Jonny Hayes

[Tomassi]

What a gem Allen has captured! Ok it was 'only' hinckley but he ran em ragged and i thought he was clearly man of the match. anyone remember that volley he cracked in the first half ooyah!

I think he could be a real asset, he has silky skillz-mon and can bloody head well for a small chap. Him and Kaebi are gonna run teams ragged!

[lildave3]

What a gem Allen has captured! Ok it was 'only' hinckley but he ran em ragged and i thought he was clearly man of the match. anyone remember that volley he cracked in the first half ooyah!

I think he could be a real asset, he has silky skillz-mon and can bloody head well for a small chap. Him and Kaebi are gonna run teams ragged!

I think it's safe to say I didn't watch much of the match if this is the general reaction. I thought he was getting shrugged off the ball far too easily and aside from his goal, and a shot that had no end of power but was straight at the keeper I didn't see much from him

[Milky]

First half he was our best player, great pace and a real firecracker of a player. Second half MA started to get on his back a bit, and he did seem to run out of energy. Give him some Duracell and who knows. More impressive than porter at this stage.

[Unit]

I thought he was great (the short number 11, with the oversized kit?) seemed to be getting in all the right places, amazing shot at one point, belted it. Who is he anyway?

[Milky]

I thought he was great (the short number 11, with the oversized kit?) seemed to be getting in all the right places, amazing shot at one point, belted it. Who is he anyway?

Reading academy product, played on loan with Allen last season for a bit. Ireland U21.

[Toby or not Toby]

I was impressed with him, he was direct and positive, something i feel we have lacked these last few seasons. also not afraid to come into the box, or in field to collect the ball, seemed hungry to me

[Tomassi]

I think it's safe to say I didn't watch much of the match if this is the general reaction. I thought he was getting shrugged off the ball far too easily and aside from his goal, and a shot that had no end of power but was straight at the keeper I didn't see much from him

just a quick question where were you at the ground? i was on the left side he was playing in the first half and the whole stand was talking about him! He linked with Sheehan well! I couldnt see the far side where Chambers was playing but second half i saw that we have a 'kin quality player in him aswel, never seen a right back as calm on the ball as him before!

[Thracian]

First half he was our best player, great pace and a real firecracker of a player. Second half MA started to get on his back a bit, and he did seem to run out of energy. Give him some Duracell and who knows. More impressive than porter at this stage.

As you say cracking first half - but Porter was playing where he should be, basically in attacking central midfield - and what the hell did he do so wrong?.

He was everywhere, edge of his own box, edge of the opposition penalty area, feeding Weso for his goal, deftly chipping a pass for what should have been another goal.

They are totally different players with totally different strengths and styles. You might as well compare Hayes to Kishishev.

And Hayes would soon run short of stamina if he went on Porter's journeys.

[Milky]

As you say cracking first half - but Porter was playing where he should be, basically in attacking central midfield - and what the hell did he do so wrong?.

He was everywhere, edge of his own box, edge of the opposition penalty area, feeding Weso for his goal, deftly chipping a pass for what should have been another goal.

They are totally different players with totally different strengths and styles. You might as well compare Hayes to Kishishev.

And Hayes would soon run short of stamina if he went on Porter's journeys.

Porter and Hayes are the only left wingers we have, hence the comparison.

[Tomassi]

As you say cracking first half - but Porter was playing where he should be, basically in attacking central midfield - and what the hell did he do so wrong?.

He was everywhere, edge of his own box, edge of the opposition penalty area, feeding Weso for his goal, deftly chipping a pass for what should have been another goal.

They are totally different players with totally different strengths and styles. You might as well compare Hayes to Kishishev.

And Hayes would soon run short of stamina if he went on Porter's journeys.

i seem to remember Hayes set the goal up from the right hand side when he was meant to be left winger, now if that aint durability then i dont know what is? Hayes is better than Porter, fact (putting my neck on the line saying that after only one performance)

[BartonFox]

As you say cracking first half - but Porter was playing where he should be, basically in attacking central midfield - and what the hell did he do so wrong?.

He was everywhere, edge of his own box, edge of the opposition penalty area, feeding Weso for his goal, deftly chipping a pass for what should have been another goal.

They are totally different players with totally different strengths and styles. You might as well compare Hayes to Kishishev.

And Hayes would soon run short of stamina if he went on Porter's journeys.

[lildave3]

just a quick question where were you at the ground? i was on the left side he was playing in the first half and the whole stand was talking about him! He linked with Sheehan well! I couldnt see the far side where Chambers was playing but second half i saw that we have a 'kin quality player in him aswel, never seen a right back as calm on the ball as him before!

Right behind the goal we attacked second half. Might have had something to do with it.

