Tom Huddlestone

[mpickard2087]

Totally agree, the 4-3-3 is made for him with two others doing the majority of the leg work. Looked a lovely balance. We saw 70 minutes of dog shit before AVB made the changes and then all of a sudden we started passing the ball forward with some bloody purpose.

Always said, you can look at stats all day but Huddlestone's passing was fantastic what a difference it made to our control of the football when moving forward.

I think a lot of us have been screaming out for a 4-3-3 now for ages, hopefully the penny has dropped now.

It is a better balance, ticks more boxes with extra ability to ping the ball around (I think you could drop him in between Parker and Dembele for example and it would take pressure off them two, wouldn't write Scotty off yet) I'm not sure he is the long term option, we saw some of the traits when he did get closed down today but till the end, but until the end of the season it looks a better balance this shape, with then maybe Carroll on the bench as well as another option as a passer in midfield.

 

[Hoddle&Waddle]

I thought he was superb today, deserves to start next match imo. COYS!!!

 

[Gbspurs]

Been brilliant. I just posted in the match thread that I thought he was finished and had convinced myself he was shit. Good footballer who offers us something different. Holtby, Dembele and Thudd is a very clever, creative and solid middle 3

 

[sweyid]

Parker slows down our play too much. He's good at shielding the ball and breaking up play, but he can be too cumbersome with his pirouettes and that.

A 4-3-3 with Dembele, Hudd and Holtby in the middle three would be interesting. Great passing ability, some good dribbling, distance shooting, work-rate and a good enough amount of defensive capability to make up for not having a pure DM.

 

[Mr Pink]

I think a lot of us have been screaming out for a 4-3-3 now for ages, hopefully the penny has dropped now.

It is a better balance, ticks more boxes with extra ability to ping the ball around (I think you could drop him in between Parker and Dembele for example and it would take pressure off them two, wouldn't write Scotty off yet) I'm not sure he is the long term option, we saw some of the traits when he did get closed down today but till the end, but until the end of the season it looks a better balance this shape, with then maybe Carroll on the bench as well as another option as a passer in midfield.

Indeed mate, but with two others in there his strengths outweigh his limitations - most definitely worth it, what a difference he made.

In a 4-4-2/4-4-1-1 - no.

 

[Wsussexspur]

Best performance from the Hudd in a long time!

 

[mpickard2087]

Indeed mate, but with two others in there his strengths outweigh his limitations - most definitely worth it, what a difference he made.

In a 4-4-2/4-4-1-1 - no.

Agree, him and this team deserves a shot from the start now and probably till season end.

 

[lcclash]

Welcome change, as long as I don't have to watch parker-dawson-walker pass the ball amongst each other in front of our goal. It's truly nerve wracking.

Holtby-dembele-hudd bossed it when they played together.

 

[hughy]

He makes us look like a team who could actually score goals.

 

[Sanj]

That pass to Bale made the killer goal (finish weren't bad though...)

2-1 with 10 mins to go - how many would have bet on us holding out.....
Was such an important goal as you stated.

 

[class of 62]

cant run!, to fat!, hundredstone!!.. can pick a pass though!.

well played son..

I hate todays fans.

 

[Huddlebone]

Great game from Tom today! wanted to see him from start all season long. Look he dont need to run around like a mad man as parker does. Have one of the best passing foots in the hole world. And look he makes Dembele able to push a bit further up in the pitch insted of having parker running around loosing balls everywhere. <3 Big Tom Make him a startingplayer and u see CL fotball next year. Holtby and tom wee need u !

 

[theShiznit]

2-1 with 10 mins to go - how many would have bet on us holding out.....
Was such an important goal as you stated.

Don't think I would have been able to cope with 13/15 extra minutes @ 2-1...

 

[idontgetit]

Hudd was fucking class. They missed a trick by not switching their style to more direct running through the middle though. They did it once and caused problems, it's the only problem we have playing Hudd playing the deep role, I'd have him there every week otherwise

 

[littlemandefoe]

The way he just sprays the ball about and can do 70 yard passes like I do 10 yard passes is fantastic. Hope he keeps it up.

 

[C0YS]

He was scapegoated big time earlier on in the season, despite the fact he had just come back from a year and a half injury. He has always been a lovely player and a useful one too and has been a great servant to the club.

Also on a seperate note Defoe also proves yet again that he can score important goals that often come out of nowhere. His goalscoring record is impressive by any standard and has been a brilliant servant to the club himself.

Example
Defoe Club record 509 games 210 goals 0.41 av. goals a game International Record 53 games 19 goals 0.36 av. goals a game
Torres Club record 508 games 204 goals 0.4 av. goals a game International Record 101 games 31 goals 0.33 av. goals a game

 

[Huddlebone]

cant run!, to fat!, hundredstone!!.. can pick a pass though!.

well played son..

I hate todays fans.

In fotball u need to have a brain aswell Tom dont need to run as much as everyone else he read the game so god dam well. And come on he have been out for 2years.

 

[Sanj]

Don't think I would have been able to cope with 13/15 extra minutes @ 2-1...

lol - that last 12-13 mins at 3-1 was hard enough - expecting city to get 1 then turn on the pressure.
But Hud brings that to us - more compousre and a pass out to allow us to break when under the cosh.

 

[JAYSTAR]

I think a lot of us have been screaming out for a 4-3-3 now for ages, hopefully the penny has dropped now.

It is a better balance, ticks more boxes with extra ability to ping the ball around (I think you could drop him in between Parker and Dembele for example and it would take pressure off them two, wouldn't write Scotty off yet) I'm not sure he is the long term option, we saw some of the traits when he did get closed down today but till the end, but until the end of the season it looks a better balance this shape, with then maybe Carroll on the bench as well as another option as a passer in midfield.

Absolutely, 433 completely suits Huddlestone's passing game. The combination of Dembele, Holtby and Huddlestone was perfect. But the front three of Dempsey Bale and Defoe was also quality.
Ade needs to go, his positioning is so bad it seems like we're playing with 10 men. Defoe comes on, turns and runs for the through ball and with Dempsey coming into the box, the team start crossing the ball in. They simply don't trust Ade to win the ball in the air, which is why we weren't crossing it into the box. You could see the change in our team's mentality when Holtby, Defoe and Hudd were on the pitch.

Fair play to Huddlestone, I've got to admit, AVB is getting the best out of yet another player, he played really well and did last game too.

 

[WiganSpur]

I'd written him off. He's beginning to look like his old self now, the 09/10 Hudd. It's great to see.