Jack Hobbs

[marbelladave]

it's not stange at all. He hasn't had a run of games with a consistant defence. that's it.

No, it's not.

[Kitchandro]

No, it's not.

I really don't understand why you don't rate him?

[marbelladave]

I really don't understand why you don't rate him?

I do rate him, he's a very decent player.

I've aready given my views, twice in fact, in posts 7 and 14 - I'm not going to do it again....

In neither do I say I 'don't rate him', in fact I go to some lengths to explain why it has been difficult for him this season, going as far as suggesting how his role could develop in the future at City.

[Kitchandro]

I do rate him, he's a very decent player.

I've aready given my views, twice in fact, in posts 7 and 14 - I'm not going to do it again....

In neither do I say I 'don't rate him', in fact I go to some lengths to explain why it has been difficult for him this season, going as far as suggesting how his role could develop in the future at City.

Yeh I've read them, but I think you're doing him a bit of a disservice by basically saying he can't pass and he can't use his left foot.

His problem this season has been consistency, not failure to perform on the left side of the centre. He's had some very good performances in that position, just not nearly as often as last season when he was in a settled back 4.

As I say in the other thread, I wouldn't mind if his replacements had been a lot better. But they haven't. They haven't really been better at all.

I wager the defence will continue to not be good enough until we keep the same back four for a run of games, no matter who you replace Hobbs with (within reason)

You seem to think last years defence was in fact not that good. But we conceded a lot less goals than we have this season. That's just a fact. I'm sure you'll say we are playing a different system and the defence are playing a higher line etc, but the argument still remains.

Besides, that argument would suggest we have conceded a lot of goals on the break or trying and failing to play the offside. But we've conceded far more goals from crosses and long balls, so down to lack of organisation, communication and composure when decision making.

So, whilst you may a point about our style of play being different, I do not see this as the main reason for Hobbs inconsistency or our bad defending as a whole this season

[Bettsj2]

Good player but seems to be yet another one who needs an arm round him every 5 minutes telling him how good he is.

One thing that makes you a better player is having the self belief that when you **** up, you can still give someone a bollocking when they do. Jack doesnt have this quality. He's a gentle giant which isn't what we need.

Nice guys finish last.

[marbelladave]

Yeh I've read them, but I think you're doing him a bit of a disservice by basically saying he can't pass and he can't use his left foot.

His problem this season has been consistency, not failure to perform on the left side of the centre. He's had some very good performances in that position, just not nearly as often as last season when he was in a settled back 4.

As I say in the other thread, I wouldn't mind if his replacements had been a lot better. But they haven't. They haven't really been better at all.

I wager the defence will continue to not be good enough until we keep the same back four for a run of games, no matter who you replace Hobbs with (within reason)

You seem to think last years defence was in fact not that good. But we conceded a lot less goals than we have this season. That's just a fact. I'm sure you'll say we are playing a different system and the defence are playing a higher line etc, but the argument still remains.

Besides, that argument would suggest we have conceded a lot of goals on the break or trying and failing to play the offside. But we've conceded far more goals from crosses and long balls, so down to lack of organisation, communication and composure when decision making.

So, whilst you may a point about our style of play being different, I do not see this as the main reason for Hobbs inconsistency or our bad defending as a whole this season

No. His problem this season is that he is being asked to bring a lot more to the game than was ever required under Pearson and he has found this a stretch.

He is required to take more responsibility, read the play for himself and play a more 'technical' game but he is not, yet, quite good enough to do that to the standard needed.

Add in the issues of playing on the left, an inexperience attacking fullback on his flank and a plethora of center back partners and being almost good enough turns into not good enough at all, which is where we are now.

As I said earlier, I would give him the job of covering the right side from the bench, try and continue his developement while at the same time stabilising our back 4 with the better players now at our disposal. When he does have to step up (as he will) he will step into a more settled defence and in his favoured position, should do rather better than so far this season..

[ajthefox]

Good player but seems to be yet another one who needs an arm round him every 5 minutes telling him how good he is.

One thing that makes you a better player is having the self belief that when you **** up, you can still give someone a bollocking when they do. Jack doesnt have this quality. He's a gentle giant which isn't what we need.

Nice guys finish last.

Very fair point and something I hadn't really thought about, maybe the same for Waghorn.

It is a bit odd that they don't seem to have responded positively to the challenge, which they really should be doing., however I do think Sven has shown very little faith with regard to pretty much everyone in the team he came into.

