| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? 06:46 - Sep 19 with 6174 views | Len_Brennan |
Delap has had a great start for us & looks like a beast even against experienced PL defenders, but he is still young & learning the role. Hirst knows the role better & arguably provides more in the way of linking with the 3 forward players in behind, & indeed with Davis when he gets forward.
Maybe the Southampton game is still a bit early for him post-injury, but McKenna loves Hirst - he immediately favoured him over Kieffer Moore when back from injury last season, despite Kieffer having been really effective for us - so I think he may well start him, with Delap coming on as a devastating powerhouse of a sub on 60 minutes or so, by the Aston Villa game. |  | | |  |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 07:14 - Sep 19 with 5456 views | ibbleobble |
Hirst. He’s better at holding the ball up which is integral and very important at this level. Delap starts in another role but so does Hirst. [Post edited 19 Sep 2024 7:15]
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| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 07:24 - Sep 19 with 5414 views | SheffordBlue |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 07:14 - Sep 19 by ibbleobble |
Hirst. He’s better at holding the ball up which is integral and very important at this level. Delap starts in another role but so does Hirst. [Post edited 19 Sep 2024 7:15]
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Personally can't see them both starting as we need a quality 9 option off the bench when the starter begins to tire. Think it might be a bit of 'horses for courses' with which one of them starts as the 9 and which one comes off the bench. | |
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| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 07:43 - Sep 19 with 5348 views | tonybied |
I think it's worth sticking with Delap until the next international break, just to ease Hirst back in. He didn't have much of a pre-season, so I think it makes sense to build his match fitness up before starting him. After that I guess it's whoever is showing the better form. |  | | |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 08:13 - Sep 19 with 5229 views | Mercian |
Delap is the better player and I think will be first choice moving forward but Hirst has a bit of the Heskey in him which can be very useful. It depends on the circumstances. Having said that In my opinion we cannot relay on the system we played last season as we will get hammered. Again in my opinion Leeds were the best team in the division last season and they were the only team to tear us a new one and there are far better teams than them waiting for us. |  | | |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 08:19 - Sep 19 with 5192 views | DanTheMan |
Assuming equal fitness, Hirst for me for his all round play.
I could see Delap starting on the right, which looks a bit stacked. |  |
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| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 08:28 - Sep 19 with 5159 views | Dubtractor |
Hirst is the man currently most in tune with how we play. It was really noticeable how much better we were when he came on against Brighton.
That's not meant as a slight against Delap, who is probably a better all round forward, just a reflection that Hirst has been here longer and knows the system.
Needing to pick is a nice problem to have though. |  |
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| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 08:42 - Sep 19 with 5078 views | SouthfieldsBlue |
Suspect it will be horses for courses. Games where we are expecting to mostly on the counter attackz think it will be Delap, games where it will be a bit more even I think it will be Hirst. So I'd expect Hirst to start Saturday. | | | |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 08:47 - Sep 19 with 4996 views | NthQldITFC |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 07:24 - Sep 19 by SheffordBlue |
Personally can't see them both starting as we need a quality 9 option off the bench when the starter begins to tire. Think it might be a bit of 'horses for courses' with which one of them starts as the 9 and which one comes off the bench. |
Absolutely both points. Also, there's no more importance to 'starting' vs coming off the bench in this role for ITFC, whichever works best for any given game. |  |
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| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 09:11 - Sep 19 with 4851 views | BlueDouglas |
I'd love to have them both on at the same time, and see what problems they can cause Southampton.
