Frutos or Albert?

[Easy 10]

I wouldn't say Hammond is overly attack-minded. He was on the edge of the Albion box on plenty of occasions helpnig out. He's one of those supremely valuable players who can get up and down the field all afternoon. I'm sure Chippy will welcome someone else doing the legwork as well - they can comfortably work in tandem.

I'm VERY excited about our whole midfield now (in case you hadn't noticed).

 

[GUNTER]

Phillipe Albert?

 

[Seagull73]

I'm with Easy on this one. Good signing, and Hammond needs to play in the middle of the park. Whenever he played in there last season, I thought we looked a much better team, and so it has proved so far this season....

 

[London Irish]

Would you say Hammond was more, or less, effective alongside Chippy on Monday then ? Personally I thought he was excellent, and did everything I hoped he would from a central position.

No, he can still improve in some areas. If Oatway has hit the kind of balls into the stand that Hammond did at Preston, then there would have been howls of derision, but people go easier on Hammond - that's the way of things with most of the young players except Harding. So yes, Hammond can improve his passing.

Where he has come on a lot over the past year is his confidence, and that shows in his tackling and positioning, which was indeed very good on Monday, and in his ability to carry the ball forward to opposition players, which is where he has the real edge over Charlie, Alexis and Chippy. But he can improve on all these things, he was part of a midfield at Preston that did get the run-around at times.

As for doing everything excellent and being the complete central midfielder, this is the usual OTT NSC hype also doled out to the likes of Jake, and also Alexis Nicolas last year before that particular bubble burst. They are all young players with relatively little experience and they all have a learning curve ahead of them.

With his new central defensive responsibilities, I would think it less likely that Hammond will make 10 goals this season. Silent Bob, he did have a couple of long-range efforts but that's not his scoring range, he is more a six-yard box poacher, and it remains to be seen whether his new position gives him those kind of chances. That's fine, of course, as long as Leon, Carole, Jarrett and the strikers net regularly.

 

[Lawro's Lip]

That's fine, of course, as long as Leon, Carole, Jarrett and the strikers net regularly.

And on Monday's showing that could well happen.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Could just be that Plymouth were duff though

IMHO Plymouth weren't that duff. Lot of seasoned professionals in that team. It was more about the Albion being full of sharp young kiddies with something to prove, underpinned by Chippie and Butters (who looked for all the world like Fozzie Foster at the tail end of his career, not a lot of movement, but unbeatable in the air). Having cleared the decks of the inept and the inert, we got an Albion team that (yes) it 'was a joy to watch'. Keep 'em coming!

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

alightly random but just seen the build up to chippys goal again and helped me remember how BRILLIANT(really)jarrets run was to set up the goal! skill pace trickery! superb

 

[London Irish]

And on Monday's showing that could well happen.

It might well - but those who saw Saturday's showing will get a more balanced perspective.

Roll on Leeds and Sheff Utd - we will know a lot more after we played these next two - who could well be the two auto promotion teams.

 

[Zebedee]

Missing the point.
Whether its Albert or Fruity, this signing will surely mean that Hammond can stay in the centre of midfield where he belongs.

Good work Mr M

But where does Charlie then go?

 

[Stumpy Tim]

There's nothing to suggest Hammond won't score goals from central midfield. He won't lose the knack of making the right runs - David Platt didn't play on the left of midfield did he? Or Robbie Earle for that matter.

People are right to be excited about this team as it seems we may be able to pass our way out of trouble this season rather than back-to-the-wall defending. But as many people have said, let's wait 2 months before going over-board

 

[Easy 10]

L I is right to reign in my natural exhuberence, and I'm trying hard not to get too carried away....but DAMN I loved our midfield quartet on Monday - I can't remember seeing such a vibrant, dangerous, fluent display from the Albion in (literally) years.

That was down to two wingers on top of their game, two lively strikers who ran their socks off, a (finally) on-form Chippy....and Hammond at last (AT LAST) in the middle. And now we have Fruity adding some more competition on the left.

I only wish we didn't have to wait so damn long for the next match. I wanna see them again NOW.

 

[London Irish]

There's nothing to suggest Hammond won't score goals from central midfield. He won't lose the knack of making the right runs - David Platt didn't play on the left of midfield did he? Or Robbie Earle for that matter.

Well, my definite impression in watching his two games in central midfield is that his defensive responsibilities are lessening his scope to make those runs. But you could be right, we shall see.

 

[3gulls]

Does anyone else see the irony of this thread? With all the positions where we are weak or lack cover, we buy another left winger!

 

[Easy 10]

We were weak on the left side of midfield. We now have two viable options (hopefully Jarretts display on Monday was a sign of things to come). Agree we need some more defensive cover, but we can still get some loaners in to tide us over till the end of the year when Hinsh is back.

 

[Uncle Buck]

We were weak on the left side of midfield. We now have two viable options (hopefully Jarretts display on Monday was a sign of things to come). Agree we need some more defensive cover, but we can still get some loaners in to tide us over till the end of the year when Hinsh is back.

Regarding Jarrett he looked OK on Monday, lots of good build up play and at least he looks up now. But until he can deliver a consistantly good final ball from the left he is a bit of a waste. He has improved his game from last season, but what is the point of a winger than cannot cross well?

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Does anyone else see the irony of this thread? With all the positions where we are weak or lack cover, we buy another left winger!

Yeah like we have 11 or 12 other options for that position. The fact we've been playing Hammond out of position on the left kinda proves we're short of cover there don't you think? And yes I do think we lack cover at the back still, especially with the news on Dodd's injury.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

How are we meant to know, I doubt anyone here's ever seen Fruity play.

I have watched him on French Foot ( what is all in french might i add), he looks a very skillfull and powerful player. Very creative and can link up with our strikers.

 

[Easy 10]

Regarding Jarrett he looked OK on Monday, lots of good build up play and at least he looks up now. But until he can deliver a consistantly good final ball from the left he is a bit of a waste. He has improved his game from last season, but what is the point of a winger than cannot cross well?

Agreed.
One swallow does not make a summer (although it can make for a pleasant evening). Jarrett still has a lot to prove, and both he and McGhee know that. Jarrett has clearly done enough in training to earn his chance, and I don't think his performance on Monday did him any harm at all. But with Fruity being added to the squad, he'll be fully aware that he HAS to produce the goods to have a chance of keeping his place.

I think McGhee has done extremely well with his acquisitions this season. Its created competition for places and given him plenty of options, something we were chronically short of this time last year. If we can just get some more defensive cover on loan, the squad will, in my opinion, be the strongest we've had at this level since we've been at Withers.

 

[Superseagull]

Having decent left wingers is useful in defence as well as attack as it stops the rightback from pushing forward so much, and so so take a bit of pressure off our leftback which is probably our weakest position in the team.

Being able to subsitute a left winger with a left winger is always a bonus at this level of football.

Good move by Mcghee I think.

 

[3gulls]

Yeah like we have 11 or 12 other options for that position. The fact we've been playing Hammond out of position on the left kinda proves we're short of cover there don't you think?

No, not at all. I think that playing Hammond there was just to fit him in, so Oatway could continue to grace the Team. We also have Albert and Leon who can play in that position. I would also question whether the midfield is strong enough to afford the luxury of two wingers when we are constantly being over-run in the centre. However, the point of the post was to highlight that we did not deal with our real weaknesses, only get someone for a position where we are "ok".