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Dykes 21:39 - Nov 4 with 52584 viewsstainrods_elbow

Really hope we can move him on in Jan and bring in one or two players who can really help the reshaped project, starting with breaking with years of tradition and actually investing in a striker who scores goals. He's going nowhere at QPR and just doesn't, and never will, cut the mustard. I'm afraid. He's a ram that doesn't batter, his buckle doesn't swash, and his goalscoring instincts are not so much predatory as borderline nugatory. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if Millwall, say, came back in for him, he'd miraculously metamorphose into a 1 in 3 merchant who plays every week, but hopefully we'd by then be past caring. I don't want a player leading our line who scores the odd header from an occasional Chair cross but who seems mainly to care about playing for Scotland.

All being well, MC will have sussed this out in double-quick time and will be reshaping our attacking line with Smyth, Willock and Chair, and a new pivot.
[Post edited 4 Nov 2023 21:43]

Poll: What should the club do now (assuming no imminent change of owners)?

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Dykes on 21:59 - Nov 11 with 3588 viewsVancouverHoop

Dykes on 21:35 - Nov 11 by Andybrat

Definitely, he’s not there yet but would suggest closer than anytime in last 12 months. A bit of game time makes a difference. Would have tried Kolli at some point


Yeah. I'm not sure the single striker option really works for us. Two from Kolli/Kelman/Armstrong might work, provided they can drop back into coverage when required. Lack of goals is certainly the biggest issue our new coach has to deal with, and I'm sure he knows it.
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Dykes on 22:50 - Nov 11 with 3436 viewsNed_Kennedys

A lot of histrionic bollox on this thread after todays’s game.

Dykes did ok today: like the rest of the team he was average.

I’m hoping the new manager can work with Dykes and we see more goals from him rather than take the ‘he’s sh1t: get rid’ approach some seem to want to take on here.
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Dykes on 23:03 - Nov 11 with 3403 viewsuwontbegrinningsoon

I think he is a good player. Needs better service.
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Dykes on 23:49 - Nov 11 with 3327 viewshubble

I was there today and I thought Dykes was terrible. Offered nothing. Waste of a shirt.

Hopefully Marti has seen enough.

Poll: Who is your player of the season?

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Dykes on 23:54 - Nov 11 with 3307 viewsRs_Holy

Dykes on 23:49 - Nov 11 by hubble

I was there today and I thought Dykes was terrible. Offered nothing. Waste of a shirt.

Hopefully Marti has seen enough.


maybe Millwall will still be offering 2 mill for him in January
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Dykes on 23:56 - Nov 11 with 3296 viewsStanisgod

Dykes on 23:03 - Nov 11 by uwontbegrinningsoon

I think he is a good player. Needs better service.


How many years can we keep saying the same excuse.

It's being so happy that keeps me going.

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Dykes on 00:49 - Nov 12 with 3217 viewstimcocking

Never been anything other than worse than half of us.

Slow, low work rate (whatever they say), can’t dribble, can’t pass, poor control, poor shot…

Take away a few rare good headers (every stopped clock and all that), might as well have my Mum playing up front. Don’t like saying it, but he’s sh!t.
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Dykes on 06:04 - Nov 12 with 3093 viewsPlanetHonneywood

Dykes on 21:00 - Nov 11 by Hayesender

Just gotta find someone stupid enough to buy him


That!

We also need a bloody good rethink about the process/algorithm/personnel we use to unearth these gems that money is wasted on.

I know it's neither easy nor a science, but other clubs of similar and smaller financial might and size can find blokes who can actually score, we seem to struggle to identify players within our budget and/or develop from within.

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Poll: Who should do the Birmingham Frederick?

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Dykes on 06:14 - Nov 12 with 3070 viewsBrianMcCarthy

Dykes on 22:50 - Nov 11 by Ned_Kennedys

A lot of histrionic bollox on this thread after todays’s game.

Dykes did ok today: like the rest of the team he was average.

I’m hoping the new manager can work with Dykes and we see more goals from him rather than take the ‘he’s sh1t: get rid’ approach some seem to want to take on here.


I'm not sure he was exactly 'ok', but he certainly wasn't as bad in my very humble opinion as others seem to think he was.

In the first half when our midfield weren't showing well enough to beat City's well-organised press we went long quite a bit as our Plan B, and that was almost always to Dykes. I thought he did quite well with those balls and set up a couple of good chances which were spurned by others. I also thought he worked hard and defended well, both in the press and in our own box.

