| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? 17:01 - Dec 13 with 2715 views | Matt_Netherlands |
Disclaimer: This isn’t a post to slate him (there’s enough of those), but what’s behind his performances this season? His first touch in particular has gone through the floor.
Didn’t seem to have a major injury over the summer?
Not really being asked to play a different way?
Being on international duty messing with his rhythm?
Got a bit full of himself (See Birmingham away)
It’s pretty baffling but he barely even looks like an average championship striker this season.
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:04 - Dec 13 with 1801 views | TresBonne |
All his mates who he knew how to play with have left - bar Burns who is injured.
Him, Chaplin, Burns, Broadhead just knew how to link up with each other - he could find them without even looking and likewise. They also ran at defences a lot harder + more direct with and without the ball which created him more space and less of the 'back to goal' stuff which he is being forced into now.
I do worry about him mentally, I think a bit of it has been he's been a bit full of himself, and now isn't seeing the results, probably beating himself up about it while 30k people get on his back when something doesn't go right for him. |  | | |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:04 - Dec 13 with 1798 views | Markp68 |
It’s strange isn’t it. For me he’s never been a great striker but worked well within our system but right now he’s failing both in front of goal and in holding the ball up; nothing sticks and he looks nothing like a decent Championship striker. A new no.9 is a must in January |  | | |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:04 - Dec 13 with 1786 views | FrimleyBlue |
He was never that good. He was just like the others. A misfit who worked well in the team we had. He was never prolific but he worked well with others.
What he hasn't got around him are players who work with him |  |
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:04 - Dec 13 with 1788 views | Herbivore |
The odd half aside he's looked way off it this season. That was embarrassing from him today, he may as well have not been on the pitch. I don't know what's happened but his workrate and touch have dropped off a cliff. His finishing has always been hit and miss to be fair but you could always rely on him to put in a shift and bring others into the game, this season his performances are really hurting us. |  |
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:06 - Dec 13 with 1765 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:04 - Dec 13 by Herbivore |
The odd half aside he's looked way off it this season. That was embarrassing from him today, he may as well have not been on the pitch. I don't know what's happened but his workrate and touch have dropped off a cliff. His finishing has always been hit and miss to be fair but you could always rely on him to put in a shift and bring others into the game, this season his performances are really hurting us. |
Bench him for SS, it’s the championship not Newcastle at home. It’s not like his “holdup” is helping the way we play. |  |
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:07 - Dec 13 with 1757 views | Blue_Uprising |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:04 - Dec 13 by Herbivore |
The odd half aside he's looked way off it this season. That was embarrassing from him today, he may as well have not been on the pitch. I don't know what's happened but his workrate and touch have dropped off a cliff. His finishing has always been hit and miss to be fair but you could always rely on him to put in a shift and bring others into the game, this season his performances are really hurting us. |
Mr Bread and Butter has been more like Mr Bread and Butter Pudding so far this season. Stodgy. |  | | |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:07 - Dec 13 with 1749 views | NthQldITFC |
He's too uptight - ball bounces off him and he doesn't gamble getting across his man. Also waits for the ball far too much and defenders just step in front of him. |  |
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:08 - Dec 13 with 1743 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
We had Keifer Moore sharing the load in the promotion season. |  |
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:08 - Dec 13 with 1741 views | lazyblue |
Personally think not a lot has changed but after having Delap who was outstanding for us he was always going to be compared | | | |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:08 - Dec 13 with 1732 views | Herbivore |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:06 - Dec 13 by Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
Bench him for SS, it’s the championship not Newcastle at home. It’s not like his “holdup” is helping the way we play. |
Really don't see Szmodics as the answer up top. Fine playing counter attacking football for Blackburn alongside Gallagher but he's not remotely suited to playing as a striker in our system. | |
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:10 - Dec 13 with 1691 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:08 - Dec 13 by Herbivore |
Really don't see Szmodics as the answer up top. Fine playing counter attacking football for Blackburn alongside Gallagher but he's not remotely suited to playing as a striker in our system. |
I don’t either but I’d rather watch him chasing defenders down in games like that than Hirst stropping around. | |
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:12 - Dec 13 with 1650 views | Chris_ITFC |
He’s completely isolated.
Does anyone link up? No. Or play one-twos? No. Or run in behind him? No. |  |
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:14 - Dec 13 with 1633 views | badadski |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:06 - Dec 13 by Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
Bench him for SS, it’s the championship not Newcastle at home. It’s not like his “holdup” is helping the way we play. |
Agree I think SS should be given a few games as the 9 - some one to play on the shoulder of the centre backs - he has a better touch and is far more technical than Hirst whos been bad for more games than he has been good . Clarke on the right was a waste of time and trying to get onto his right foot so many times when a left footed shot was on - a shame but gives McKenna a full u understanding of what’s needed which is 2-3 more players in January as current squad is not top 2 worthy - | | | |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:14 - Dec 13 with 1617 views | jas0999 |
He absolutely tries his best and no faulting his effort.
He’s just not good enough for a team whose only goal is automatic promotion. | | | |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:16 - Dec 13 with 1621 views | pointofblue |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:06 - Dec 13 by Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
Bench him for SS, it’s the championship not Newcastle at home. It’s not like his “holdup” is helping the way we play. |
Akpom is more of an option up front than Szmodics for me. | |
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:17 - Dec 13 with 1596 views | Herbivore |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:16 - Dec 13 by pointofblue |
Akpom is more of an option up front than Szmodics for me. |
Akpom has been hopeless though, wherever he's played. | |
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:20 - Dec 13 with 1565 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:14 - Dec 13 by jas0999 |
He absolutely tries his best and no faulting his effort.