I mean assuming Van Aanholt and Davies step in, the maximum starters from last season we would have is 4, but it's obvious he doesn't rate Weale much either. (King, Wellens and Dyer/Gallagher being the other 3)

I know he is bringing in quality and now we have more strength in depth, but we definitely weren't 6 players short of a quality squad.

[cc_star]

No. His problem this season is that he is being asked to bring a lot more to the game than was ever required under Pearson and he has found this a stretch.

He is required to take more responsibility, read the play for himself and play a more 'technical' game but he is not, yet, quite good enough to do that to the standard needed.

Add in the issues of playing on the left, an inexperience attacking fullback on his flank and a plethora of center back partners and being almost good enough turns into not good enough at all, which is where we are now.

As I said earlier, I would give him the job of covering the right side from the bench, try and continue his developement while at the same time stabilising our back 4 with the better players now at our disposal. When he does have to step up (as he will) he will step into a more settled defence and in his favoured position, should do rather better than so far this season..

Yup that's about the size of it

[Kitchandro]

No. His problem this season is that he is being asked to bring a lot more to the game than was ever required under Pearson and he has found this a stretch.

He is required to take more responsibility, read the play for himself and play a more 'technical' game but he is not, yet, quite good enough to do that to the standard needed.

Add in the issues of playing on the left, an inexperience attacking fullback on his flank and a plethora of center back partners and being almost good enough turns into not good enough at all, which is where we are now.

As I said earlier, I would give him the job of covering the right side from the bench, try and continue his developement while at the same time stabilising our back 4 with the better players now at our disposal. When he does have to step up (as he will) he will step into a more settled defence and in his favoured position, should do rather better than so far this season..

Well we're not going to agree on this so we'll just see what happens

[hackneyfox]

Very fair point and something I hadn't really thought about, maybe the same for Waghorn.

It is a bit odd that they don't seem to have responded positively to the challenge, which they really should be doing., however I do think Sven has shown very little faith with regard to pretty much everyone in the team he came into.

I mean assuming Van Aanholt and Davies step in, the maximum starters from last season we would have is 4, but it's obvious he doesn't rate Weale much either. (King, Wellens and Dyer/Gallagher being the other 3)

I know he is bringing in quality and now we have more strength in depth, but we definitely weren't 6 players short of a quality squad.

Are you sure about that?

Weale, Morrison, Hobbs & Berner : At least 3 of those were going to need replacing this season.

Midfield needed at least 2 new players

Attack was always going to need changing.

And the bench was atrocious.

[marbelladave]

Well we're not going to agree on this so we'll just see what happens

I genuinely hope it turns out well, Jack has a great attitude and is a worthy fans favourite. His career is now at a crossroads, he can try for a move to somewhere like Hull, where he can revert to the basic defensive role he played so well last season, alternatively he can try and up his game technically and try and become a better player, if he can really do that then he will soon be a Premiership defender...

[Corky]

If i were Hobbs - i'd have been pretty gutted watching that Millwall games and seeing the replacement was Ben Mee.......

Poor touch, poor postioning, slow reactions, awful in the air at times. One good tackle on Morison.

So that should give him the motivation to get back in the team.

Yes, Mee's debut was a struggle, but Sven didn't know that beforehand did he?

[drc]

mee have only played one game, his first league game, with player he never played with ever before, and didnät have a good game. Does that mean he is isn't good at this level. No not at all. Now we praobably won't see him in the starting line but nevertheless he shouls at least get three four games in a totally new team before slagging him off as more or less useless.

[deep blue]

mee have only played one game, his first league game, with player he never played with ever before, and didnät have a good game. Does that mean he is isn't good at this level. No not at all. Now we praobably won't see him in the starting line but nevertheless he shouls at least get three four games in a totally new team before slagging him off as more or less useless.

Can't see anything other than Davies (assuming he will be signed) and Bamba being our first-choice centre back pairing. In which case Hobbs and the other younger contenders will just have to be patient and recognise the standard and style that we're aspiring to under Sven. I hope that Hobbs, in particular, will respond in the right way to this and look to improve in the right areas, so that he will win a permanent place at some point. Being prepared to be understudy is probably preferable to going out on loan as he would be under the influence of our coaching system here, and in the company of quality players to aid his improvement.

