Replacing Hoolahan ...

[Crispy 4]

I love Hoolahan, he''s a great player to watch & over the last 4 years arguably our most talented. BUT as the title suggests I think it will be him that will get the most direct replacement this transfer window.Since Lambert took over he''s been in & out of the team ..... getting dropped for a few times in a row in League 1, Championship & now the Premier League. Lambert has even tried playing Chris Martin in his position and more recently Pilkington at QPR. Not sure what it is ... maybe his lack of strength or end product but Lambert seems reluctant to build a midfield around him.I genuinely feel Lambert will spend the biggest chunk of money he has so far on a attack minded  midfielder that will leave Wes on the sidelines.

This is in no way an attack on Wes ! Just my guess.

[mikewalker 0]

[quote user="Crispy"]I love Hoolahan, he''s a great player to watch & over the last 4 years arguably our most talented. BUT as the title suggests I think it will be him that will get the most direct replacement this transfer window.Since Lambert took over he''s been in & out of the team ..... getting dropped for a few times in a row in League 1, Championship & now the Premier League. Lambert has even tried playing Chris Martin in his position and more recently Pilkington at QPR. Not sure what it is ... maybe his lack of strength or end product but Lambert seems reluctant to build a midfield around him.I genuinely feel Lambert will spend the biggest chunk of money he has so far on a attack minded  midfielder that will leave Wes on the sidelines.

This is in no way an attack on Wes ! Just my guess.[/quote]There''s only one Wes Hoolahan pal. He''s the heartbeat of our team. See also Dave Fox. I reckon we''ll scoop up Dan Pacheco in the summer regardless of our status, I think it was only Liverpool frigging about ''loaning'' him to Athletico Madrid who then loaned him on to Vallabolitoz thats scuppered us swiping him this month. 3 club rule hintut.

[Downloads 35]

[quote user="Crispy"]I love Hoolahan, he''s a great player to watch & over the last 4 years arguably our most talented. BUT as the title suggests I think it will be him that will get the most direct replacement this transfer window.

Since Lambert took over he''s been in & out of the team ..... getting dropped for a few times in a row in League 1, Championship & now the Premier League. Lambert has even tried playing Chris Martin in his position and more recently Pilkington at QPR. Not sure what it is ... maybe his lack of strength or end product but Lambert seems reluctant to build a midfield around him.

I genuinely feel Lambert will spend the biggest chunk of money he has so far on a attack minded  midfielder that will leave Wes on the sidelines.


This is in no way an attack on Wes ! Just my guess.
[/quote]

 

Thats a funny old statement. He hasn''t been reluctant to build his team around him, HE HAS BUILT HIS TEAM AROUND HIM.

 

I don''t think Lambert loved the diamond, but he couldn''t leave Wes out. Most players get dropped by Lambert every now and then, there has barely been a match that Hoolahan hasn''t played some part in. Can''t be said for most other players. Check back on match reports and see how many times he didn''t get on the pich at all and than tell me th percentage of matches he starts.

 

Thats not to say he won''t get competition - Just didn''t agree with what you said about the player.

 

Is anyone surprised with the number of games over the Xmas period that any player gets dropped, the only difficult players to drop are the keeper and defence because they need consistency the most, but that has chopped and changed the most of all.

[judderman 0]

[quote user="Crispy"]I love Hoolahan, he''s a great player to watch & over the last 4 years arguably our most talented. BUT as the title suggests I think it will be him that will get the most direct replacement this transfer window.Since Lambert took over he''s been in & out of the team ..... getting dropped for a few times in a row in League 1, Championship & now the Premier League. Lambert has even tried playing Chris Martin in his position and more recently Pilkington at QPR. Not sure what it is ... maybe his lack of strength or end product but Lambert seems reluctant to build a midfield around him.I genuinely feel Lambert will spend the biggest chunk of money he has so far on a attack minded  midfielder that will leave Wes on the sidelines.

