken bold and brave decisions and maybe the handbrake needs to be loosened a little. Maybe it's time to give Eliasson another extended run in the team. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/answer-bristol-citys-attacking-problems-2670758 * To get graphics up to compare colour charts click link and refer to 'Time on Field ' & ' Art of Creation.'
Fast, speedy and determined but I don't know if he is our most creative player. 'Niclas Eliasson is the Robins most creative player but has started one game in 2019'
I like him too, I think he’s been unlucky not to have played more, he must be one of our most improved players this season compared to last. Personally I’d play him over Callum.
chicken and egg … PLAY Nic not Callum and he wont be happy will want away and fee will be sh*** play Callun as first choice get a good offer he can go! He hasn't upped his deal so will go in 15 months anyway ………… agent probably wants a good screw from his transfer! ….
So essentially you are saying Callum plays rather than Elliason based on the fact that his contract runs out before Elliason’s ? , based on that logic if Callum does re sign , then. Elliason will have the shorter conttact, which presumably means Elliason will then play.
Elliasson I think will once fills himself out a bit more like O’Dowda did become a better player. I know a Wolves season ticket holder who’s son was a flag bearer for us so watched us that game. And he called me the next day raving about him saying he’s going to be some player. You can also hear in commentators that they rate his crossing ability and believe he’s going to only improve.
in a sort of "weird way" that might be the logic. You have to always remember that when lee was brought in as manager, SL in sometimes veiled statements said we have to stick with thick and thin we have learned lessons knee jerk ones to a degree, and stick to the plan. I think had we gone down we would have still kept Lee ….! the plan was no more ageing journey men.. less loans and concentrate on turning over one or 2 youngsters to help the budget.... we must assume this summer we sell in excess of £6m to buy in a player or 2 likely we already have 1 or 2 younger ones lined up that will come in be given same treatment as the likes of Niclas and hope for better things …. if an offer of £5m plus came in for Callum and he wanted to go I think he would ….. it is now getting clear that fair play, transfer windows loans etc is in a state of evolution that has to still reach a platform /plateau... a gamble can now be a lose lose …!