He’s just not good enough for a team whose only goal is automatic promotion. |
Hate to say it but that shift today after a weeks rest was not good. | |
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:22 - Dec 13 with 1548 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:16 - Dec 13 by pointofblue |
Akpom is more of an option up front than Szmodics for me. |
Journeyman at this point and likely a panic purchase. Obligation to buy as well. Who signs some of these off! | |
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:28 - Dec 13 with 1508 views | Kieran_Knows |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:04 - Dec 13 by TresBonne |
All his mates who he knew how to play with have left - bar Burns who is injured.
Him, Chaplin, Burns, Broadhead just knew how to link up with each other - he could find them without even looking and likewise. They also ran at defences a lot harder + more direct with and without the ball which created him more space and less of the 'back to goal' stuff which he is being forced into now.
I do worry about him mentally, I think a bit of it has been he's been a bit full of himself, and now isn't seeing the results, probably beating himself up about it while 30k people get on his back when something doesn't go right for him. |
I’m sorry, but I find that b0ll0cks. I don’t disagree that he’s probably finding the ‘connections’ harder this season, but do the basics right. As the OP states, his first touch is a joke this season.
Hold the ball up, get us up the pitch, win fouls. He has this ridiculous ‘knack’ of pretending to jump or a challenge for a ball, when in reality he’s doing fcuk all. He’s making it too easy for centre halves at the moment. We’ve never judged him on his goal record, we judged him for what he bought to the team and right now, he’s bringing very very little.
Number 9 is an absolute MUST for January if we have any hope of making top 2. |  |
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:29 - Dec 13 with 1487 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:28 - Dec 13 by Kieran_Knows |
I’m sorry, but I find that b0ll0cks. I don’t disagree that he’s probably finding the ‘connections’ harder this season, but do the basics right. As the OP states, his first touch is a joke this season.
Hold the ball up, get us up the pitch, win fouls. He has this ridiculous ‘knack’ of pretending to jump or a challenge for a ball, when in reality he’s doing fcuk all. He’s making it too easy for centre halves at the moment. We’ve never judged him on his goal record, we judged him for what he bought to the team and right now, he’s bringing very very little.
Number 9 is an absolute MUST for January if we have any hope of making top 2. |
It might be too late by full time on the 29th, let’s hope not. | |
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:30 - Dec 13 with 1477 views | ITFCSG |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:22 - Dec 13 by Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
Journeyman at this point and likely a panic purchase. Obligation to buy as well. Who signs some of these off! |
Messiah Mk II Mark Ashton | | | |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:35 - Dec 13 with 1431 views | LeoMuff |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:12 - Dec 13 by Chris_ITFC |
He’s completely isolated.
Does anyone link up? No. Or play one-twos? No. Or run in behind him? No. |
That’s what it feels like, we barely plat anything centrally it’s all safety first out wide, when we get it there we play it back inside.
I don’t understand why we don’t try a few across the box or crosses, it almost neve4 happens unless we are desperate. |  |
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:40 - Dec 13 with 1367 views | NthQldITFC |
I've got this theory that Hirst's remit (aside from the pressing which he is often pretty good at), as a lone #9 usually playing against a pair of big CBs is not to win the ball but to do enough to interfere with their clearances so we get second balls picked up by our supporting forwards.
As someone else mentioned, he seems to be jumping under the ball most of the time as if he's worried about a clash of heads. He's also not meeting the ball on the ground quite often and letting markers waltz in in front of him, or he gets there but it bounces off him. And to cap it off he doesn't gamble at the front post when we have the ball out wide.
I'm probably over positive on here at times and really hate to dig players out, but I've pretty much had enough of watching those sort of performances from him. I like the bloke, and his pressing is good, but it's nowhere near enough.
Lots will say that Akpom is not a #9, but his touch and physicality are miles better than Hirst's at the moment, and while he won't be able to press as well, I'd rather see him and Azon take the lead roles for a while, with Hirst getting cameos.
And we need to invest heavily there in January. [Post edited 13 Dec 17:41]
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| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:40 - Dec 13 with 1360 views | ITFCSG |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:35 - Dec 13 by LeoMuff |
That’s what it feels like, we barely plat anything centrally it’s all safety first out wide, when we get it there we play it back inside.
I don’t understand why we don’t try a few across the box or crosses, it almost neve4 happens unless we are desperate. |
Players are brainwashed into sticking in their own fixed positions without having the freedom to improvise and try something different during the match.
This results in us being very predictable for the opposition. | | | |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:42 - Dec 13 with 1318 views | FrimleyBlue |
| Is there any obvious reason for the drop off from Hirst? on 17:28 - Dec 13 by Kieran_Knows |
I’m sorry, but I find that b0ll0cks. I don’t disagree that he’s probably finding the ‘connections’ harder this season, but do the basics right. As the OP states, his first touch is a joke this season.
Hold the ball up, get us up the pitch, win fouls. He has this ridiculous ‘knack’ of pretending to jump or a challenge for a ball, when in reality he’s doing fcuk all. He’s making it too easy for centre halves at the moment. We’ve never judged him on his goal record, we judged him for what he bought to the team and right now, he’s bringing very very little.
Number 9 is an absolute MUST for January if we have any hope of making top 2. |
Maybe. Conspiracy theory mind here.
Hes simply not bothered. Players all around him probably on wages 5 times what hes on.
Now im not saying hes going out purposely not trying. But sub consciously it must be natural to think why the fk should I bother when .... plays sht but gets £££. I can bust a gut and still get... less than him
Its got to happen it football. I know id find it hard to be around people doing the same job knowing they were on thousands more than me no matter how they performed. It wouldn't make me try harder and id probably have a fk it kinda mind | |
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