Kelly Backs Hitman Hume

[OriginalRobboFOX]

OS

[Lineker's Left Foot]

Well I think he'd be better employed as an attacking midfielder.

[OriginalRobboFOX]

What, with the Horse and Fryatt up front??

[Thracian]

Doesn't this just sum up, not just Rob Kelly, but the modern coach:

Backing one goal in 16 games striker Iain Hume Kelly says:

"Of course, goals give strikers confidence but the one thing about Iain is that the rest of his game hasn't dropped off and that's why he has stopped in the team." said Kelly.

"He gives us so much more than just goals and contributes in other areas."

Doesn't the guy realise that it's precisely because he's doing all these other jobs that he's rarely on hand and sharp enough to score?

It's the same with wingers. Times Porter get's pulled so far back he becomes almost impotent as a forward and the same happened with Ryan Smith and others.

The phrase Jacks of all trades, masters of none," comes to mind.

Hume does need backing - but to do his job not everyone else's. We needed more goals last season, we need more goals this season and if present policy prevails we'll need more goals next season. How long does it take to sink in?.

If Kelly wants Hume supporting midfield he should play him as the front man of a diamond behind two specialist strikers.

Otherwise he should play him up front and use an alternative attacking midfielder to provide ammunition and extra threat.

Or does he think Huime's goals drought is just bad luck?

[James.]

If Kelly wants Hume supporting midfield he should play him as the front man of a diamond behind two specialist strikers.

This is the way I would use Hume.

He likes dropping deep and picking up the ball. Plus this would strengthen our weak midfield.

[Leonisco]

This is the way I would use Hume.

He likes dropping deep and picking up the ball. Plus this would strengthen our weak midfield.

This is a very good idea. If we played him just behind Horsfield and Fryatt, we'd have someone to create things and run at defenders (Hume), someone to finish opportunities (Fryatt) and someone to do the physical stuff ie winning headers and holding the ball up (Horsfield).

Perfect strikeforce.

[Guest Gist]

This is the way I would use Hume.

He likes dropping deep and picking up the ball. Plus this would strengthen our weak midfield.

I think it is certainly worth a try when Fryatt is fit.

It would be a shame to see him dropped just because of his lack of goals because he does give so much more to the team. So if he does go into midfield and it works I'll be pleased because I'd sooner not see one of our best players sat on the bench.

[Number 6]

i think hume is a good championship striker, but hasn't scored enough, though the same can be said about all of our strikers and in that respect hume is a much better all round player. isn't Kisnorbo our top scorer this season with 7 or something? and McAuley is pitching in more than his fair share. shambles really

[Mark]

A combination of Horsfield and Fryatt = No pace. There is already a lack of pace in our team and if we're to get out of this league we have to get this 3 year problem sorted.

If Fryatt is to come back in it has to be in place of Horsfield.

[Dames]

Fryatt isn't really that slow.

He's been unfit this season so he hasnt been able to probably run at light speed like some people expect.

But on a real hes not a slouch and hes not Walcott either.

[James.]

A combination of Horsfield and Fryatt = No pace. There is already a lack of pace in our team and if we're to get out of this league we have to get this 3 year problem sorted.

If Fryatt is to come back in it has to be in place of Horsfield.

We will more than likely bring at least 1 striker in during the summer.

Pace should be a priority when looking around the transfer market.

Hopefully this would, to some extent, solve the problem you rightly raised. Horsfield is by no means a long term solution.

[Webbo]

[quote name='Thracian' date='Mar 1 2007, 04:31 PM' post='549234'

If Kelly wants Hume supporting midfield he should play him as the front man of a diamond behind two specialist strikers.

it does seem to be the logical solution, however I'm sure this has occurred to kelly and he must have a reason for not doing it.

[Guest Gist]

A combination of Horsfield and Fryatt = No pace. There is already a lack of pace in our team and if we're to get out of this league we have to get this 3 year problem sorted.

If Fryatt is to come back in it has to be in place of Horsfield.

I agree, I didn't think of that which is a problem.

I think it would only work if Hume was to really go forward with all three as strikers and Hume dropping off when needed, otherwise I think we would struggle for goals.

[Anish]

We do have a pacey striker - one Elvis Hammond.

He just proves that pace is nothing without the requisite skill and ability.

[Thracian]

We do have a pacey striker - one Elvis Hammond.

He just proves that pace is nothing without the requisite skill and ability.

Knock him as much as you like but I haven't noticed our strikeforce looking much more effective since he's been dropped.

Fryatt (2 League goals in 15) , Hume (1 in 18) and Horsfield scoring in one of his five matches hardly sets any of them apart from Hammond except in people's imaginations.

