The Enigma

[old cob]

I don't accept our recent poor form is down to the number of games we are playing. Remember we've played a couple of games less than most of the rest.

 

[thefranchise]

I don't accept our recent poor form is down to the number of games we are playing. Remember we've played a couple of games less than most of the rest.

But when you consider the fact that Cooper doesn't rotate the squad one bit and hasn't all season while others have, you have to accept that it's a factor.

 

[monmouth]

Hourihane needs to be in a position to contribute more. That is the no10 role, not on the side of a flat midfield 3. He will play every game unless he agrees otherwise, as that would have been a condition of the loan, given that Villa wanted him to have game time and we had to 'compete' to get him (we won't have paid more than the others).

I don't think we're any better or worse than we were with him in the team. We could easily have been lamped for 3 or 4 at QPR for instance and both Barnsley matches were identical hoof fests that could have gone either way. I wouldn't like to list the matches where we've relied on opposition teams to miss chances (remember Luton...that was the same as Forest and Coventry but they outplayed us more comprehensively).

Can't say we don't deserve to be where we are, as results speak for themselves, but luck has largely been with us in my view. These results have been in the post for a while. Yesterday was the best we've played, maybe all season, until we scored. That was with Hourihane. To blame him is ridiculous imo. No matter who is in the team, we are playing Cooperball. It's a complete copy of Clementball. Sometimes it works, and it still may carry us up. It won't keep us up, but who cares. It won't change, he won't change. Ayew (who is the real problem for me) will play every game. Our fate depends on us regaining defensive solidity so that is the biggest argument for Smith/Fulton/Grimes for me, but it won't happen because Hourihane must play, and I think he should, just in a different way. Won't happen.

 

[eteb]

Our overall player has deteriorated dramatically since Hourihane has been added to the team.

Is that directly because of him or because the overall aspect of the team is just not good enough? Is it because Ayew and Lowe are offering nothing up front or because we have decided that leaving Smith and Fulton on the bench is the right thing to do?

Everything is being landed at the feet of Hourihane but is it solely down to that?

bloody hell Phil is Hourihane your long lost son or something? It is evident that our play has vastly deteriorated since he arrived, but he has scored some great goals and is great from set pieces, im not sure what the opposing argument is?

 

[monmouth]

bloody hell Phil is Hourihane your long lost son or something? It is evident that our play has vastly deteriorated since he arrived, but he has scored some great goals and is great from set pieces, im not sure what the opposing argument is?

I don't think it is evident mate. We have just forgotten that we haven't really played that well for may games before the current 'blip' earlier in the season, but because we have kept winning our expectations have gone up.

 

[eteb]

i do agree that Dhanda is the true enigma though, doesn't really do anything and was our weaker performer in that first half

 

[J_B]

I don't accept our recent poor form is down to the number of games we are playing. Remember we've played a couple of games less than most of the rest.

But when you consider the fact that Cooper doesn't rotate the squad one bit and hasn't all season while others have, you have to accept that it's a factor.

It’s a factor but it’s a self inflicted factor which is unacceptable.

 

[Swansea93]

Hourihane will be playing on the basis they know he may pop up with a wonder goal, free kick or assist, to me it’s not worth it because he offers nothing else in the game and we’re virtually playing with 10 men and I would go with the 3 the op stated.

So on the basis of what you said, why do we insist on playing Ayew? Or Lowe?

Yeah fair enough, I guess because they are our ‘strikers’ who are our top 2 scorers and the massive outlay we’re reportedly paying AA. I do think Ayew should be dropped though with CH playing further up and having a chance to create more because at the minute he’s not in the matches unless he gets a set play, and we all know Cooper is extremely stubborn in terms of rotating the team to freshen it up particularly the top 2 because at the moment they look knackered , we have got to hope Cooper quickly realises this and uses his full squad because when Ayew didn’t play we scored 5 goals against Forest albeit FA Cup with changes.

 

[Madridjack]

Smith should be first on the team sheet every time, he is calm on the ball and brings into the game. Push grimes further forward and need to give Whittaker a chance.

