Sammie Szmodics M Blackburn Rovers b.1995

[seanfhear]

Tony Cascarino qualified based on the fact that his grandfather was Irish born - but later claimed that because his mother was adopted he had no qualification rights to play for Ireland. Technically its true because his mother never held an Irish passport - but adopted children were entitled to an Irish passport under the 1956 Act. Cascarino in reality was using it to whip up interest in his book.

Cynical enough by Cascarino but there was money to be made I suppose ~ Business is Business.

[SkStu]

A first half brace for Sammie against Wrexham. Two fine goals, second a very calm finish after a great run and the first looked good too but it might have taken a deflection. Only Wrexham but he’s done well in general play too, some great short and long passing. Moran doing alright too. McClean should’ve had a goal.

[Eirambler]

Actually it struck me watching the game how ineffective Moran was in a team that were completely dominant against lower league opposition. Obviously he has time on his side but right now he looks a long way away for me.

[Razors left peg]

Actually it struck me watching the game how ineffective Moran was in a team that were completely dominant against lower league opposition. Obviously he has time on his side but right now he looks a long way away for me.

Seriously? He was at the heart of everything for them. Even the commentary on ESPN were talking about how good he was

Edit: even browsing through different score apps ratings for him generally in the 8s

[elatedscum]

Actually it struck me watching the game how ineffective Moran was in a team that were completely dominant against lower league opposition. Obviously he has time on his side but right now he looks a long way away for me.

I didn't see more than 5 mins of the game. But my take on Andy in general is that he's incredibly inconsistent. There are games where he's up for it and he's excellent and there are others where he goes totally missing. I'd hope he grows out of it with age - and i think he probably will.

[SkStu]

He was good but not stellar. He made some good passes and kept the ball ticking over. He made one run towards the end that showed his class and general smarts/maturity. If he’s inconsistent, I somewhat blame Tomasson. I’m at a loss what role Moran plays and I’ve felt that way before when watching him this season. Even though he pops up in these parts of the pitch, he’s neither a winger nor a true attacking midfielder in Tomasson’s system, whatever it is.

[Eirambler]

Seriously? He was at the heart of everything for them. Even the commentary on ESPN were talking about how good he was

Edit: even browsing through different score apps ratings for him generally in the 8s

Yes, seriously. I'm not saying he wasn't tidy on the ball, he was and he kept it moving fairly well and that will probably keep his ratings scores decent. But that's the minimum you'd expect when the team he was playing in was dominant to that extent. I thought, out of all of Blackburn's attacking players, he was about the least effective. I'm also pretty sure it was him that carelessly gave the ball away in the centre circle at one point giving Wrexham a free hit at lobbing the keeper that almost went in.

I think he's a good bit behind Azaz currently (I'm aware he's a few years younger than him).

[JR89]

Was Moran playing RWB, transfermarkt have him down as playing RWB?

[tetsujin1979]

Sky Sports have him as playing beside Szmodics, behind Gallagher

[DeLorean]

I just want to clear up how Moran actually performed last night.

[SkStu]

that is funny - the shamrock tinted glasses are real, i think!! He was good/decent but by no means was he Blackburns best player.

[Eirambler]

That's absolutely mental that someone thought he was Blackburn's best player! Ridiculously green tinted. Two things here - firstly he's Irish, and in particular an Irish attacking midfielder, a position we're short in, so there will be a tendancy for Irish supporters to over egg everything he does.

Secondly he's a loan player, not a Blackburn owned player. I always find supporters are a bit harder on loan players because they know they won't be there long term. So that might partly explain why a lot of Blackburn supporters would happily see him go back to Brighton this week.

The reality is probably somewhere in-between, but personally I thought he was no more than ok last night.

[Razors left peg]

He wasnt Blackburns best player last night but he was generally in the middle of everything good they did. He wasnt necessarily creating chances but he was the pass before the chance was created (if that makes sense).

He definitely has been more inconsistent of late, but too often hes put out wide when he is much more effective when playing through the middle. Over all its still been a good 1st season in mens football for a lad who will still need to bulk up a bit, he often looks like a boy playing with men.

[JR89]

He wasnt Blackburns best player last night but he was generally in the middle of everything good they did. He wasnt necessarily creating chances but he was the pass before the chance was created (if that makes sense).

He definitely has been more inconsistent of late, but too often hes put out wide when he is much more effective when playing through the middle. Over all its still been a good 1st season in mens football for a lad who will still need to bulk up a bit, he often looks like a boy playing with men.

Well according to Sky Sports match commentary he directly created 6 chances, which put him first for chance created last night I believe.

https://www.skysports.com/football/b...am/live/502447

[pineapple stu]

That ties in with Whoscored.com (or indeed it may be the same source) which credits him with 6 key passes, way more than anyone else. Yet he was still rated behind Tronstad, Szmodics and Gallagher, who chipped in with four goals and three assists between them.

Though on RLP's point on inconsistency, he had three goals and eight assists by November, but only one assist since then and a string of fairly poor ratings. So definitely going through a sticky patch it seems.

[tetsujin1979]

That's what I posted in the post match summary
https://mastodon.ie/@irish_abroad/111841352351982722

[Razors left peg]

Well according to Sky Sports match commentary he directly created 6 chances, which put him first for chance created last night I believe.

https://www.skysports.com/football/b...am/live/502447

I dont remember seeing 6 direct chances, but sometimes if a shot hits the corner flag its regarded as a chance I suppose. My main point was really that he was very heavily involved last night and I was surprised with the "Ineffective" comment.

[irishfan86]

I don’t think I’ve had a serious look at this guy play — but these very different assessments of this same player in this same match have me pretty curious!

[tetsujin1979]

I dont remember seeing 6 direct chances, but sometimes if a shot hits the corner flag its regarded as a chance I suppose. My main point was really that he was very heavily involved last night and I was surprised with the "Ineffective" comment.

If you click on the whoscored link above - https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/17...ckburn-Wrexham - then select the Chalkboard, under the Matchcentre, then the Passes stat, and then Key passes filter, you can see the six passes by Moran that have been declared as "key" passes

[Eirambler]

I don’t think I’ve had a serious look at this guy play — but these very different assessments of this same player in this same match have me pretty curious!

I think it probably depends on how highly you rate an attacking player who is mostly tidy in possession and keeps the ball moving without contributing much (or anything in last night's case) in terms of goals and assists. Personally, in a team that's that dominant against a lower league team, I was looking for more than just being tidy on the ball from him, but I didn't see it.