Bamba's Babes Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 From the beginning of the season we have been unable/unwilling to play our best eleven players. Read what I say before you implode - Dean Hammond is not one of our best eleven players in any department. He's not quick or great on the ball, he's not an enforcer in the middle. He is good at some of these things and (I hope you're still reading what I am actually saying) he has taken his chance. He has played better than any of us thought he could/would. But, is he in your top eleven players or even the top two in central midfield. At home against a struggling Burnley team and in a two man midfield, for me, that's not the time you play a Dean Hammond type player. Away or in a three against a team with imposing midfield players is when you play a Dean Hammond type player. (Keep listening) I'm not making Dean Hammond a scapegoat for our draw today, far from it, I thought he played no better or worse than anybody else but I am uncomfortable with his selection in the first place. Matty James or Andy King (what did he do wrong to get dropped?) should have been selected against this Burnley team. Simpson should be in ahead of De Laet. Nugent was rightly dropped and we need to find an alternative to Schlupp, he has all the physical attributes but he cannot put it together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueharmie Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 I agree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImBlue Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 I listened until you said he was no worse than anyone else - he was And then have a pop at 2 of the players who were ok today in de laet and schlupp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickelbyfox Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 From the beginning of the season we have been unable/unwilling to play our best eleven players. Read what I say before you implode - Dean Hammond is not one of our best eleven players in any department. He's not quick or great on the ball, he's not an enforcer in the middle. He is good at some of these things and (I hope you're still reading what I am actually saying) he has taken his chance. He has played better than any of us thought he could/would. But, is he in your top eleven players or even the top two in central midfield. At home against a struggling Burnley team and in a two man midfield, for me, that's not the time you play a Dean Hammond type player. Away or in a three against a team with imposing midfield players is when you play a Dean Hammond type player. (Keep listening) I'm not making Dean Hammond a scapegoat for our draw today, far from it, I thought he played no better or worse than anybody else but I am uncomfortable with his selection in the first place. Matty James or Andy King (what did he do wrong to get dropped?) should have been selected against this Burnley team. Simpson should be in ahead of De Laet. Nugent was rightly dropped and we need to find an alternative to Schlupp, he has all the physical attributes but he cannot put it together. My feelings exactly - bar Schlupp who played well today. My only positive from today is that hopefully now James will start with Drinky and possibly cambiasso, overrun the whole game down the middle.... however James did give away the silly free kick in the end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiritwalker Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 Right about Hammond wrong about the other 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I blame Wellens Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 To be honest I've not a clue what the strongest team is. I agree James should be playing but as last week we were just disappointing today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristianity77 Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 You cant realistically blame James for what happened. That sort of thing can and does happen to everyone at some points. Its just one of those things. But for me he should be in the starting 11 in place of Hammond without a doubt. What was more evident today than anything else is how much we missed Cambiasso. If anything, just because of the way he dictates play to people around him and pulls our players into positions they should be in when under the cosh. Thats what we were missing for the majority of the second half. With regards to Kasper, I think he will watch himself back and know he was at fault for the second goal especially and to be fair to him, when he has a howler he doesn't hide from it and usually gets back to his better sooner rather than later. So for me, James for Hammond, and Cambiasso in when hes fit (or at least, when we are up against it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcfcsnow Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 Hammond makes some nice interceptions now and then but it's glaringly obvious he should not play in the games where we are likely to have the majority of possession, but he keeps starting them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImBlue Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 Hammond makes some nice interceptions now and then but it's glaringly obvious he should not play in the games where we are likely to have the majority of possession, but he keeps starting them. I agree and most could have pointed this out before he game, not just in hindsight. Nigel got it wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hirsty The Blue 94 Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 Except the fact that when Hammond went off we completely imploded in midfield...Yeah that replacement for Schlupp, quick, left footed, swear we had a pretty decent chap like him for the last 5 seasons.James hasn't played much all year, and has looked well of the pace when he has played but just because he was good last year he should walk in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bamba's Babes Posted 4 October 2014 Author Share Posted 4 October 2014 Except the fact that when Hammond went off we completely imploded in midfield... Yeah that replacement for Schlupp, quick, left footed, swear we had a pretty decent chap like him for the last 5 seasons. James hasn't played much all year, and has looked well of the pace when he has played but just because he was good last year he should walk in? He looked up to it vs. Man Utd when he came on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesmilner Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgfualol Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 I'm not sure what our strongest 11 