 

[PSumbler]

Is that directly because of him or because the overall aspect of the team is just not good enough? Is it because Ayew and Lowe are offering nothing up front or because we have decided that leaving Smith and Fulton on the bench is the right thing to do?

Everything is being landed at the feet of Hourihane but is it solely down to that?

bloody hell Phil is Hourihane your long lost son or something? It is evident that our play has vastly deteriorated since he arrived, but he has scored some great goals and is great from set pieces, im not sure what the opposing argument is?

And with your first statement you lost the debate as you had to revert to a pointless and pretty inane comeback. Our play has gone downhill in the past four games. That is not down to Hourihane it is down to a host of factors but it suits some people to blame it all on one player. I cannot be held accountable for that fact.

 

[PSumbler]

So on the basis of what you said, why do we insist on playing Ayew? Or Lowe?

Yeah fair enough, I guess because they are our ‘strikers’ who are our top 2 scorers and the massive outlay we’re reportedly paying AA. I do think Ayew should be dropped though with CH playing further up and having a chance to create more because at the minute he’s not in the matches unless he gets a set play, and we all know Cooper is extremely stubborn in terms of rotating the team to freshen it up particularly the top 2 because at the moment they look knackered , we have got to hope Cooper quickly realises this and uses his full squad because when Ayew didn’t play we scored 5 goals against Forest albeit FA Cup with changes.

The issue seems to be at the moment that we played well (and can still play well) with a wing back position but Cooper has put himself in a position where he will not move from that particular formation.

Given he wants to play both Grimes and Hourihane with Ayew and Lowe as well it gives him very few options to work with outside of that hence why we see little rotation.

We could move to a flatter back four with Naughton and Manning maybe as more traditional right and left backs. This gives more space in midfield to add in say Smith or Fulton alongside Grimes and you could still use Roberts/Bidwell as a more traditional winger or maybe have them at full back but ask someone like Smith/Grimes/Fulton to drop in to support the back line when they come forward from that position.

Advance Hourihane to play alongside one of Lowe or Ayew and you could have a more balanced side?

The problems we have is that we seem stuck now with one formation and teams are seeing how they can stop that being effective for us - we need an element of surprise

 

[eteb]

bloody hell Phil is Hourihane your long lost son or something? It is evident that our play has vastly deteriorated since he arrived, but he has scored some great goals and is great from set pieces, im not sure what the opposing argument is?

And with your first statement you lost the debate as you had to revert to a pointless and pretty inane comeback. Our play has gone downhill in the past four games. That is not down to Hourihane it is down to a host of factors but it suits some people to blame it all on one player. I cannot be held accountable for that fact.

so its just a coincidence that since CH came in we've lost the midfield battle in the four games he's been here (1st half yesterday aside) - im afraid that is the majority opinion on here and most other social media platforms

 

[PSumbler]

And with your first statement you lost the debate as you had to revert to a pointless and pretty inane comeback. Our play has gone downhill in the past four games. That is not down to Hourihane it is down to a host of factors but it suits some people to blame it all on one player. I cannot be held accountable for that fact.

so its just a coincidence that since CH came in we've lost the midfield battle in the four games he's been here (1st half yesterday aside) - im afraid that is the majority opinion on here and most other social media platforms

It is not the majority opinion at all.

And you do realise he has played more than those four games yes? He has made 9 appearances for us after all... 5 of which we happen to have won and one of the defeats was against Manchester City

I am not defending his shortcomings but to blame him for all the issues we have at the moment is blinkered in the extreme.

You don't like him I get that one, I am trying to look a little more in depth at where we are going wrong because it certainly ain't because we signed one player :lol: :lol:

 

[eteb]

i am most certainly not blaming him for our shortcomings. I am however blaming him as the main reason why we are losing the midfield at the moment as he simply does not work alongside Grimes in a two. As i have stated from the start he needs to play as a 10 with Smith alongside to move the ball quickly and recycle it.

 

[eteb]

and im afraid 'hourihane and grimes does not work, he should play at 10' is the absolute majority opinion