Against that, he had two chances: one he made for himself with good positioning to get free for the snapshot that was blocked that he might have done better with, the other when he was too slow to attack a rare good cross.

And, finally, our crossing yesterday was extremely poor, mitigating against any forward profiting from those wasted chances.

Like other posters have said, I'd have left him on and brought Armstrong on for Smyth.

"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Poll: Player of the Year (so far)

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Dykes on 07:18 - Nov 12 with 3019 viewsWilkinswatercarrier

Dykes on 06:14 - Nov 12 by BrianMcCarthy

I'm not sure he was exactly 'ok', but he certainly wasn't as bad in my very humble opinion as others seem to think he was.

In the first half when our midfield weren't showing well enough to beat City's well-organised press we went long quite a bit as our Plan B, and that was almost always to Dykes. I thought he did quite well with those balls and set up a couple of good chances which were spurned by others. I also thought he worked hard and defended well, both in the press and in our own box.

Against that, he had two chances: one he made for himself with good positioning to get free for the snapshot that was blocked that he might have done better with, the other when he was too slow to attack a rare good cross.

And, finally, our crossing yesterday was extremely poor, mitigating against any forward profiting from those wasted chances.

Like other posters have said, I'd have left him on and brought Armstrong on for Smyth.


This. The crosses are either dross, or very rarely superb. As a striker you should gamble that every cross will be superb, but it must get disheartening. Armstrong is also guilty of this, not just Dykes.

My issue is that several times both Smyth and Kakay worked themselves into good positions and then served up a steaming 💩 of a cross.
Compare that to the crosses fizzing across our box in the last 10 minutes, but Brizzle also didn't score.
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Dykes on 07:38 - Nov 12 with 2992 viewsLadbrokeR

In tight games chances are few and far between. There were crosses mainly from Smyth and to a lesser extent from Willock. Dykes doesn’t make himself available. In fact he’s often in the wrong position. A mate sent me a message saying that he’s scored two goals in a year. On the plus side he cares and wins the odd knock down for a midfielder but given the direction of the teams travel and style of play he needs to change.
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Dykes on 09:25 - Nov 12 with 2877 viewsdmm

I've tended to support Dykes and particularly hoped he'd do well under Ainsworth. That didn't happen of course, but no one did well under Ainsworth.

Now with Cifuentes, I don't expect Dykes will fit too well with the new way of playing and I wonder how long it will be until we see him benched and the Catalan's false 9 system employed in an attempt to get more goals scored.
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Dykes on 10:12 - Nov 12 with 2805 viewsstevec

Dykes on 07:18 - Nov 12 by Wilkinswatercarrier

This. The crosses are either dross, or very rarely superb. As a striker you should gamble that every cross will be superb, but it must get disheartening. Armstrong is also guilty of this, not just Dykes.

My issue is that several times both Smyth and Kakay worked themselves into good positions and then served up a steaming 💩 of a cross.
Compare that to the crosses fizzing across our box in the last 10 minutes, but Brizzle also didn't score.


The crosses aren’t good but theyre made to look a lot worse by the complete lack of movement from our forwards.

Bristols crosses were markedly better but fizzing crosses along the floor is not an option when our forwards consistently fail to get in behind or take up any kind of scoring position.

Under GA it became the norm just to try to get it on Dykes head as anywhere else would have been a waste of time. That does require pinpoint crosses and as such that one option becomes a handicap and far too easy to defend against.

Ultimately our forward line has been crap for ages, somewhat hidden by Chair/Willocks exploits. The board have utterly failed to remedy this.
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Dykes on 10:40 - Nov 12 with 2728 viewsDeanoMD

He was poor again yesterday, best bit was 2nd half when he had the ball played to him from Willock, all he had to do was control, turn and he would have been running at their last defender, instead he managed to fall arse over tit with no one near him, sums him up really, never delivers what we so badly need.

Probably go away with Scotland now, play a blinder and score, obvs come back with a knock so can't play next game.... sigh....
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Dykes on 10:51 - Nov 12 with 2685 viewsGaryBannister86

Dykes on 10:40 - Nov 12 by DeanoMD

He was poor again yesterday, best bit was 2nd half when he had the ball played to him from Willock, all he had to do was control, turn and he would have been running at their last defender, instead he managed to fall arse over tit with no one near him, sums him up really, never delivers what we so badly need.

Probably go away with Scotland now, play a blinder and score, obvs come back with a knock so can't play next game.... sigh....


It was funny when he fell over, but to be fair, whilst on the floor he still managed to find a pass.

