TRO Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 (edited) 10 hours ago, MikeMcKenna said: There really is a load of tosh about Hourihane being made a ‘scapegoat’. Long before yesterdays game I and many others on VT agreed he wasn’t a DM. In fact I don’t remember many claiming otherwise. We didn’t lose because of him v Spurs but that doesnt change the reality about his lack of ability as a DM. We lost because we are not yet good enough. Bang on. We are good at some things and not others.....This league requires a level of physicality, that we have not quite reached yet, you have to be very athletic to survive and reactions need to be speedied up.....just to point out a couple of things out of many. Our rise in 12 months has been remarkable.....but we will know what we have to do from Saturdays game, it will take time to learn. 1-1 after 85 minutes is amazing in my view......but much to learn moving forward. Edited August 12, 2019 by TRO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted August 12, 2019 Author Share Posted August 12, 2019 I thought he worked like a trojan and in the first half and when we had possession, he mostly picked the right option and hit his spots. He can be proud of his effort in his Premier League debut and can take no blame for how we lost the game. It wasn't a game for him either though, will be interesting to see how he performs against Bournemouth where I expect we will see a lot more of the ball. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 (edited) I like Conor, I really do.......for me he is more of a pick pocket than a Robust tackling DM. I am not looking for him to do what he can't do.....I am looking for what he can do. Dean will know when to use him and when not to. I know you cannot just survive with a wand of a left foot......but realistically, where can you find one of them?....unless you have a spare 50 mill down the sofa. Its all about a squad now more than ever and I'm glad he is in it. Edited August 12, 2019 by TRO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 14 hours ago, Mic09 said: The Westwood syndrome. Fan of Westwood me. Would be great option for us now. Constantly showed for the ball, the opposite of what Hourihane does when it matters, when it's hard. Many players can sit alongside Jack Grealish and John McGinn and look great when the going is good. The only way Hourihane will be playing much in the league this season is if both Luiz and Marvelous bomb. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pelle Posted August 13, 2019 Share Posted August 13, 2019 I think he had a really good first half against tottenham. His positioning was very good and he helped the defenders out really well. No, he isn't a good tackler, but that's not all there is to that position. He gave them very little space to create good chances. In the second half he faded a bit as they started to wear us down and had our midfield run from one side to the other. Maybe he should've been taken off a bit earlier, but I doubt that would've mattered. Could've, but I don't it would. But soon I think he'll be relieved from playing as a DM. Once Luiz and Nakamba settles and get into match fitness he'll be more of a backup for Grealish and McGinn, which is more natural for him. And to all of those complaining that he isn't a DM: No, he isn't, and I think he's very aware of that himself, but he's never complained about playing there. He's always stepped and done his best even though he's a lot better as an AM. We all know that not every player would've done that. I give him credit for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mic09 Posted August 13, 2019 Share Posted August 13, 2019 8 hours ago, Tomaszk said: Fan of Westwood me. Would be great option for us now. Constantly showed for the ball, the opposite of what Hourihane does when it matters, when it's hard. Many players can sit alongside Jack Grealish and John McGinn and look great when the going is good. The only way Hourihane will be playing much in the league this season is if both Luiz and Marvelous bomb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villan_of_oz Posted August 13, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted August 13, 2019 Are we really still bagging Westwood? Last I checked he didn't spend 3 years in the championship, we did. He was and probably still is a very decent player (No, I did not compare him to Messi or Ronaldo!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted August 13, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted August 13, 2019 3 hours ago, Villan_of_oz said: Are we really still bagging Westwood? Last I checked he didn't spend 3 years in the championship, we did. He was and probably still is a very decent player (No, I did not compare him to Messi or Ronaldo!) Fits in with what I was saying earlier about how often the DM in our team is usually the scapegoat. Westwood was shit by the time he left, fwiw. Once we dropped down to the championship he was crap. Whether he wanted out or something I don't know. But he's clearly decent enough for a lower half prem side. That being said I wouldn't want him back. