James Collins F Derby b.1990

[samhaydenjr]

After a wobble over the last couple of weeks, Luton are promoted to The Championship without kicking a ball, after both Portsmouth and Sunderland lost. So James Collins will now be at The Level Where You Can Be Picked For The Republic Of Ireland Without Fans Losing Their Rag About The Lack Of Quality Irish Players... you know... The Championship: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48114557. Of course this does mean that Ronan Curtis and Aiden McGeady will have to battle it out in the play-offs for the chance to go up.

[Philly]

Starts tonight v. Middlesbrough. Will be interesting to see how he adapts to the Championship. Boro's assistant manager might have some ideas on what to expect from him too.

[Closed Account]

https://streamja.com/KXny

[CraftyToePoke]

Starts tonight v. Middlesbrough. Will be interesting to see how he adapts to the Championship. Boro's assistant manager might have some ideas on what to expect from him too.

MOTM from Sky with a late equaliser capping off a fine game from him.

[samhaydenjr]

Could have had a hat-trick tonight: Scored one, another disallowed for handball (a pretty blatant one, admittedly) and denied a late winner by a terrific save from Randolph - worked as well as he could with pretty limited supply for the first 70 minutes before chances started to appear for him - modus operandi appears to be late runs into the box from behind the backs of retreating defenders.

So I guess that's the first marker of the season laid down for our forwards.

[samhaydenjr]

Second of the season for Collins as he stakes his claim to be the extra striker behind the EPL quartet: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49378601 - although I think Scott Hogan is in pole position for that role in Mick's mind

[Charlie Darwin]

We can't really argue if a striker is scoring goals in the Championship - Maguire's got one and won two penos today as well. With Long and Obafemi not playing we've a bit of a lack of depth beyond McGoldrick and Robinson.

[samhaydenjr]

Fourth of the season for Collins, in a defeat to QPR: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49617721 - on the same number of league goals as Patrick Bamford now (plus a debut international goal)

[Irwin3]

Hat-trick against Norwich in the Carabao Cup.

Also, Dowell scored for Norwich. Is he actually eligible?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf2-Pq5agR8

[seanfhear]

Hat-trick against Norwich in the Carabao Cup.

Also, Dowell scored for Norwich. Is he actually eligible?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf2-Pq5agR8
Has he lost a few Lbs in weight ? He looked a very good fill for his jersey when played for Ireland.

[Eirambler]

Dowell won't qualify under the new rules it seems.

[irishfan86]

Another goal for Collins, this time against Barnsley. So that’s four goals in two matches now.

Video of goal here (poor quality but yeah): https://twitter.com/cslatts8/status/1304813230926200832?s=21

[samhaydenjr]

Another goal for Collins, this time against Barnsley. So that’s four goals in two matches now.

Video of goal here (poor quality but yeah): https://twitter.com/cslatts8/status/1304813230926200832?s=21

Kind of odd how people are viewing Collins right now. I mean, if it was two or three years ago, the reaction to him would have probably been "fourteen goals in the Championship last year and off to a flyer this season... over 170 senior goals so he is clearly comfortable in front of the target ... sure, he's a bit of a late bloomer but he's in his prime and clearly on the up and fulfilling his promise... plus he scored within 15 minutes of his international debut (over a year younger than John Aldridge was when he broke his international duck)... he should definitely be in the squad at least"

Now the reaction seems to be "Meh... he was poor against Georgia... he's almost thirty... he doesn't have the speed of an Olympic sprinter... most of his goals were in the lowly divisions... plus we have half-a-dozen U21 strikers to blood in before the Slovakia game... he should be nowhere near the squad"

[samhaydenjr]

Fifth of the season for Collins today - with McGoldrick's retirement, and pretty much all our other strikers seeming to be on the fringes at their respective clubs, surely Collins should be given a shot in the upcoming games, with a view to him being a stop-gap in the World Cup qualifiers: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54714745

[tetsujin1979]

Luton up to ninth as well

[Razors left peg]

Fifth of the season for Collins today - with McGoldrick's retirement, and pretty much all our other strikers seeming to be on the fringes at their respective clubs, surely Collins should be given a shot in the upcoming games, with a view to him being a stop-gap in the World Cup qualifiers: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54714745

I'd rather play one of the young lads before they are necessarily ready than play Collins.

