Echo News Ex-Southend United goalkeeper David Martin impressed by Collin Andeng-Ndi

[Evening Echo]

DAVID Martin believes Southend United goalkeeper Collin Andeng Ndi is already capable of making the step up into League One.

Read more on this story


Help with Echo links

 

[Tampa Blue]

Was just thinking about Collin and why his form this season hasn't been at the same standard as last season and wondered:

1. How much did the departure of David Martin affect him?
2. How much did the departure of Ollie Kensdale affect him?

He certainly is still a great prospect and I am certain that the arrival of Anssi Jaakkola, together with getting used to playing without Kensdale as his regular 'out ball' will help him continue on an upward trajectory in his career.

Thoughts?

 

[RHB]

It is very probable that Dave Martin's departure did affect him, but I doubt, very much, that Kensdale's had the same effect. Adam Crowther is a similar player and also provides the 'out' ball at times, but his coach now should focus on him releasing the 'right' ball, be it a kick or a throw out. All of that comes with experience, and he gets more of that every game he plays. The GK coach's job now is to analyse Collin's performance after every game, highlighting his good stuff and and the bad. AJ being on his case every game will make him a better keeper.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

It is very probable that Dave Martin's departure did affect him, but I doubt, very much, that Kensdale's had the same effect. Adam Crowther is a similar player and also provides the 'out' ball at times,

Crowther isn’t at all a similar player for me. He’s a defend first player, with his best asset being his aerial ability. He’s more physical, wants to be up against his man and lacks the comfort on the ball that Kensdale had. I don’t want to say that Crowther is hiding from the ball but he doesn’t demand it in the way Kensdale does and opponents can press him in a way they couldn’t press Kensdale who was adept at feinting one way and going the other meaning you play him differently. Kensdale was really a midfielder in a defender’s body who had an unusual amount of confidence on the ball for a centre half.

One way our team has evolved in recent weeks is that we’re now seeing Harry Taylor taking on his man a lot more to open up space. This is something he’s having to do a lot more as a) to compensate for there being no Kensdale doing it and b) Crowther isn’t showing for the ball the way Kensdale did. But he’s not as adept at it as Kensdale was, so he’s beating his man but not opening up the pitch so much when he does it (also he’s not in the middle).

Crowther may get better at this - I imagine it’s a real focus of training (although playing Sat-Tue there’s not so much training time right now) but he lacks the natural feel to it that Kensdale had. Kensdale really was good at opening up angles. Until Crowther develops that side of his game we’re going to be a lot easier to press. That’s a big reason why we were able to beat Solihull but struggled against Fylde and Sutton.

AJ being on his case every game will make him a better keeper.

Or being on his case the whole time could destroy his confidence?

 

[RHB]

Crowther isn’t at all a similar player for me. He’s a defend first player, with his best asset being his aerial ability. He’s more physical, wants to be up against his man and lacks the comfort on the ball that Kensdale had. I don’t want to say that Crowther is hiding from the ball but he doesn’t demand it in the way Kensdale does and opponents can press him in a way they couldn’t press Kensdale who was adept at feinting one way and going the other meaning you play him differently. Kensdale was really a midfielder in a defender’s body who had an unusual amount of confidence on the ball for a centre half.

One way our team has evolved in recent weeks is that we’re now seeing Harry Taylor taking on his man a lot more to open up space. This is something he’s having to do a lot more as a) to compensate for there being no Kensdale doing it and b) Crowther isn’t showing for the ball the way Kensdale did. But he’s not as adept at it as Kensdale was, so he’s beating his man but not opening up the pitch so much when he does it (also he’s not in the middle).

Crowther may get better at this - I imagine it’s a real focus of training (although playing Sat-Tue there’s not so much training time right now) but he lacks the natural feel to it that Kensdale had. Kensdale really was good at opening up angles. Until Crowther develops that side of his game we’re going to be a lot easier to press. That’s a big reason why we were able to beat Solihull but struggled against Fylde and Sutton.


Or being on his case the whole time could destroy his confidence?

It's all about opinions Yorkie, you have a better opinion of some of Kensdale's abilities than me. Too often he would dribble the ball out only to be robbed of the ball further up the field. Crowther will improve with more experience and I still stand by my opinion, especially the AJ/Collin one.

 

[blues exile]

Seem to remember Kensdale having regular and lively discussions with Collin during matches. Only from watching on tv, so those actually at the games would have a better understanding of course.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

It's all about opinions Yorkie, you have a better opinion of some of Kensdale's abilities than me. Too often he would dribble the ball out only to be robbed of the ball further up the field.

Maybe @ShrimperStats can add some facts to the debate.

How do their passes per 90 minutes and progressive runs per 90 minutes compare?

Do you also have maps of their passes. I *think* Kensdale picked the ball up deeper, often being square of Collin, whereas Crowther doesn’t drop as far.

Crowther will improve with more experience and I still stand by my opinion, especially the AJ/Collin one.

It’s also worth remembering that, even if Crowther is as good on the ball as Kensdale was, Crowther and Collin wont have as good an understanding yet of each other’s games. Almost all of Collin’s career has been played with Kensdale in front of him and that takes time to build up that kind of rapport and understanding. I think we’ll likely see improvement as they play together more. The question is how much improvement will that be?