Appreciate this will never happen and it's not the way we play. Also I know nothing about football tactics at all. |  | | |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 09:16 - Sep 19 with 4821 views | TownieRob |
If both are fit and equally up to speed, I’d see Hirst playing as the 9. He knows the system well and brings strengths that have enabled us to play our best football previously. However, I can also see Delap playing in any of the three positions behind the 9 as we have already seen how well he picks up the ball on the half-turn and drives us up the pitch. I'm pretty sure I have seen clips of him playing high wide left and right for Hull too, so it wouldnt be completely new for him. | | | |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 09:18 - Sep 19 with 4802 views | pointofblue |
Either or, depending on the opposition. Some games will suit Delap more, others Hirst. But, as said, I expect Delap to get the nod until at least the next international break as Hirst regains fitness. And if/when we bring in a third striker, I wouldn't be surprised to see Delap on the right with Hirst up front for some games. | |
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| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 09:44 - Sep 19 with 4702 views | Exiled2Surrey |
He favoured Hirst over Keiffer because he was better at doing that job - Keiffer was good in isolation, but we were better as a unit with Hirst.
I think as others have said, it is going to be horses for courses, but Delap is going to be able to absolutely bury himself in 60 minutes if we think that Hirst is there ready to come in and carry on the good work, or vice versa.
Regarding the improvement when Hirst came on on Saturday, my view is that was more to do with Clarke for Szmodics rather than Hirst for Delap. We had much more chance of getting the ball up the park with Clarke's dribbling than we did trying to play SS in behind. Again, horses for courses going forwards with that one - will be interesting to see how that one settles | | | |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 10:54 - Sep 19 with 4484 views | FelixBlue4 |
From what I have seen of Delap he gets the start. Hurst may know the role better but look how quickly Delap is improving, the best way to speed up that improvement is minutes on the pitch. Delap bullies players has pace and the one thing I worry about with Hurst is he is made of glass, great player for us and has a job at 60 minutes as a substitute.
Unfortunately it’s what happens when you evolve the squad those that are good enough will keep a place the others will become the substitute’s. If we stay in the Premier League for a few seasons all those from the last 2 seasons will be gone and they will hold a special place in our hearts but that sadly is football. | | | |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 10:56 - Sep 19 with 4454 views | FrimleyBlue |
Mix it up
When we are looking to play the attacking ipswich way, use Hirst
when we are looking to play deeper and use the counter more then delap |  |
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| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 14:07 - Sep 19 with 3940 views | ArnoldMoorhen |
If you could only start one of Paul Mariner or Dalian Atkinson, who would you pick?
I see Hirst as having many of Mariner's attributes: a good, physical Centre Forward who had very good feet and linked unselfishly.
Whereas I see Delap as being more like Atkinson: big, strong, surprisingly fast for his size and very direct.
Hirst's instinct on receiving the ball is to look for who he can feed in. Delap's is to burst towards goal. There have been times when Delap has got to the penalty area with 3 defenders around him and realised that nobody had kept up with him in support.
I am taking here about style and attributes, and not saying either are as good as either Mariner or Atkinson, yet. But I don't think it is disrespectful to mention either of them as having the potential to emulate them, with a fair wind. | | | |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 15:57 - Sep 19 with 3784 views | ArnieM |
Hirst for me. He presses really well, holds the ball up well, and brings others into play and has an almost telepathic interaction with the other forwards around him. I'd start with him.
Bring Delap on, on 70 mins. Imagine the Saints defence having to deal with his power, pace and blistering shooting when they're starting to tire! |  |
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| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 16:02 - Sep 19 with 3757 views | Zapers |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 09:11 - Sep 19 by BlueDouglas |
I'd love to have them both on at the same time, and see what problems they can cause Southampton.