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villan_of_oz Posted August 13, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted August 13, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Stevo985 said: Fits in with what I was saying earlier about how often the DM in our team is usually the scapegoat. Westwood was shit by the time he left, fwiw. Once we dropped down to the championship he was crap. Whether he wanted out or something I don't know. But he's clearly decent enough for a lower half prem side. That being said I wouldn't want him back. I agree I wouldn't want him back either, he wasn't that good you'd try and get him back, and I also agree he was pretty average when he left here. I wouldn't be surprised if the abuse just wore him down. Even if you didn't read social media yourself, people would tell you. He was the scapegoat because he did quite often make mistakes, but it's lazy to blame him more than anyone else. He made so many mistakes because he actually offered himself to get the ball and receive the pass but then there would be no movement or cohesion going forward so he'd pass it sideways or backwards. Under constant pressure every week against better teams, yes no doubt he did start to make a lot of mistakes, but it was because he was trying harder, probably harder than most if not all others in the team. He went to Burnley and proved all the haters completely wrong, and good on him. Edited August 13, 2019 by Villan_of_oz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted August 13, 2019 Author Share Posted August 13, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Villan_of_oz said: He went to Burnley and proved all the haters completely wrong, and good on him. Weeeeeell... Maybe. I mean don't get me wrong, I have said before and will say again that he has had a far more successful career since he left Villa than we have had as a club. I am aware he won Burnley's player of the season last year too, but then Stephen Ireland won ours once upon a time. I have watched Westwood a couple of times for Burnley and he looks like the same Ashley Westwood to me, tidy enough but ultimately he's still a bit of a fart in the wind. Every now and then you get a whiff of something decent, but for the most part he's neither dynamic nor inspiring. He is what he is, a tidy passer who will put a shift in. I'm still glad he left, for his and our sake. I prefer Hourihane because of that left peg. Long term I don't envisage either player being good enough for what we want to do, but Conor has the scope to prove me wrong and he is a threat from the bench against tiring legs, which Westwood is definitely not. Edited August 13, 2019 by dont_do_it_doug. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brummybloke Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 Sorely missed his dead ball skills today. Maybe swap him for el ghazi in next game ? So many dire corners and some woeful free kicks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnnyp Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 23 minutes ago, brummybloke said: Sorely missed his dead ball skills today. Maybe swap him for el ghazi in next game ? So many dire corners and some woeful free kicks. Who we playing wide left then ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHV Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 24 minutes ago, Johnnyp said: Who we playing wide left then ? Grealish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted August 18, 2019 Share Posted August 18, 2019 We need goals. Hourihane scores goals. I don't care how, just get him in the team. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVTuco Posted August 18, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted August 18, 2019 1 hour ago, villalad21 said: We need goals. Hourihane scores goals. I don't care how, just get him in the team. I'm afraid I'm with you. And El-Ghazi is the only droppable one currently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders0223 Posted August 18, 2019 Share Posted August 18, 2019 8 hours ago, KHV said: Grealish Our best midfielder and most composed footballer. Bruce moved Jack out wide and it was the end of him and confirmation he didn't have a clue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brummybloke Posted August 18, 2019 Share Posted August 18, 2019 9 hours ago, Johnnyp said: Who we playing wide left then ? CH can play there trez can play there, mcginn and jack can play there. Doesnt matter who but we cant play with 2 out and out wingers when its weakening the entire team and having 2 slow playing fullbacks. And by weakening, I mean double figure corners and only 1 looked even half decent ( we scored from that after it was cleared) and dire free kicks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrimevalVillan Posted August 18, 2019 Share Posted August 18, 2019 If Westwood is good enough for the PL, so is Conor. That's not a knock on Westy either, a team other than us deemed he is good enough. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted August 18, 2019 Share Posted August 18, 2019 (edited) 15 minutes ago, PrimevalVillan said: If Westwood is good enough for the PL, so is Conor. That's not a knock on Westy either, a team other than us deemed he is good enough. you have been listening to my Mrs ( season ticket holder too like me)....she liked Westwood and liked his ability to recycle......seems to work for Burnley. Edited August 18, 2019 by TRO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted August 20, 2019 Share Posted August 20, 2019 Missed him on Saturday, he puts that Trezeguet chance away and the Taylor one plus he would have got into them positions. Where to fit him in is the issue, reminds me of Muller can look useless for 90 mins but makes key vital things happen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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