He's just very short on confidence. He could do with some support instead of the fast-approaching boo boy status.

We've got nothing else and are highly unlikely to be able to get anyone else. So let's get behind him.
[Post edited 12 Nov 2023 10:52]
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Dykes on 12:30 - Nov 12 with 2478 viewsOutintheOrne

I'm hopeful that Dykes will come good when his confidence level increases. I think he can be decent at this level and is just bereft of self belief at the moment.
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Dykes on 12:44 - Nov 12 with 2425 viewsWatford_Ranger

I’d assumed he was a bit younger but he’s 28. He’ll have a purple patch at some point maybe but this should be his peak.
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Dykes on 12:49 - Nov 12 with 2412 viewsnumptydumpty

On occasions he has great work rate and also occasionally scores an excellent finish.

Couple mistakes yesterday I think from trying too hard.

A more relaxed player could lead to more composure at critical moments but think that goes with half the squad, not just Lyndon ..

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Poll: Where will we finish next season ???

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Dykes on 14:10 - Nov 12 with 2265 viewspaulparker

Dykes on 10:51 - Nov 12 by GaryBannister86

It was funny when he fell over, but to be fair, whilst on the floor he still managed to find a pass.

He's just very short on confidence. He could do with some support instead of the fast-approaching boo boy status.

We've got nothing else and are highly unlikely to be able to get anyone else. So let's get behind him.
[Post edited 12 Nov 2023 10:52]


“He's just very short on confidence”
how many times has this been said in the last 3 years ?

And Bowles is onside, Swinburne has come rushing out of his goal , what can Bowles do here , onto the left foot no, on to the right foot That’s there that’s two, and that’s Bowles Brian Moore

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Dykes on 14:17 - Nov 12 with 2251 viewsWilkinswatercarrier

Dykes on 10:12 - Nov 12 by stevec

The crosses aren’t good but theyre made to look a lot worse by the complete lack of movement from our forwards.

Bristols crosses were markedly better but fizzing crosses along the floor is not an option when our forwards consistently fail to get in behind or take up any kind of scoring position.

Under GA it became the norm just to try to get it on Dykes head as anywhere else would have been a waste of time. That does require pinpoint crosses and as such that one option becomes a handicap and far too easy to defend against.

Ultimately our forward line has been crap for ages, somewhat hidden by Chair/Willocks exploits. The board have utterly failed to remedy this.


So the crosses aren't good, but we still have a go at the striker. Hhhmmmm?

It doesn't matter how much movement a striker makes if the wingers are unable to consistantly clear the first man.
Dykes and Armstrong should be gambling more, but the deliveries need to be a lot lot better.

I think there was another thread, and someone mentioned Wilson and Bardsley providing service to Ferdinand. He would know that ball was going to reach him. In this team, not so much.
Hopefully Cannon and Chair will boost us in a couple of weeks.

Also, Dykes is never going to score 20+, he is there to make room for others to score, but Willock etc went AWOL. Dykes never did and as a fan I appreciate his attitude compared to other players.
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Dykes on 14:48 - Nov 12 with 2190 viewsstainrods_elbow

Dykes on 12:30 - Nov 12 by OutintheOrne

I'm hopeful that Dykes will come good when his confidence level increases. I think he can be decent at this level and is just bereft of self belief at the moment.


Jesus on a monocycle, he's 28 and has been with us three years - how long are you going to give him? During that time, he's actually declined - with hindsight, we should have sold him to the Wall when we could have. In any event, more than ever, he needs a new club, and we need a new (competent) striker. Meanwhile . . .

Smyth blows hot and cold and probably isn't good enough.
Armstrong may one day be good enough, but I'd be (pleasantly) surprised, and we can't keep playing him and watching him not score, not threaten the goal, and not get penalties/lucky. He has now scored 1 goal in 30+ apps.
Kelman will never be good enough. He's scored 15 goals in 110 games, all at lower levels.
We want Willock to be good enough, or indeed twinkle-toed again, but looks like he'll never be fit/arsed enough. He's either past his prime at 25, or past caring! Painful!
Richards is gifted but gutless and is looking unlikely to be good enough (though I'd love him to prove me wrong).
Dozzell is not good enough and will never do enough.
Uncle is lovable but sadly and emphatically not good enough.
Kakay is probably not quite good enough, but he's a trier, and I like him in a cult hero kind of way.

Berkovic, Paal, Cannon, Field, Cook, Colback, and Chair are varying shades of good to very good to good enough.