Appreciate this will never happen and it's not the way we play. Also I know nothing about football tactics at all. |
Haha, made me smile. Trust me, you are not the only one who knows nothing about tactics;) | | | |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 18:28 - Sep 19 with 3554 views | MK1 |
Think I would go with Hirst. Bit harsh on Delap, but Hirst is better suited at the moment. |  |
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| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 18:30 - Sep 19 with 3542 views | TheBoyBlue |
I imagine there will be some games where McKenna will think Delap is the better fit, others where Hirst is. As we know, he doesn't really think along the lines of "this is my best striker so he'll play all the time." | |
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| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 19:13 - Sep 19 with 3450 views | viewfromtheu2 |
I'd say from what I saw at Brighton, Hirsty is quite a way from being match fit. I'd say he's probably a better starter than finisher though. Who knows |  |
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| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 07:01 - Sep 20 with 3145 views | BondiBlue |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 18:30 - Sep 19 by TheBoyBlue |
I imagine there will be some games where McKenna will think Delap is the better fit, others where Hirst is. As we know, he doesn't really think along the lines of "this is my best striker so he'll play all the time." |
Hirst for games we are more likely to have more possession and delap for games like brighton when we'll have to counter maybe. No chance hirst could have done what delap (nearly) did with that run and shot against brighton. However, delap's not shifting the ball quickly enough when asked to hold it up just yet.
But i think they'll both play every game. Just a question of who starts and who finishes. | |
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| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 07:03 - Sep 20 with 3126 views | BondiBlue |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 07:01 - Sep 20 by BondiBlue |
Hirst for games we are more likely to have more possession and delap for games like brighton when we'll have to counter maybe. No chance hirst could have done what delap (nearly) did with that run and shot against brighton. However, delap's not shifting the ball quickly enough when asked to hold it up just yet.
But i think they'll both play every game. Just a question of who starts and who finishes. |
Actually i'll correct myself here. Hirst for PERIODS OF games we are more likely to have more possession and delap for PERIODS OF games like brighton when we'll have to counter.
Because it looks like pretty much every game will involve both this season. | |
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| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 07:12 - Sep 20 with 3094 views | GlasgowBlue |
For me, Hirst brings a little more to our game. He brings the best out of our number tens which creates more goal scoring opportunities.
Delap looks stronger and more of a goal threat than Hirst..
Weighing up the two, I would start a Hirst and then bring on Delap on 60 minutes to run at tired defences. For that reason, I’d also start Szmodics and Burns, then bring on Clarke and Ogbene, [Post edited 20 Sep 2024 12:06]
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| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 11:06 - Sep 20 with 2840 views | crouchendyachtclub |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 08:13 - Sep 19 by Mercian |
Delap is the better player and I think will be first choice moving forward but Hirst has a bit of the Heskey in him which can be very useful. It depends on the circumstances. Having said that In my opinion we cannot relay on the system we played last season as we will get hammered. Again in my opinion Leeds were the best team in the division last season and they were the only team to tear us a new one and there are far better teams than them waiting for us. |
Delap definitely has a higher ceiling and is slightly flashier but I'm not sure I would say he's a better player just yet.
We get a lot out of Hirst and he's central to the way that we play. I can see Delap staking a claim for his spot towards the back end of the season once KMK has had a chance to work with him, and for specific matches prior to that but right now, I'm starting Hirst if both are fit. | | | |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 13:01 - Sep 20 with 2639 views | NthQldITFC |
| With both match fit, who is our starting centre forward, Delap or Hirst? on 07:12 - Sep 20 by GlasgowBlue |
For me, Hirst brings a little more to our game. He brings the best out of our number tens which creates more goal scoring opportunities.
Delap looks stronger and more of a goal threat than Hirst..
Weighing up the two, I would start a Hirst and then bring on Delap on 60 minutes to run at tired defences. For that reason, I’d also start Szmodics and Burns, then bring on Clarke and Ogbene, [Post edited 20 Sep 2024 12:06]
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I agree with all of those in principle, although for certain games and certain specific tactical reasons you might want to swap the orders over, e.g. Ogbene's extreme pace against a a high pressing team early on.
The 'special' case for me is the left hand side and is dependent upon Davis behind them; early in most games you'd hope Davis would be bombing on, in which case you want Szmodics playing a more 'inside' role to create space and for Davis to bounce balls off.
If Davis has tired (or against an opponent where he has to stay back more) that's when the more conventionally 'wingery' Clarke is the best option. | |
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