[cc_star]

mee have only played one game, his first league game, with player he never played with ever before, and didnät have a good game. Does that mean he is isn't good at this level. No not at all. Now we praobably won't see him in the starting line but nevertheless he shouls at least get three four games in a totally new team before slagging him off as more or less useless.

I'd sooner our club be more than ManCity's kindergarten

Unless there is a gulf in class (which there isn't) between him & Hobbs like there is between Naughton & Neilson... I'll be backing our lad Hobbs everyday of the week and twice on matchdays

Although I now agree with marbelladave's assessment of the Hobbs' predicament this season

[marbelladave]

Can't see anything other than Davies (assuming he will be signed) and Bamba being our first-choice centre back pairing. In which case Hobbs and the other younger contenders will just have to be patient and recognise the standard and style that we're aspiring to under Sven. I hope that Hobbs, in particular, will respond in the right way to this and look to improve in the right areas, so that he will win a permanent place at some point. Being prepared to be understudy is probably preferable to going out on loan as he would be under the influence of our coaching system here, and in the company of quality players to aid his improvement.

Spot on, mirrors my views (stated elsewhere) precisely.

Still rather intrigued to see which of Bamba ond Davies is going to take the newly named 'Davie G Problem Position' on the left....

[davieG]

Spot on, mirrors my views (stated elsewhere) precisely.

Still rather intrigued to see which of Bamba ond Davies is going to take the newly named 'Davie G Problem Position' on the left....

Apologies for being a bore I still fail to understand why, if Davies and Bamba are better and more experienced than Hobbs and that seems to be mostly agreed on here why were they not played on the left

Hopefully because Sven sees Hobb's potential and that the experienced gained albeit at LCFC's expense would aid his development either that or he didn't want to embarrass his own signings

[drc]

Apologies for being a bore I still fail to understand why, if Davies and Bamba are better and more experienced than Hobbs and that seems to be mostly agreed on here why were they not played on the left

i didn't say that Mee should be ahead of Hobbs. And maybe he isn't for Sven either. I just mean that Mee doesn't need to be crap just because he had one bad game in quite special conditions.

I also think that Sven and Faz see the players in training and their effort there probably and hopefully have something to do with who is picked.

[davieG]

i didn't say that Mee should be ahead of Hobbs. And maybe he isn't for Sven either. I just mean that Mee doesn't need to be crap just because he had one game in quite special conditions.

I also think that Sven and Faz see the players in training and their effort there probably and hopefully have something to do with who is picked.

[Fox You Forest]

He's got it in for you davie! must be a Preston fan.

[davieG]

He's got it in for you davie! must be a Preston fan.

I'm getting a persecution complex that's for sure

[drc]

I'm getting a persecution complex that's for sure

Sorry I quoted the wrong thing my answer was to this:

"

I'd sooner our club be more than ManCity's kindergarten

Unless there is a gulf in class (which there isn't) between him & Hobbs like there is between Naughton & Neilson... I'll be backing our lad Hobbs everyday of the week and twice on matchdays

Although I now agree with marbelladave's assessment of the Hobbs' predicament this season

"

[marbelladave]

Apologies for being a bore I still fail to understand why, if Davies and Bamba are better and more experienced than Hobbs and that seems to be mostly agreed on here why were they not played on the left

Hopefully because Sven sees Hobb's potential and that the experienced gained albeit at LCFC's expense would aid his development either that or he didn't want to embarrass his own signings

Not at all....

I think you are entirely correct in insisting that we have someone who is totally comfortable at left center back, it makes a huge difference as I, myself, have said many times before.

Now that it looks like Davies is off to Brum, the whole debate opens up again. We have Vitor and Tunchev, both 'naturals' in this position, but neither looking remotely fit enough to be first choice for the rest of the season, Mee who struggled on his debut, Hobbs who has struggled all season and Norales, who seems to have played on the right in the recent reserve outing at Hull.

Eeny, meenie, minie...........

[cc_star]

Wonder how Hobbs confidence will be, after going all out to sign Davies then when that fell through lined Norales up, then made a move for Faye until Faye found out Celtic wanted him, then we go for Jeffrey Bruma which falls through for some reason

Now Sven's going to be saying 'I love you really' to Hobbs ahead of a difficult away tie tonight

I'm sure he'll put his usual 100% in

[Bob Weasel Fox]

Come on Hobbsy show your metal son!!!!