Hyypia makes tough calls

[Mowgli37]

I just don't get why Lua Lua was not playing from the start. There was acres of room on the left and poor old Calderon running his legs off on the right! Why do you play journeymen midfielders ( JFC, Crofts) instead of someone that can cause some damage. Take a risk for God's sake! So yes change it but why not, even better, get it right from the start. I believe that both Poyet and Oscar missed promotion by being over cautious. I hope Sammi doesn't do the same

I don't often say this but with regards to Crofts what game were you watching?! He forced several saves to my memory and had a couple go just wide. Additionally, he was our top scorer for the first half of last season which suggests he's pretty good at doing damage!

 

[Silk]

I don't often say this but with regards to Crofts what game were you watching?! He forced several saves to my memory and had a couple go just wide. Additionally, he was our top scorer for the first half of last season which suggests he's pretty good at doing damage!

A couple of his shots were weakly hit straight at the keeper. When he did hit one well he missed the target. Can't help feeling someone else might have put those chances away. I thought he was our weakest player yesterday, he did ok though.

 

[sahel]

I'm pretty sure Sahel doesn't know what journeyman means

For clarity I am using it, as the Americans use it, to describe someone who is ok but does not excel. I think that sums up JFC to a tee. For me he is a very disappointing player who always takes the easy option (normally a 3 yard pass to someone else). As a midfield player he should take responsibility for doing something positive. Maybe he is capable of doing that and just needs confidence. As for Crofts he too is a decent player but is limited I think. Neither he nor JFC should be keeping Lua Lua, who is not a journeyman, out of the team in my opinion

 

[LamieRobertson]

A couple of his shots were weakly hit straight at the keeper. When he did hit one well he missed the target. Can't help feeling someone else might have put those chances away. I thought he was our weakest player yesterday, he did ok though.

got into the positions to shoot though..couple of times CMS could have passed to him for more shooting opportunities..2nd competitive game in 6 months?...as you said he did ok

 

[LamieRobertson]

For clarity I am using it, as the Americans use it, to describe someone who is ok but does not excel. I think that sums up JFC to a tee. For me he is a very disappointing player who always takes the easy option (normally a 3 yard pass to someone else). As a midfield player he should take responsibility for doing something positive. Maybe he is capable of doing that and just needs confidence. As for Crofts he too is a decent player but is limited I think. Neither he nor JFC should be keeping Lua Lua, who is not a journeyman, out of the team in my opinion

to which you are entitled to...personally i'd disagree with it based on yesterdays match which we won...another game then Lua Lua will have his part to play....SH has said he is in favour of squad rotation

 

[Mowgli37]

A couple of his shots were weakly hit straight at the keeper. When he did hit one well he missed the target. Can't help feeling someone else might have put those chances away. I thought he was our weakest player yesterday, he did ok though.

On a different day he could have had a hat-trick, what counts is that he's having a go. Yesterday was much more of a complete team performance and I thought the quieter players (him, Holla and JFC) held it together very well whilst not exactly catching the eye. I do think however when Stephens is back he'll eventually break back into the side, I was very pleased with what I saw from him last season.

 

[martin tyler]

For clarity I am using it, as the Americans use it, to describe someone who is ok but does not excel. I think that sums up JFC to a tee. For me he is a very disappointing player who always takes the easy option (normally a 3 yard pass to someone else). As a midfield player he should take responsibility for doing something positive. Maybe he is capable of doing that and just needs confidence. As for Crofts he too is a decent player but is limited I think. Neither he nor JFC should be keeping Lua Lua, who is not a journeyman, out of the team in my opinion

Interestin use of the word Journeyman as to everyone else it means something different.
There is a reason LuaLua starts from the bench which has been highlighted on here by a few people. He is most affective off the bench running at a tiring defence especially when the opposition are chasing a game.
Yesterday right calls were made

 

[Acker79]

He was about to bring LuaLua on in the first half yesterday in what was clearly going to be a tactical move to change things round early.

But we scored as this was happening, so he sat down again.

He was also getting ready to come on when we scored our second. I think from now on we should just have lualua stand in the technical area in his kit like he's getting ready to come on so we score lots!

 

[maltaseagull]

Under Gus and Oscar the one thing I was always slightly disappointed with was the predictability of selection. For instance, you knew that without fail, Dunk wouldn't play unless injury forced him to, Calderon would be dropped at the first opportunity and new signings would walk into the side.

Under Hyypia:

- Dunk kept a clean sheet at Leeds, stays in the team;
- Calderon delivers performances, keeps his place;
- Bruno is better in midfield (so far), plays him there;
- O'Grady and Toko are new signings and get dropped or don't play at all (although I think Toko may be injured.