[Fixer82]

Fifth of the season for Collins today - with McGoldrick's retirement, and pretty much all our other strikers seeming to be on the fringes at their respective clubs, surely Collins should be given a shot in the upcoming games, with a view to him being a stop-gap in the World Cup qualifiers: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54714745

Definitely would like to see him again for us but not sure he can do the no.10 role McGoldrick did so well

[zero]

Back in the squad for the upcoming games.

[samhaydenjr]

Scored a penalty for his third League goal of the season:https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55067477

[jbyrne]

scored a hat trick today v preston.
possibly our best option as things stand. deserves more of a chance given our current drought..

[Bielsa´s irish]

16 games 9 goals so far in all competitions, I wouldnt start him unless a bottom half premier team or Celtic buys him, but a good valid option from the bench to have around, looks smaller than his real height 1, 88 mts

[Eirambler]

scored a hat trick today v preston.
possibly our best option as things stand. deserves more of a chance given our current drought..

Probably him or Callum Robinson for the centre forward spot in the short term at least. Or you could put Connolly in the middle and have Robinson coming in off the left. Not too many other realistic options out there for us right now.

[Irwin3]

1337860431709429767

[seanfhear]

1337860431709429767
Looks like he has dropped a few LBS and is doing well on it !

[Bielsa´s irish]

1337860431709429767

first goal was the last defender mistake, 2nd was a fox in the box type of goal, the 3rd was classy, a difficult one, kudos to Collo!!!

[samhaydenjr]

Bit of a gap since that hat-trick, so good to see that Collins hit double figures for the season today against Huddersfield: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55866865

[Snapshot]

Collins doesn't get the credit he deserves. There seems a certain bias against him. If Maguire or O'Dowda or boy wonder Troy Parrott (had) scored as many Championship goals they'd be touted as WC starters. Collins is no Aguero or Calvert-Lewin, but he scores goals at a level more than good enough for our current standard. Maybe, to use that superfluous and snobby term, he's not "technically gifted" but if he gets the job done - i.e. he puts the little round thing in the net - he's good enough and deserves to be recognised as such.

[irishfan86]

I think it’s clear at this stage he’ll be our World Cup starter at centre forward unless Long really lights it up.

[Olé Olé]

I think it’s clear at this stage he’ll be our World Cup starter at centre forward unless Long really lights it up.

Is it that clear? Robinson and Long are better footballers but different players. Idah could go on a run but I think he needs more time. Otherwise, yeah, there ain't really any alternatives. I would rather one of the three I have mentioned here did something to make the position their's before Collins but it does look like Collins is in pole position for March at least and by default.

That all sounds very negative towards Collins. I don't think he's particularly bad or anything but he should be way down the queue based on the options we have had over the years and, instead, he is nearly our only obvious option i.e. an out and out centre forward playing regularly at the first or second level in England.

[elatedscum]

Looked who were the squad’s top championship scorers, just out of curiosity. Included Idah too, as mentioned. Overall was pretty surprising:


Long 39
Robinson 34
Hourihane 28
Browne 23
Hendrick 22
Collins 21
Maguire 21
McClean 21
Idah 1

[Olé Olé]

Long hasn't spent much time down there but had one cracking season with Reading that earned his move to West Brom under Hodgson which accounts for over half. I just checked and the other goals are spread across two seasons in between his first and his last there. His first was amazing really. He went from one first team appearance with Cork City to getting 3 goals in the Championship for Reading at 18.

This is just Collins' second season at this level.

[Exgrad]

Collins doesn't get the credit he deserves. There seems a certain bias against him. If Maguire or O'Dowda or boy wonder Troy Parrott (had) scored as many Championship goals they'd be touted as WC starters. Collins is no Aguero or Calvert-Lewin, but he scores goals at a level more than good enough for our current standard. Maybe, to use that superfluous and snobby term, he's not "technically gifted" but if he gets the job done - i.e. he puts the little round thing in the net - he's good enough and deserves to be recognised as such.

If he put the little round thing in the net for Ireland he'd get the credit, its simple enough. Hes in his 30's, he needs be making the most of his chances for Ireland.

[Eirambler]

I would have thought Robinson was well ahead of Collins for the centre forward position to be honest. Fair enough, Collins has scored a reasonable number of goals in the Championship, but Robinson has previously done that to the extent that he's a premier division player now. It would seem surprising to punish him for moving up a division, I actually think he has played well in a team that were always going to struggle in the Premier League.

I'd be amazed if Collins ever reaches the level that Robinson is already at to be honest.

