Guest av1 Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 15 hours ago, HanoiVillan said: I'm not trying to be dismissive towards Burton. They're in a relegation scrap, and have won some away games recently. That being said, I think we should have enough in the tank to give those players who are a bit jaded a rest. I think we'd have plenty enough swapping, eg Adomah and Hourihane for Green and Lansbury for the day. Agreed. Ideal game to bed Axel in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 19 minutes ago, av1 said: Agreed. Ideal game to bed Axel in. Terry was holding his back during the Sheff U game. Maybe start Axel and have JT ready to come on if there's one goal in it with 30 mins left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Czechlad Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 Players have off matches. Doesn't deserve to be dropped because of it. The Sheffield match was better for stronger more physical players hence why Onomah and Davis did well when they came on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 Last night he was hiding a couple of times and I'd like to think I'm one of his fans. Couple of times I saw him give it to Jack and run off. Credit to Sheff Utd where it's due they were closing down like their lives depended on it. with Bjarnason in good form I'd be interested to see what he and Jack could do with Jedinak behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest av1 Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 I've been a fan of Conor but his form is worrying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a m ole Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 5 minutes ago, av1 said: I've been a fan of Conor but his form is worrying. don't think he was that bad today. not wonderful but he was more of a presence than at Sheffield Utd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omariqy Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Thought he was pretty decent today tbf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted February 3, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted February 3, 2018 12 minutes ago, omariqy said: Thought he was pretty decent today tbf. Weird. I thought he was terrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted February 3, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted February 3, 2018 On 31/01/2018 at 15:03, av1 said: Agreed. Ideal game to bed Axel in. A bed of roses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest av1 Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 13 minutes ago, sidcow said: A bed of roses? We've had a few nails aswell mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVTuco Posted February 3, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted February 3, 2018 Not great, he's the odd man out on our midfield currently. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted February 4, 2018 Author Share Posted February 4, 2018 No way was he terrible, 37 of 40 passes (93%) and about a billion miles ran doesn't = terrible. He was OK. He has played better, but he was OK. I'm not worried about his form, 1 admittedly dire performance against Sheffield United isn't 'form'. It's a bad game. Before that he was great against Bristol, Forest and Barnsley. But I suppose we have to have *somebody* to scapegoat. That said, of course he needs to stay on his toes. Onomah is staking a claim, but I am absolutely sure Conor's tireless effort is crucial to how we have been performing of late. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 I didn't think he was that bad. I didn't really notice him that much to be honest. He just kept things ticking over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 granted just saw the highlights and he looked good compared to what I read before watching it 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 (edited) 19 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said: I didn't think he was that bad. I didn't really notice him that much to be honest. He just kept things ticking over. There lies a bit of the issue....a bit on the light side. at this level now.....We want players driving, not coasting.....Its all very noble tidying up or keeping other players who are at it , fed.....but its not enough for promotion.....You need 11 players hungry for the win, not 8 or 9. He didn't do much wrong, but thats not the issue.....The bar is being raised and we need every player on their game ideally. Calderwood said in the after match comments....."We need to be more aggressive if we want to break away and get second place".....He said " We need to graft more in training this week" Despite me being very happy with our position.....I think he is right. The time to up the Ante is when you are winning. Edited February 5, 2018 by TRO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 For me the last thing I would accuse Hourihane of doing is coasting, or hiding, or not putting in the required work. Maybe he is a bit lightweight though generally. It's something he could work on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 8 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said: For me the last thing I would accuse Hourihane of doing is coasting, or hiding, or not putting in the required work. Maybe he is a bit lightweight though generally. It's something he could work on. Dave, its all about opinions and I am not saying he doesn't work.....but there is working and working. meaning you can run around a lot and be the link man, but the player needs his moment to be effective too. Its difficult to explain myself without seeming to have a pop at him and I don't want to do that.....and by the way he is not the only one. He has to work on not being pushed off the ball so easy or not winning the ball in one on one's.....I don't know what instructions he is playing to, but I want to see him driving in like Dennis Mortimer used to do and then lay wide and bit further in the opposition zone than what we are, we maybe lay it out wide a bit too early to max the damage. I like Conor Hourihane and he has weapons like the dead ball kicks and his ability to ghost in the box when he is on his game. Just needs to dominate the ball a bit more for me. At the moment, there is much not to be critical about ( if thats the right word) but we cannot rely on Jack and Snoddy etc to be taking the game to the opposition in most cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 @TRO to be honest I find the idea that Hourihane hasn't contributed enough this season rather odd, he has 7 goals from central midfield. I appreciate what you're saying about him driving forward more and I would say that recently he has been doing that, notably since given license to. I think he just had a wanky day at the office up in Sheffield then a merely OK performance on Saturday. I'm not sure he's the 'dominate the ball' player in this system either - that's Jack's role. Isn't he your Mortimer? Hourihane just isn't a weak link for me, I think it's a case of 'what have you done for me lately'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Czechlad Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Hourihane is one of our quietly better players. I really wonder if people watch the same matches as I do sometimes. Watch our goals: Aston Villa 3 - 2 Burton Albion 1st goal - Hourihane plays a key 1-2 pass with Snodgrass which opens up the space for Snodgrass to exploit and pass into adomah resulting in Hogan's tap in. 2nd goal - Hourihane sprints back, intercepts an albion pass, then plays a through ball to Hogan, who lays it off to snodgrass who crosses it into Adomah for the goal. This goal doesn't happen if it weren't for Hourihane's defensive work, then his passing ability. Hourihane was then subbed off. Hourihane had one poor match against Sheffield, but has largely been one of the key players to our success this season. His effort and energy in midfield disrupts plays. His passing ability allows us to retain possession and spring attacks. Plus he chips in with goals. From the CM position, Hourihane is statistically one of the best in the league. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 I think he has done pretty well this season overall. The trouble is with his role is that it is not as easily definable as the two alongside him. Whelan/Jedi/Birkir are the holding midfielders whose job is to break up play and keep it simple. Grealish is the attacking mid who makes things happen and links up with the front three. Hourihane for me should be the box to box midfielder just as someone like Ian Taylor was. He does well in terms of chipping in with the odd goal but I think he could impose himself more. I certainly wouldn't look to drop him and definitely not for Onomah. If anyone was to come in for him it would be Lansbury who I don't think has shown anything like what he is capable of offering. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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