I’ve no idea though whether Collin responds better to an arm round the shoulder or someone being on him all the time or indeed how we’d know either way.

 

[rigsby]

The problem with Kensdale in the team is the players kept their hands in their pockets. Thats no good for a goal keeper.

 

[ShrimperStats]

Maybe @ShrimperStats can add some facts to the debate.

How do their passes per 90 minutes and progressive runs per 90 minutes compare?

Do you also have maps of their passes. I *think* Kensdale picked the ball up deeper, often being square of Collin, whereas Crowther doesn’t drop as far.



It’s also worth remembering that, even if Crowther is as good on the ball as Kensdale was, Crowther and Collin wont have as good an understanding yet of each other’s games. Almost all of Collin’s career has been played with Kensdale in front of him and that takes time to build up that kind of rapport and understanding. I think we’ll likely see improvement as they play together more. The question is how much improvement will that be?

I’ve no idea though whether Collin responds better to an arm round the shoulder or someone being on him all the time or indeed how we’d know either way.

I wrote this scout report on Kensdale before he left, looking at how he was different to our other centre-backs:
http://shrimperstats.data.blog/2024/09/16/ollie-kensdale-scout-report/

I’m of the opinion that we need a starting CCB, now he’s left, to keep our system the same; but to answer your question:

Last season, Kensdale attempted more passes (48.22 vs. 40.97) and forward passes (19.35 vs. 17.07) than Crowther with better success rates (85.6% vs. 83%, and 70.9% vs. 69.5%), and made more progressive runs (1.5 vs. 0.54).

Even without the stats, though, Kensdale is a better ball-playing defender than Crowther, and more suited to the CCB due to the reasons in my article.

 

[RHB]

I wrote this scout report on Kensdale before he left, looking at how he was different to our other centre-backs:
http://shrimperstats.data.blog/2024/09/16/ollie-kensdale-scout-report/

I’m of the opinion that we need a starting CCB, now he’s left, to keep our system the same; but to answer your question:

Last season, Kensdale attempted more passes (48.22 vs. 40.97) and forward passes (19.35 vs. 17.07) than Crowther with better success rates (85.6% vs. 83%, and 70.9% vs. 69.5%), and made more progressive runs (1.5 vs. 0.54).

Even without the stats, though, Kensdale is a better ball-playing defender than Crowther, and more suited to the CCB due to the reasons in my article.

Forgive me if I'm being simplistic here, but surely to compare the two, they need to have played a similar amount of games, is that true of this comparison?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Forgive me if I'm being simplistic here, but surely to compare the two, they need to have played a similar amount of games, is that true of this comparison?

The question ShrimperStats was answering was passes per 90 minutes, so as to adjust for that.

Anyway it was nice to see us score again last night from a move where we passed back to Collin.

 

[RHB]

The question ShrimperStats was answering was passes per 90 minutes, so as to adjust for that.

Anyway it was nice to see us score again last night from a move where we passed back to Collin.

Ok Yorkie, I surrender, Kensdale is better than Crowther statistically. I'll stop having opinions without proof in future.

 

[Holy Joe]

Ok Yorkie, I surrender, Kensdale is better than Crowther statistically. I'll stop having opinions without proof in future.

But Crowther didn't play central much did he? Wasn't he used more on the right? So are the stats like for like?

 

[OldBlueLady]

But Crowther didn't play central much did he? Wasn't he used more on the right? So are the stats like for like?

I thought he did - when Kensdale had that facial injury?

I think this is quite a timely article being as how Collin has been criticised quite a lot on here recently. I do think Kensdale used to berate him (and others) quite a lot for mistakes, and I don't think that is an issue here, but I do think some of his judgement has been off at times so a new GK coach will only help him improve in the areas he needs it.

 

[Holy Joe]

I thought he did - when Kensdale had that facial injury?

I think this is quite a timely article being as how Collin has been criticised quite a lot on here recently. I do think Kensdale used to berate him (and others) quite a lot for mistakes, and I don't think that is an issue here, but I do think some of his judgement has been off at times so a new GK coach will only help him improve in the areas he needs it.

I remember him playing some games alongside Kensdale. Maybe a mix.

 

[Exiled Shrimper]

I remember him playing some games alongside Kensdale. Maybe a mix.

It was a mix. He started 5 games as the central centre-back when Kensdale was out and 6 as the right-sided centre-back either side of that, so it’s a low sample size.

It would be interesting to see statistically how much Kensdale developed as a ball-playing central defender or whether he was always comfortable on the ball (the eye test suggests he wasn’t when he first arrived), and therefore how much we can expect Crowther to potentially improve in that position, or whether this is an area we need to recruit, with Crowther the cover for/longer-term successor to Taylor at right centre-back.

 

[ShrimperStats]

But Crowther didn't play central much did he? Wasn't he used more on the right? So are the stats like for like?

That’s the issue with comparing these stats. The players were used in slightly different positions (generally) last season, and didn’t play a similar number of minutes which may skew the data (even though it’s per 90 minutes).

A better statistical comparison could be made later into this season, if Crowther continues to be our starting CCB and plays a good number of minutes.

However, I don’t feel the data is needed to see that Kensdale is a better ball-playing CB than Crowther, for the reasons stated in my article.