[ifk101]

Collins was competent against Bulgaria but otherwise has looked out of his depth in appearances for us. And this at a time when he is peaking at club level. He is not going to improve from here out, there is no upside in him. Long would be my preference as he is suited to the 9 role but there is a future and potential in other options to the extent Collins really shouldn’t be a squad consideration, let alone a starter.

[Eirambler]

I do wonder if the selection of Long would be a bit of a nostalgia call based on what he was like as a player three or four years ago. He has hardly had a kick at Southampton all season, just substitute minutes here and there. It's good that he has gone on loan, hopefully we can see where he is really at in the next month or so. If he doesn't show up well at Bournemouth, who play decent football and are one of the better teams in the division, I don't think he can be considered a realistic option for us really. Of course, if he plays well and scores a few goals he deserves to come back into contention.

[ifk101]

Sure, Long has seen better days. But he works as a target and he's mobile enough to make runs in behind/ down the channels. And that tireless energy about him is something we have been missing. It's not pretty but there is joy to be had in pressuring defences into making mistakes - which Long does. He's not for the long term but with his experience, he is our best option until other options "mature".

[Snapshot]

I would have thought Robinson was well ahead of Collins for the centre forward position to be honest. Fair enough, Collins has scored a reasonable number of goals in the Championship, but Robinson has previously done that to the extent that he's a premier division player now. It would seem surprising to punish him for moving up a division, I actually think he has played well in a team that were always going to struggle in the Premier League.

I'd be amazed if Collins ever reaches the level that Robinson is already at to be honest.

So you'll be amazed with this easy solution - play both of them!

[Snapshot]

Collins was competent against Bulgaria but otherwise has looked out of his depth in appearances for us. And this at a time when he is peaking at club level. He is not going to improve from here out, there is no upside in him. Long would be my preference as he is suited to the 9 role but there is a future and potential in other options to the extent Collins really shouldn’t be a squad consideration, let alone a starter.
Ridiculous comment. Collins has scored ten goals in the C'ship and you say he shouldn't even make the squad. A player scoring regularly in the Championship is well capable of scoring against Luxembourg, Azerbaijan and even Serbia. That's six games in which the top Irish goalscorer in the first two tiers of English football is capable of being a scorer. Are you aware Ireland hasn't scored a goal in seven games?

[ifk101]

A player scoring regularly in the Championship is well capable of scoring against Luxembourg, Azerbaijan and even Serbia.

.. and Bulgaria? He had a few scoring chances against Bulgaria but didn't take them. Hasn't shown much to suggest his lower league scoring prowess makes him a capable international striker, how ridiculous this comment may be.

[Snapshot]

Sure, Long has seen better days. But he works as a target and he's mobile enough to make runs in behind/ down the channels. And that tireless energy about him is something we have been missing. It's not pretty but there is joy to be had in pressuring defences into making mistakes - which Long does. He's not for the long term but with his experience, he is our best option until other options "mature".
Collins' goals were scored over this season and last season. An Irish player scoring 21 Championship goals at a time Ireland can't score even one in seven games - and he's not a starter in the team? Someone else here says he's not even good enough for the squad! Unbelievable! He's not elite - but he's Irish, he's an option, he's scoring and he's 30.

[Snapshot]

.. and Bulgaria? He had a few scoring chances against Bulgaria but didn't take them. Hasn't shown much to suggest his lower league scoring prowess makes him a capable international striker, how ridiculous this comment may be.

Is the Championship the "lower league" you reference? God help us if only Premiership goals are good enough for Ireland these days. If Collins is dismissed because of one game - where does that leave our current manager after eight shockers in nine games? Please.

[elatedscum]

Collins could have scored 4 in the 0-0 v Bulgaria. There was the Curtis shot which was deflected, if he was able to touch that it was in. Similarly the Brady free kick where if he touches it with his head, it’s a goal. Then there was the header from a Horgan cross, which he really should have scored. Finally there was the volley from an O’Shea cross which he took pretty well but put it wide.

With those chances, Bamford probably scores a hat trick. I think you give Collins credit for getting in the right areas, that’s a good sign. But at international level, you’d expect him to have scored 1 at least.

Frankly, there aren’t any good options between Collins, Long, Maguire, Hogan, Idah, Parrott, Obafemi. Three aren’t yet at the required level. Long is probably past it but we’ll know more with regular game time. Collins is a lower league striker. Maguire is a confidence striker, being played out of position and lacking confidence. Hogan is similarly a form player who hasn’t done anything at international level.