In fact, just reading the record of results when Hammond has started it looks perfectly healthy by our standards, (won 7 drew 4 lost 4 if my counting is right)...and a damn sight better than when Fryatt has started (lost 8 drew 5 won 2) which is appalling by any standards.

[Fez of Mahrez]

I'd only keep Hume if I was aiming for promotion. Which we supposedly are now.

And even then I'd expect him to be pushed for his place.

We have nothing.

[BartonFox]

When will people realise that the majority of players we have are League One at best? They reflect our management.

To get a sniff of going up next season we will require whole sale changes I am afraid.

[Flynny]

Doesn't this just sum up, not just Rob Kelly, but the modern coach:

Backing one goal in 16 games striker Iain Hume Kelly says:

"Of course, goals give strikers confidence but the one thing about Iain is that the rest of his game hasn't dropped off and that's why he has stopped in the team." said Kelly.

"He gives us so much more than just goals and contributes in other areas."

Doesn't the guy realise that it's precisely because he's doing all these other jobs that he's rarely on hand and sharp enough to score?

It's the same with wingers. Times Porter get's pulled so far back he becomes almost impotent as a forward and the same happened with Ryan Smith and others.

The phrase Jacks of all trades, masters of none," comes to mind.

See you say that, but then the next day you'll say we need our fullbacks and central midfielders attacking the box. It's the same thing, Kelly just has it backwards, with the front coming back rather than the back coming forward.

There's nothing wrong with people being expected to be good all-round footballers, it's just the general approach that needs to change. More attack, less defense.

[Thracian]

See you say that, but then the next day you'll say we need our fullbacks and central midfielders attacking the box. It's the same thing, Kelly just has it backwards, with the front coming back rather than the back coming forward.

There's nothing wrong with people being expected to be good all-round footballers, it's just the general approach that needs to change. More attack, less defense.

Indeed, if teams genuinely operate as integrated units then it's not so hard for anyone but ours don't. Sometimes the gaps are enormous - second half against Coventry was a great illustration.

But Kelly seems to expect nothing like the work from his defenders that he expects from his attackers.

And even if he did specific jobs need real alertness, awareness and speed off over the first couple of yards. If all the energy required for that is expended in non-hurtful places then the specialist's edge is lost.

There is a balance - I'm aware of that - but we have not got close to finding it. And most of the reason is because not everyone is genuinely competent at their job. They do certain things well enough but other things hardly at all.

And just like we put up with Sylla and Low for ages when it was obvious they were lacking so we turn a blind eye to other deficiencies. Like the fact that being a centre-forward is virtually ALL about scoring - not doing other things and being a full-back is a demanding yet vital job that is about attack as much as defence.

[Simon]

That's why I'd like to see us play three up front with Hume dropping deep when necessary to pick up the ball and then running through onto the knockdowns. He's the only striker we have with a semblance of pace and skill, when he DOES run at defenders he can be very effective. Unfortunately he doesn't do it very often.

We STILL need someone who is going to bag 20+ goals a season. Hume is not the man for that. Fryatt was meant to be, but he's had an off season due to his fitness. In any case I dont think we can chance it. We need to go out in the summer and buy a decent striker (or get one in on loan).

Before anyone says oh we HAMMOND or CADAMARTERI or DODDS, Hammond couldn't hit a cows arse with a banjo and Cadamarteri and Dodds are blatantly not going to get a chance now.

[lildave3]

Even though he hasn't been scoring lately, he has still been playing well and creating things.

[Joe.]

I like the combination of Hume and Horsfield and I think it works very well for the team at the moment. Bringing Fryatt in would only disrupt things and I don't beleive the Fryatt/Horse partnership would work.

[shen]

When will people realise that the majority of players we have are League One at best? They reflect our management.

To get a sniff of going up next season we will require whole sale changes I am afraid.

You must be praising RK at home or at work all the time then! Surely to stay up and be this far away from the relegation zone with mainly League One players is a respectable achievement

[Flynny]

You must be praising RK at home or at work all the time then! Surely to stay up and be this far away from the relegation zone with mainly League One players is a respectable achievement

You raise a good point! Surely getting a team of League One players into mid-table shows the managerial acumen of one Mr. Rob Kelly?

[Fez of Mahrez]

He'll say that they've got worse since Kelly took over, and that they're never properly fit.

If I hired a hitman and it took them two months to kill a bloke, I'd be looking at getting in a new hitman. Especially if there were two substitute hitmen, one of which spent the whole time eating pies and hurting his leg while the other one ran around a lot very fast, being shown flags by people and shooting wildly at anything but the target.