The manager is clearly good enough, and a real professional step up from what we've had, so his 'good enough' may be good enough, but his squad's probably won't be, sadly.
Ergo, if were a betting man, I'd say we're more likely to drop than not. Apart from Sheff Wed, we're comfortably the lowest scorers in the league, and had zero shots on target yesterday off 50% possession, which is pitiful.

Sort it out, Marti!
[Post edited 18 Nov 2023 23:25]

Poll: What should the club do now (assuming no imminent change of owners)?

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Dykes on 15:44 - Nov 12 with 2104 viewsOutintheOrne

Dykes on 14:48 - Nov 12 by stainrods_elbow

Jesus on a monocycle, he's 28 and has been with us three years - how long are you going to give him? During that time, he's actually declined - with hindsight, we should have sold him to the Wall when we could have. In any event, more than ever, he needs a new club, and we need a new (competent) striker. Meanwhile . . .

Smyth blows hot and cold and probably isn't good enough.
Armstrong may one day be good enough, but I'd be (pleasantly) surprised, and we can't keep playing him and watching him not score, not threaten the goal, and not get penalties/lucky. He has now scored 1 goal in 30+ apps.
Kelman will never be good enough. He's scored 15 goals in 110 games, all at lower levels.
We want Willock to be good enough, or indeed twinkle-toed again, but looks like he'll never be fit/arsed enough. He's either past his prime at 25, or past caring! Painful!
Richards is gifted but gutless and is looking unlikely to be good enough (though I'd love him to prove me wrong).
Dozzell is not good enough and will never do enough.
Uncle is lovable but sadly and emphatically not good enough.
Kakay is probably not quite good enough, but he's a trier, and I like him in a cult hero kind of way.

Berkovic, Paal, Cannon, Field, Cook, Colback, and Chair are varying shades of good to very good to good enough.

The manager is clearly good enough, and a real professional step up from what we've had, so his 'good enough' may be good enough, but his squad's probably won't be, sadly.
Ergo, if were a betting man, I'd say we're more likely to drop than not. Apart from Sheff Wed, we're comfortably the lowest scorers in the league, and had zero shots on target yesterday off 50% possession, which is pitiful.

Sort it out, Marti!
[Post edited 18 Nov 2023 23:25]


I'm pretty certain that under the decent coaching that they will now be getting we will see improvement in all of the players you mentioned. Dykes is capable of 15 in a season when his confidence is not shot. I'm hopeful Cifuentes will get that out of him. The difference already is promising. Still a lot of points to play for but I'm a great deal more optimistic.
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Dykes on 15:45 - Nov 12 with 2095 viewsderbyhoop

Dykes on 21:00 - Nov 11 by Hayesender

Just gotta find someone stupid enough to buy him


Even if you do, can we fund a replacement? If not, and I believe that is the case, you're reliant on Armstrong, Kelman and Kolli.

It was also noticeable that Bristol didnt offer a threat until Armstrong replaced Dykes.

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain) Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky

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Dykes on 16:37 - Nov 12 with 1980 viewsParkRoyalR

Dykes on 15:45 - Nov 12 by derbyhoop

Even if you do, can we fund a replacement? If not, and I believe that is the case, you're reliant on Armstrong, Kelman and Kolli.

It was also noticeable that Bristol didnt offer a threat until Armstrong replaced Dykes.


Would like to see Smyth play off Dykes as the 2nd striker, if we change formation late in games and go 2 up top,

Smyth has to be higher in the pecking order than Armstrong if we are looking to commit more than 1 player to the box in games,

Cufientes seems to prefer a 4-3-3 formation but yesterday Smyth and Willock stayed very wide,

I've think these players suit a 4-2-3-1 formation better than a 4-3-3 with Field & Colback holding and Willock-Smyth-Chair rotating in the 3, with Smyth maybe playing off Dykes through the middle.
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Dykes on 16:51 - Nov 12 with 1947 viewsWegerles_Stairs

It's telling that we've still never replaced Charlie, who was sold eight years ago. To me, that was the biggest indictment of the previous regime - eight months maybe, but eight years????? Nakhi was obviously decent but wasn't our player - ergo, Bristol City signing him from under our nose. Dykes is an odd one as he obviously does the business for Scotland but he's just not a natural number nine. As many people have previously observed, he lacks the inclinations and ends up the wrong side of a defender or six yards away from where the ball is too often. I would never slag him though as he always puts in the effort, which is more than some of our recent signings have done (Hi Tyler!). I can't see Marti sitting on the problem for eight months, let alone years.
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