Huddlestone

[Bus-Conductor]

For the record he's still 21 - he turns 22 on 28 Dec.

Have discussed all of his qualities ad nauseum but I'll just repeat the point I've made several times - central midfielders, on the whole, tend to mature at about 24-25. Look at Carrick and Lampard as simple examples - great talents, doubted for years but came through

Yes they often do, but I don't think muturity is Huddlestone's problem. I think it is his physical and at times mental dexterity.

Whilst a good coach could possibly get him moving more intelligently - he's not going to get physically quicker or more mobile with age. And that is his biggest hindrance at times.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Perhaps getting roles clearly defined so that players maximise their strengths and minimise theirs and others' weaknesses is the key, and something that's finally being worked on. Two years ago an inexperienced Hudd and Zokora was about the worst midfield pairing we had (forced on us because they were frequently the only men left standing) because they both tended to sit deep and get in one another's way. Last night (I still haven't seen the game) Zokora apparently put in a monster performance—even the Zoko-bashers seem to have allowed this—and gave Hudd time and space to do his stuff.

IOMLS made the point in the ratings thread that our CMs have suffered from being expected to be jacks-of-all-trades, and I think that's been more the problem than any lack of quality.

I remember Zokora & Huddlestone having similar game (442) about two seasons ago under Jol in one of the cups, and thinking how their skills complimented each other. Problem was as soon as they were tried in the league the following couple of games Zokora found himself having to do even more work and we struggled as Huddlestone really wasn't compatable with the work rate required to be CM in a 442. This, to a degree, will always be a problem for Huddlestone in a 442. You would need the busiest of ****s as his partner (even more so than Zokora) for him to play CM in a 442 in a much faster, tighter and more competitive EPL game.

 

[Chaplain]

One realistic way would have, in a 4-5-1, both Zokora and Jenas to clean up in front of Huddlestone, with Modric out left and Bentley or Lennon out right. Similar to what we tried against Manchester City, though Modric ended up going in-field quite often, leaving the entire left-flank for Assou-Ekotto to both attack and defend down.

 

[danielneeds]

I think B-S makes valid points about Hudd's weaknesses, and yes he is never going to be a fleet footed guy, but I have noticed a definite improvement in all areas of his game; defensively he is better, his mobility has improved, and he is taking people on with a drop of the shoulder and some quick feet.

Infact the main gripe I have with him recently is an over-casualness when he tries some skill, to turn with the ball, or attempt a difficult pass when he is in too deep a position to do so. Maturity should help with this though...

 

[jamesc0le]

lol.

you can't be serious?

you can't compare this game to the liverpool game in the league. both teams had different players out on the field. their midfield for an example.

we had 2 luxury players in midfield against liverpool in the prem, huddlestone and bentley. with less luxury players in midfield in that particular game we would have not looked like conceding 5 goals.

compare that to the chelsea game where we pressed them and held our own much better..

 

[wojch]

I don't care what everyone else say. Redknapp is playing Huddlestone - that's the fact. And if Harry is doing so - he must be right.

 

[belsunz]

Hudd is quite fulfilling his potential due to the fact 'Arry is playing him quite consistently. He always had the talent. Two great feet, fantastic passing abilities, football brain, good shot. But he is 21 and needs to play, so 'Arry is precisely doing that. Any manager watching him last matches must've been drooling about what this guy can do. Killer balls, first touch precise passing with both feet, long balls, a trick now and then. Forget about the few downsides, this guy is the NUTS and he will be massive for us in years to come.

 

[parklane_B39-R16-S25]

Anyone notice the similarity of style and play between Berba and Hudd? Graceful but imposing, immence vision with the skills to match, and an aura of World Class about him. His movemnt is just lke Berba's too.

 

[bomberH]

Where abouts do you sit mate?

 

[robbiesavagehasbreasts]

we had 2 luxury players in midfield against liverpool in the prem, huddlestone and bentley. with less luxury players in midfield in that particular game we would have not looked like conceding 5 goals.

compare that to the chelsea game where we pressed them and held our own much better..

no no. you're not with me here.

i meant, you can't say "the reason we dominated this game and not the liverpool PL game was because of....insert some stuff you said and I don't quite remember"

because, the reason we dominated this game was because liverpool had a weakened side, and a midfield of lucas and some dude called plessis, instead of gerrard-masch-alonso, which is one of the greatest midfields in the world of football today.

 

[jamesc0le]

no no. you're not with me here.

i meant, you can't say "the reason we dominated this game and not the liverpool PL game was because of....insert some stuff you said and I don't quite remember"

because, the reason we dominated this game was because liverpool had a weakened side, and a midfield of lucas and some dude called plessis, instead of gerrard-masch-alonso, which is one of the greatest midfields in the world of football today.

any of chelseas midfields are better than liverpools. if they were as good as you say, they would have put us to the sword as our midfield had clive allen/arry redknapp numptyness written all over it and hudd still trying to find his feet.


like i said, if we had put out a stronger/graftier midfield to complement hudd that day we would have had to rely on lady luck a lot less.

 

[thetallaghttiger]

was in college today and after shouting a Pavyluchenko chant across a corridor at a fellow Yid (!), I got talking about the Hudd's performance last night.

The guy is putting in some serious performances lately. We always knew the Hudd was capable of this but what he's now got to do move to the next level and produce this high level of performances regularly.

JJ, though a few years older, is still in this similar situation. He can put in 5 star performances now and again, but has failed to put top performances in regularly. But to JJ's credit, at least he always works his socks off!

 

[robbiesavagehasbreasts]

any of chelseas midfields are better than liverpools. if they were as good as you say, they would have put us to the sword as our midfield had clive allen/arry redknapp numptyness written all over it and hudd still trying to find his feet.


like i said, if we had put out a stronger/graftier midfield that day we would have had to rely on lady luck a lot less.

Essien, Lampard, Deco. About the same quality.

We had no possesion against Chelsea, and maybe 3-4 shots on goal. chelsea probably had something like 20. i do agree though that we were more defensively solid in that game. they didn't open us as much up. but we started that game with gds, modric, bentley. that's 3 luxury players for you.

 

[jamesc0le]

Essien, Lampard, Deco. About the same quality.

We had no possesion against Chelsea, and maybe 3-4 shots on goal. chelsea probably had something like 20. i do agree though that we were more defensively solid in that game. they didn't open us as much up. but we started that game with gds, modric, bentley. that's 3 luxury players for you.

haha you have a point

but gds was looking busy that day and how can you say modric is a luxury player!? well maybe he was then but he is the heartbeat of the team now, when he isn't exiled to the left wing..

 

[robbiesavagehasbreasts]

the same way you say hudd and bentley are luxury.

 

[Sputic]

I think B-S makes valid points about Hudd's weaknesses, and yes he is never going to be a fleet footed guy, but I have noticed a definite improvement in all areas of his game; defensively he is better, his mobility has improved, and he is taking people on with a drop of the shoulder and some quick feet.

Infact the main gripe I have with him recently is an over-casualness when he tries some skill, to turn with the ball, or attempt a difficult pass when he is in too deep a position to do so. Maturity should help with this though...

I don't think this is stuff he has added. He has always shown these abilities against poor opposition, and to be honest that is what he has been facing in the last few games. It was only 2 weeks ago that we played Liverpool in the league and he was abject in that match.

The jury is still well and truly out on whether this is a genuine breakthrough for Huddlestone.

 

[Defsta]

Where abouts do you sit mate?

In your face