This is in no way an attack on Wes ! Just my guess.[/quote]I''m not sure I agree, I think Wes has been Lambert''s most important player this season as the other seasons, and he''s often created formations purely to fit Wes in (see both of the formations we''ve been playing mostly this season).He has been dropped on occasion, but I wouldn''t say he''s been in and out of the team. He''s only been dropped when Lambert isn''t playing a formation that fits Hoolahan, not because he wants another player to fit that role.

[Reggie Strayshun 0]

[quote user="Downloads"]

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Thats a funny old statement. He hasn''t been reluctant to build his team around him, HE HAS BUILT HIS TEAM AROUND HIM.

 

I don''t think Lambert loved the diamond, but he couldn''t leave Wes out. Most players get dropped by Lambert every now and then, there has barely been a match that Hoolahan hasn''t played some part in. Can''t be said for most other players. Check back on match reports and see how many times he didn''t get on the pich at all and than tell me th percentage of matches he starts.

 

Thats not to say he won''t get competition - Just didn''t agree with what you said about the player.

 

Is anyone surprised with the number of games over the Xmas period that any player gets dropped, the only difficult players to drop are the keeper and defence because they need consistency the most, but that has chopped and changed the most of all.

[/quote]

 

Spot on with that, Downloads. To suggest that PL is not a Wes fan is a bit like saying because Rooney does not start every Manyoo game, SAF wants to sideline him, or because Dzeko is not a permanent starter for MC, then Mancini wants shot of him. Dammit ,even Iniesta and Xavi do not start every Barça game !

 

The fact is that the Prem is a very different kettle of fish to other leagues, and different opposition teams call for a different response. As you say, Wes features at some stage in most games. He is a vital part of our squad , and, heaven forbid, if he got injured, you''d see a far less potent Norwich City squad, with a resultant drop in form. I''ve no doubt he''ll not figure much tomorrow , if at all, but I''m sure PL knows the importance of a fit Wes to this team.

[Canaries Canary 0]

[quote user="Crispy"]I love Hoolahan, he''s a great player to watch & over the last 4 years arguably our most talented. BUT as the title suggests I think it will be him that will get the most direct replacement this transfer window.Since Lambert took over he''s been in & out of the team ..... getting dropped for a few times in a row in League 1, Championship & now the Premier League. Lambert has even tried playing Chris Martin in his position and more recently Pilkington at QPR. Not sure what it is ... maybe his lack of strength or end product but Lambert seems reluctant to build a midfield around him.I genuinely feel Lambert will spend the biggest chunk of money he has so far on a attack minded  midfielder that will leave Wes on the sidelines.

This is in no way an attack on Wes ! Just my guess.[/quote]

Totally agree. He''s been one of the few disapointments for me this season. Just not quite Prem quality I''m afraid. There''s a good reason Trapattoni won''t look at him...

[Gingerpele 0]

He has to drop Hoolahan every now and then, because he plays the full 90 so often, and puts in maximum effort for the full 90. He must get exhausted, especially since he started running back to defend more and more. I''m sure his game didn''t used to involve such work rate.

The fact that he''s putting someone in Hoolahan''s position, means he is building the team around Hoolahan. The fact we play Hoolahan in his best role, and then have tried to fit other players into that role, shows how key Hoolahan is. If we didn''t have him, we wouldn''t play a system like that, but we do have him.

[Canary_on_the Trent 0]

I doubt Lambert will be bringing in an advanced playmaker like Wes. More likely a winger to add competition or a holding midfielder to compliment & compete with Fox/Johnson.

[Lambo 0]

Hoolahan''s been our captain in a the majority of our games this season... don''t see why he''d then be shipped out.

[Crispy 4]

I sure don''t think we will leave just someone may be brought in that will become his direct rival.

I agree Hoolahan plays a large part at the club but I don''t think Lambert depends on him as much as say Morrison, Ruddy & R. Martin.

Good point about the diamond, that''s suits Wes but I feel we would use it more often if Lambert had more faith in wes.

A change in tactics nearly always results in Wes coming off the the bench or coming off the pitch.

Anyway maybe I''m wrong ! I guess Lambert rotates quite a bit anyway so I could just be over analysing.