I'm just really encouraged that Hyypia doesn't appear to be beholden to the status quo. If some doesn't work, he changes it, if it does, he keeps it.

Not disagreeing with you but what a difference a week makes! Some people were chanting "You don't know what you're doing" recently!

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Absolutely. Your accurate comments also make the ridiculous anti Sammi chants at Birmingham seem even more mad

I would never write off a manager, or player without seeing what they can do given a reasonable period of time. Even if we'd gone for Sherwood - who I really didn't want, I would have backed the club and given him a chance.

 

[Phat Baz 68]

I am warming to Sami now I agree entirely with the first post on this.
Still on the fence a bit as it's early but I hope he proves me badly badly wrong.
Keep going Sami old son and stick to your guns mate .

 

[Silk]

On a different day he could have had a hat-trick, what counts is that he's having a go. Yesterday was much more of a complete team performance and I thought the quieter players (him, Holla and JFC) held it together very well whilst not exactly catching the eye. I do think however when Stephens is back he'll eventually break back into the side, I was very pleased with what I saw from him last season.

Yes, liked Holla and thought JFC had one of his best games for us.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Not disagreeing with you but what a difference a week makes! Some people were chanting "You don't know what you're doing" recently!

In fairness, anyone who chanted that at Hyypia last week was a joke. He was in his third game managing us with a number of injuries and limited options from the bench.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Yes, liked Holla and thought JFC had one of his best games for us.

Holla looks a really good player. Picked the ball up off the back four a lot and has a good range of passing. Could be a real find.

The problem with starting LuaLua is he's better off the bench and you need someone who can come on and change the game. If he'd started with LuaLua yesterday and he'd had a quiet game, we'd have had limited options from the bench with March out and McCourt not sounding match fit. Once those two are available and we have a couple of other options, LuaLua may well start more games although it does concern me that his best games are off the subs bench.

 

[ChickenBaltiPie]

If you are right

he is right, you're wrong

 

[Silk]

Holla looks a really good player. Picked the ball up off the back four a lot and has a good range of passing. Could be a real find.

The problem with starting LuaLua is he's better off the bench and you need someone who can come on and change the game. If he'd started with LuaLua yesterday and he'd had a quiet game, we'd have had limited options from the bench with March out and McCourt not sounding match fit. Once those two are available and we have a couple of other options, LuaLua may well start more games although it does concern me that his best games are off the subs bench.

Yep, on occasions Holla was behind the defenders picking the ball up from Stockdale [emoji3].

Crofts was the only one who could have played there yesterday - when fit, I think Stephens for JFC and Agustien or McCourt for Crofts.

 

[sahel]

he is right, you're wrong

I have to tell you this kind of post really irritates me far beyond what it should. There is no right or wrong just opinions. Your post, just 5 words, is full of ignorance, arrogance and unpleasantness. Are you so sure about everything? If so God help the people around you

 

[Wally Goulds right toe]

In fairness to the now oft vilified Oscar, he did much the same quite a few times last season when we were in the lead.

Don't know why OG should be 'vilified'. He was a steady [if unexciting] hand after the trauma of Poyet's departure. He was told to get the team a top 6 finish- he did. He also brought on the young players - successfully converting Ince into a very effective midfield player.

 

[Kevlar]

For clarity I am using it, as the Americans use it, to describe someone who is ok but does not excel. I think that sums up JFC to a tee. For me he is a very disappointing player who always takes the easy option (normally a 3 yard pass to someone else). As a midfield player he should take responsibility for doing something positive. Maybe he is capable of doing that and just needs confidence. As for Crofts he too is a decent player but is limited I think. Neither he nor JFC should be keeping Lua Lua, who is not a journeyman, out of the team in my opinion

i think it would be more positive to start with lua lua at home
But it is not as thou lua lua has not had many chances to nail down a starting position
he has not delivered enough goals or assists in championship
maybe the rumoured spanish player could play such a role

 

[Mowgli37]

For clarity I am using it, as the Americans use it, to describe someone who is ok but does not excel. I think that sums up JFC to a tee. For me he is a very disappointing player who always takes the easy option (normally a 3 yard pass to someone else). As a midfield player he should take responsibility for doing something positive. Maybe he is capable of doing that and just needs confidence. As for Crofts he too is a decent player but is limited I think. Neither he nor JFC should be keeping Lua Lua, who is not a journeyman, out of the team in my opinion

This is my take on it, we've seen great moments of quality from him (Donny goal, that free kick against Charlton that nearly made it in before his composed finish late on). Its easy to forget he's still only twenty years old.