I’m not sure if I’ve seen Robinson play much as a lone central striker. I suspect Kenny views him more as a winger.

[Eirambler]

So you'll be amazed with this easy solution - play both of them!

I'm not sure that works either - Collins can only really play the central role and you're probably going to want to play Connolly on the left. That means putting Robinson out on the right which isn't his position - he should be central or left. I don't think Collins is good enough that we should be shifting players out of position to accommodate him. Personally I'd go

Connolly---Robinson---Brady

as the front three with three hard working midfielders behind them.

The other point I'd make on Collins is that if you take out his goals from penalties he's averaging 7 goals a season since he has gone up to the Championship, not prolific by any means. By all means have him in the squad if it's between him and the likes of Maguire and O'Brien, but I wouldn't be starting him if we have a full squad to choose from.

[tetsujin1979]

Bamford has two hat tricks in his career - in form or not, do you really think he'd score three of those chances on his international debut?

Interestingly enough, they have almost exactly the same career scoring record - Collins has 178 goals in 502 career games, or 0.35458 goals per game, Bamford has 100 goals in 282 games, or 0.35460 goals per game

*values taken from wikipedia
Bamford: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Bamford#Career_statistics
Collins: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Collins_(footballer,_born_1990)#Career_stati stics

[samhaydenjr]

.. and Bulgaria? He had a few scoring chances against Bulgaria but didn't take them. Hasn't shown much to suggest his lower league scoring prowess makes him a capable international striker, how ridiculous this comment may be.

Well... apart from scoring fifteen minutes after coming on for his international debut against... er... Bulgaria

[Snapshot]

Collins could have scored 4 in the 0-0 v Bulgaria. There was the Curtis shot which was deflected, if he was able to touch that it was in. Similarly the Brady free kick where if he touches it with his head, it’s a goal. Then there was the header from a Horgan cross, which he really should have scored. Finally there was the volley from an O’Shea cross which he took pretty well but put it wide.

With those chances, Bamford probably scores a hat trick. I think you give Collins credit for getting in the right areas, that’s a good sign. But at international level, you’d expect him to have scored 1 at least.

Frankly, there aren’t any good options between Collins, Long, Maguire, Hogan, Idah, Parrott, Obafemi. Three aren’t yet at the required level. Long is probably past it but we’ll know more with regular game time. Collins is a lower league striker. Maguire is a confidence striker, being played out of position and lacking confidence. Hogan is similarly a form player who hasn’t done anything at international level.

I’m not sure if I’ve seen Robinson play much as a lone central striker. I suspect Kenny views him more as a winger.
You're right - we are struggling for quality - so we should use the best of our mediocre lot - and Collins has scored 21 Championship goals over last season and this season (to date). He is also an excellent penalty taker, which should not be counted as a minus, as someone suggests above. If he had played against Slovakia we'd likely be in the Euro finals. This guy scores against the same opposition faced by our other Championship mediocrity - against the same defences, same formations, same hard hoofers etc. Yet, somehow his goals are treated as those of a lesser god. Very strange that.

[Snapshot]

Apologies if I'm missing something, tetsujin1979, but what's your point? Would you not have Bamford (if he agreed) and/or Collins in the team?

[tetsujin1979]

That I doubt he'd have scored a hat trick against Bulgaria

[Snapshot]

That I doubt he'd have scored a hat trick against Bulgaria
He would have been very capable of a hat-trick against that ordinary Bulgarian defence. His main obstacle would have been the poverty of supply from a clueless Irish midfield. Bamford scored a top quality hat-trick this season against a Villa defence (Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett) way above what Bulgaria fielded. He would be a fantastic addition to this feeble Irish team. We need to keep trying for him.

[ifk101]

Yet, somehow his goals are treated as those of a lesser god. Very strange that.

But he has been given chances in an Irish jersey to show what he can do. Why persist with a player that has peaked and that peak isn't good enough for international football? See the Georgia game as example. He failed to hold the ball up, failed to link play with his team mates, and clearly showed he lacks the mobility for the lone striker/ 9 role. Offered nothing in the Switzerland game, he fluffed his lines when given the chance to shoot at goal. I thought he was ok in NL game against Bulgaria - but he didn't score when given the chances. There's no suggestion in what we had seen so far that is capable of offering more than huff and puff. So good for him that he is scoring goals at his club. But his performances in an Irish jersey have been underwhelming (at a time when his club scoring form is good).