is. Most of the team are still in the process of making the step up IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiritwalker Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 I agree and most could have pointed this out before he game, not just in hindsight. Nigel got it wrong I'm sure most fans had the same reaction as me when his name was read out on the team sheet, wtf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickov22 Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 I don't think Pearson knows his strongest 11, but surely he can see James is an all round better player than Hammond. Disagree with you on De Laet. He has a good game today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HitchinFox Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 I've said this before. Unfathomable that Hammond is still starting games despite his performances tailing off and other, better players now back from injuries...had he been electric or even solid in the past four games I'd defend his right to play but, alas, he's been below average. Potentially a great squad player to bring on to tie things up. But to play him from the start in games when we should be on the front foot is odd, as he offers very little going forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazfox9 Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 I agree with all bar the last paragraph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesmilner Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 behave , that 11 out there was more than enough for 3 points . its a squad not a best 11 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazfox9 Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 Except the fact that when Hammond went off we completely imploded in midfield... Yeah that replacement for Schlupp, quick, left footed, swear we had a pretty decent chap like him for the last 5 seasons. James hasn't played much all year, and has looked well of the pace when he has played but just because he was good last year he should walk in? Maybe it's just my take on matters, but we seemed to implode when Ulloa came off. The ball just wouldn't stick up top. Subs seemed to weaken us today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc_star Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 Yet Hammond & King have looked best midfield pairing (barring once in a decade implosion by Utd) And it was James reckless diving in that cost us the win & 5th spot Not saying Hammond is better than James But c'mon! Morgan & Moore rightly gaining praise, but we're leaky as a sieve at the back. The goal of this season is survival let's not forget that What we need from the players is the attitude we showed against Chelsea, Arsenal & Utd when we're playing the likes of Palace & Burnley who are our real rivals we don't want to be gifting 96th minute equalisers to Knockaert is a million miles off being a top flight player. King has been excellent this season & was sat on the bench when we could have done with his footballing intelligence. Tactics matter, Ulloa strike rate has been phenomenal, but playing it long to him against old fashioned centre halfs like Chelsea, Stoke, Palace & Burnley has seen his impact muted, would much rather have seen us rotate Wood, or even going pure fast possession football of last season with Nugent & Vardy today. Anyway, as bad as the equaliser seems & as much as it reduces the benefit of 4 'bonus' points from Arsenal & Utd, we're still all good and have enough in our locker to exceed this season true aim of survival! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trav Le Bleu Posted 4 October 2014 Share Posted 4 October 2014 opinion And people giving their opinion that his opinion was different to theirs. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that the whole point of these forums? Would be really short threads otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan LCFC Posted 5 October 2014 Share Posted 5 October 2014 Agree with the OP almost fully. Hammond is a steady player, but that's as far as it goes - steady. He isn't particularly quick or good on the ball. He thrives in a defensive situation and I'm fully with the OP that playing him in a two man midfield when you're favourites reeks of negativity. Bring him on when we're winning to help see it out, it often worked last year. I'd have started with James and put Hammond on for him. Nugent.. though he was shit when he came on, didn't do any less than Ulloa. I think Vardy is better than Nugent and I think Ulloa is better than Nugent, however, I think he offers something that those two don't in the sense he's happy to drop deeper. I actually think we missed him today for what he does off the ball. Vardy & Ulloa was the partnership we all wanted - Vardy tried but often to little avail, and Ulloa was shite. Nugent links the attack and midfield. Vardy & Ulloa don't do that. I wouldn't give up on Schlupp just yet. I prefer Knockaert to him, but I thought Schlupp definitely had a better game than him again. He's showing an improved touch, but his end product is still iffy and one goal which you would slam him for not scoring doesn't change that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LCFC_World Posted 5 October 2014 Share Posted 5 October 2014 I think even Nigel doesn't know the strongest 11 yet. Also I think we need a few new faces in January (New left back / left midfielder). Get Cambiasso back in with Drinky, and I would love to see Wood given a start, maybe ahead of Ulloa who didn't look great yesterday. Wood is a fantastic finisher, which I think it what is missing from our team. Play Vardy on the wing as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickov22 Posted 5 October 2014 Share Posted 5 October 2014 I think even Nigel doesn't know the strongest 11 yet. Also I think we need a few new faces in January (New left back / left midfielder). Get Cambiasso back in with Drinky, and I would love to see Wood given a start, maybe ahead of Ulloa who didn't look great yesterday. Wood is a fantastic finisher, which I think it what is missing from our team. Play Vardy on the wing as well. Vardy is a striker, not a winger. Can never understand why people want to see players out of position. Ulloa deserves to be dropped after two poor games? He's got five goals already this season! Doesn't take a genius to see he's a far superior player to Chris Wood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan LCFC Posted 5 October 2014 Share Posted 5 October 2014 Wood over Ulloa. I don't get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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