[Thracian]

Porter and Hayes are the only left wingers we have, hence the comparison.

Porter was used as a left-winger cos Kelly had no alternatives. He played as a winger as an Academy player but later moved to central midfield where he was much more influential.

Allen likes having players who are versatile and Porter can fill in at number 11 any time he's needed. But let noone have any doubts that he is primarily a defensively useful attacking central midfield player.

[Joe.]

Porter was used as a left-winger cos Kelly had no alternatives. He played as a wnger as an Academy player but later moved to central midfield where he was much more influential.

Allen likes having players who are versatile and Porter can fill in at number 11 any time he's needed. But let noone have any doubts that he is primarily a defensively useful attacking central midfield player.

I would not call Porter defensively useful at all. In fact I'd call him the opposite.

Countless times last season we were exposed down the left hand side where Porter had left a lot of space.

[Thracian]

i seem to remember Hayes set the goal up from the right hand side when he was meant to be left winger, now if that aint durability then i dont know what is? Hayes is better than Porter, fact (putting my neck on the line saying that after only one performance)

Porter has no problem swopping sides either. He just wasn't given licence to do so under Kelly despite the fact that it was suggested several times.

There is no way I would compare the two but it seems clear to me that MA is putting together a team of people who can pass, move and compete.

Porter will be in his element and Hayes will thrive even more as a consequence. So will all the others of his ilk, both the newcomers like Kishishev and Chambers but also the Academy lads who are already used to such football and who must have been tortured under Kelly's laboured tactical outlook.

[Jonbluefox9]

Hayes looked useful to me. Most of the positives that I would've said have already been covered. Good to see he's two footed but hit the first man with one corner which is a pet hate of mine, so that took the shine off his performance for me Pleasantly surprised with him though for a first viewing.

[Blue Bob]

Seems to be a mixed bag of reactions to his performance. So bottom line is he any good???

[Thracian]

I would not call Porter defensively useful at all. In fact I'd call him the opposite.

Countless times last season we were exposed down the left hand side where Porter had left a lot of space.

Porter could only leave serious space behind him if his full-back was failing to support properly. And I pleaded for two seasons for properly supporting full-backs but no, we always wanted a Nils or a Maybury or a Kenton.

Porter is excellent defensively. As soon as he loses the ball he is one of the fastest in the club to close down his nearest opponent. Not just that but he stays on his feet, remains balanced, is calm in tricky positions in his defensive third, retains possession well and has the lung-power to get backwards and forwards quickly.

Try watching him individually sometime and see how much harrassing he does and how much ground he covers. Thankfully he's not the only one now. Indeed a feature of today's game was how swiftly and in what numbers we closed down.

But it's much more a team thing now. Forwards defend and defenders support. In Kelly's time it only worked one way for far too much of the time.

[Blue Bob]

Porter could only leave serious space behind him if his full-back was failing to support properly. And I pleaded for two seasons for properly supporting full-backs but no, we always wanted a Nils or a Maybury or a Kenton.

Porter is excellent defensively. As soon as he loses the ball he is one of the fastest in the club to close down his nearest opponent. Not just that but he stays on his feet, remains balanced, is calm in tricky positions in his defensive third, retains possession well and has the lung-power to get backwards and forwards quickly.

Try watching him individually sometime and see how much harrassing he does and how much ground he covers. Thankfully he's not the only one now. Indeed a feature of today's game was how swiftly and in what numbers we closed down.

But it's much more a team thing now. Forwards defend and defenders support. In Kelly's time it only worked one way for far too much of the time.

Not so sure it worked at all. I can remember screaming at Hughes and Johnson to close down the opposition. I will be pleased to see this change, I think this is an easy way to spot your lazy footballers who cant be arsed to track back - last season we had far too many of them.

[Mickey O'Neil]

Seems to be a mixed bag of reactions to his performance. So bottom line is he any good???

I liked him.

[Blue Bob]

I liked him.

[General Smuts]

I liked his yellow boots but they clashed with his ginger hair.

[Milan]

Good potential, can't cross to save his life at the minute though.

[Fez of Mahrez]

I'm sure Andy Welsh would have looked fairly lively against Hinckley.

Sounds promising though. Shame he's not a bit taller.

[The People's Hero]

I'm sure Andy Welsh would have looked fairly lively against Hinckley.

Sounds promising though. Shame he's not a bit taller.

Yeah, but I don't think he'd have the stamina, ability, body, soul, mind, presence, impact, sexual ardour, gift of the gab, likeability, charisma, honesty, glamour, grace or stubborness that Porter does. Now there's a player's player's player's player's player. He plays and he plays and he loves to play.. and you can see it when he plays (which he does).