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Has Ulloa ever been a good header of a ball?



Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
55,575
Back in Sussex
I have a poor memory but I do recall...

- Ulloa's missed header that should have put us 2-0 up over Hull.
- Several missed headers on Saturday.

With most/all of these opportunities I would have expected him to at least have hit the target to force a save.

Has he ever displayed good heading ability in his time with us?
 


Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo

Waxing chumps like candles since ‘75
Oct 4, 2003
10,895
His first goal for us was a great diving header against Arsenal. I seem to remember a few other decent headed goals. His heading mojo certainly seems to have left him at the moment though.
 


algie

The moaning of life
Jan 8, 2006
14,713
In rehab
You serious?
 


hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,094
Chandlers Ford
Yes, yes he has. Just not all that recently.

He scored good ones against Arsenal, Huddersfield (2), Burnley, off the top of my head.
 


Moshe Gariani

Well-known member
Mar 10, 2005
12,068
I have a poor memory but I do recall...

- Ulloa's missed header that should have put us 2-0 up over Hull.
- Several missed headers on Saturday.

With most/all of these opportunities I would have expected him to at least have hit the target to force a save.

Has he ever displayed good heading ability in his time with us?
Yes. Leonardo Ulloa is a consummately skilful header of a football.
 




Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
Not as good at it as Glenn Murray, Ulloa goes down too easily when trying to head the ball unlike Murray who was strong on the ball in the air but saved going down easily until he was in the box. In fact I'd prefer we still had Murray rather than Leo :shrug:
 


hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,094
Chandlers Ford
In fact he DID score on quite recently, actually - home to Doncaster.
 


Badger

NOT the Honey Badger
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May 8, 2007
12,749
Toronto
His goal against Arsenal.

Derby in the first home game of the season.

Both DIVING headers so perhaps not comparable to the missed chances.
 








grubbyhands

Well-known member
Dec 8, 2011
2,283
Godalming
My understanding is, that prior to coming to us, the majority of his goals were scored with his head and that he was exactly what was needed to convert all the chances we were creating. ( EH?)
 






MattBackHome

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
11,689
The more difficult the header is, the more likely Ulloa is to score it. FACT.

If he's running backwards, craning his neck the wrong way, under pressure from a Godzillaesque defender then it's nailed on to go it. The fact is that the recent chances have been too easy for him.
 


Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
16,547
Fiveways
I have a poor memory but I do recall...

- Ulloa's missed header that should have put us 2-0 up over Hull.
- Several missed headers on Saturday.

With most/all of these opportunities I would have expected him to at least have hit the target to force a save.

Has he ever displayed good heading ability in his time with us?

I'm of the view that heading is Leo's greatest strength. Of those that you do recall, they all missed by slender margins, and I can remember no end of brilliant headed goals he's scored, many of which have already been mentioned, but here goes:
that diving one on his debut
2 against Huddersfield last season, the first of which was a great goal
1 against Palace
1 away against Leeds late on in the game
1 against Derby
1 against Burnley
1 against Doncaster

I predict that he'd have a whole lot more if Conway's stay had coincided with Leo being fit, or if Orlandi had played more than a handful of games all season. The reason why he hasn't got so many of late is that none of the wide players since his return from injury have put many decent crosses in.
 




hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,094
Chandlers Ford
I predict that he'd have a whole lot more if Conway's stay had coincided with Leo being fit, or if Orlandi had played more than a handful of games all season. The reason why he hasn't got so many of late is that none of the wide players since his return from injury have put many decent crosses in.


That is very much an analysis through leo-tinted specs, I'm afraid. He was unmarked, on the end of at least THREE excellent crosses on Saturday. All he had to do was direct them on target. For two of them he didn't even need to jump.
 


JBizzle

Well-known member
Apr 18, 2010
5,798
Seaford
Ulloa, before his injury, was one of the best headers of the ball I have seen play for the Albion. He was phenomenal, won everything, amazing defensive headers and scored outstanding headed goals

However, since his injury, he is not the same player. I understand he's recently become a Dad, which could be affecting his form.

This. The best frontline header of a ball in Albion colours since Zamora in my opinion. Although he's been largely terrible since returning from injury
 


Papa Lazarou

Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
Jul 7, 2003
18,840
Worthing
1 against Palace
Hhmm.. a goal, but a great header? Didn't he head it onto his own foot?

I predict that he'd have a whole lot more if Conway's stay had coincided with Leo being fit, or if Orlandi had played more than a handful of games all season. The reason why he hasn't got so many of late is that none of the wide players since his return from injury have put many decent crosses in.

I totally agree about Conway and Orlandi, but recently when presented with chances he's missed the target more often than not. I counted 3 decent chances on Saturday - 2 glanced wide and the other over the top. Ass to that the key miss against Hull; he has been less effective with his head of late.
 


Keeping The Dream Alive.

Naming Rights
May 28, 2008
3,059
WSU
Ulloa, before his injury, was one of the best headers of the ball I have seen play for the Albion. He was phenomenal, won everything, amazing defensive headers and scored outstanding headed goals

However, since his injury, he is not the same player. I understand he's recently become a Dad, which could be affecting his form.

Agreed. I made the same point regarding his first touch a motnh or so back. He has changed his immediate and - what seemed - natural technique, the result appears to be that his touch has deteriorated. I do sometimes wonder if it is a mental thing with Ulloa as well; get the sense occasionally that he thinks he should be playing at a higher level, although I could be well off the mark with that.
 




Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
16,547
Fiveways
Hhmm.. a goal, but a great header? Didn't he head it onto his own foot?



I totally agree about Conway and Orlandi, but recently when presented with chances he's missed the target more often than not. I counted 3 decent chances on Saturday - 2 glanced wide and the other over the top. Ass to that the key miss against Hull; he has been less effective with his head of late.

You're right that the Palace one wasn't a great header. I'm not convinced that all of a sudden he's become bad at heading, and challenge him to prove that I'm right to have Leo-tinted spectacles (copyright: HKFC) -- at least with regard to his heading -- during the rest of the season.
 


nwgull

Well-known member
Jul 25, 2003
13,653
Manchester
He missed a load of good chances on Saturday, all of which he seemed to try and subtly glance into the corner and headed just wide. I'd prefer it if he used those immense neck muscles and just nutted it a yard either side of the keeper.
 



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