Ola or Hooper?

[norfolkboyjay 0]

Just a thought, who would you rather see playing for us next season... i wouldn''t know tbh as i dont know a great deal about either or. but i would like to know peoples thoughts?

[jedi 0]

Do they not play in separate positions?

[norfolkboyjay 0]

well i don''t know, i thought the talk is ola is a fwd as is hooper?

perhaps i''m wrong...

[grdean 0]

It''s a tough one. If we hadn''t bought RVW I would definitely prefer getting Hooper but they seem to both be out and out strikers. However, we seem to be shifting, like most clubs, to having one striker so perhaps spending big on two wouldn''t be wise.

One might think that Hooper would put more effort in than Toivonen who openly admitted that he doesn''t watch the Premier League and barely knows Norwich.

On the other hand I''m sure Toivonen would well be a professional and put 100% in, in which case I think he might be the best option

[grdean 0]

[quote user="jedi"]Do they not play in separate positions?[/quote]

From what I''ve heard Ola can play as a striker or play just behind (similar to Hoolahan) which is his most common position

[jedi 0]

Oh right, I know very little about ola and have never seen him play.

[iron_stan 0]

both

[Salopian 1]

Difficult choice, - depends what we are looking for.

If we want a player who can score goals, but also contributes in the build-up, so is creative as well as scoring, I would have to go for Ola.

If you want someone who will get in position and convert a high proportion of chances, you would have to go for Hooper.

 

My own feeling is that Hooper is too much like RvW, but probably not as good, whereas Ola provides variety, he''s a big man with pace and is not easily knocked off the ball. I would go for Ola.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

Ola. Looks technically much better than the overrated hooper.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

Plus Ola has done it in a better league and on the international stage. The obsession with hooper astounds me. I honestly believe Simeon Jackson is a better player. He himself would score for fun in the SPL.

[Mervmeister 18]

Hooper

[Jonzey 0]

[quote user="lincoln canary"]Plus Ola has done it in a better league and on the international stage. The obsession with hooper astounds me. I honestly believe Simeon Jackson is a better player. He himself would score for fun in the SPL.[/quote]I know the Scottish League has gone down hill badly over the last few years. But even so you can''t write a player off because he plays in it.Gary Hooper always looks a different class in that Celtic side, one you must remember beat Barcelona very recently. He has great touch, he''s clinical and has a knack of being in the right place. And his strike rate over the last five seasons in immense. 106 goals in 175 games. Why should he not be able to make the step up to the Premier League based on this? From what I''ve seen and heard in my research on Toivonen he sounds decent, but he''s never set the world alight. Some say he goes missing more often than not, there are rumours of attitude problems, some say he is the worst Swedish international ever to don their yellow shirt. Others disagree and say he''s massively undervalued at €5mill. I''ve only ever seen him play once, the other night vs Faroe Islands, but he looked decidedly average before being subbed. His Youtube reels aren''t great either.In summary, I''d sign Hooper over Toivonen.But I''d rather see Defoe here (albeit with a huge pay cut).

[Hoshke1 2]

A lot of people here seem to think Ola Toivonen is a midfielder. He is a forward who drops deep to link up the play. In terms of comparable City strikers, I would suggested he compares to a more naturally gifted Chris Martin.

I don''t think of Chris Martin as a midfielder for one moment, though upon our arrival in the premier league many on this board considered him a rival for Wes''s spot in the side.

[Hoshke1 2]

Despite James Nursey''s constant speculation regarding our continued interest in Hooper, I strongly suspect that Hughton will be looking to employ the same system next season.

This does not allow room for two front line strikers (RvW & Hooper). They would operate in the same areas and compromise each others goalscoring ability. I don''t think that either would accept being a backup to the other.

Ola is a cut price second striker with a decent goalscoring record from deep and a good track record of assisting goals.

As a large proportion of our goals come from headers and more precisely set pieces, Toivonen is attractive due to his substantial size and aerial threat.

[Hoshke1 2]

BTW I did not mean to imply that I though Chris Martin was more naturally gifted than Ola Toivonen. He has found his level as a squad player in the championship.

[Tak 0]

[quote user="Hoshke1"]A lot of people here seem to think Ola Toivonen is a midfielder. He is a forward who drops deep to link up the play. In terms of comparable City strikers, I would suggested he compares to a more naturally gifted Chris Martin. I don''t think of Chris Martin as a midfielder for one moment, though upon our arrival in the premier league many on this board considered him a rival for Wes''s spot in the side.[/quote]

Toivonen has started many games for PSV and Sweden as a central midfielder - he is comfortable playing anywhere from there forward. I imagine Hughton sees him as a second striker behind RvW supplying knock downs and through balls, but if need be he can push further forward to allow Hoolahan to play also.

 

 

[Jonzey 0]

[quote user="Tak"]

Toivonen has started many games for PSV and Sweden as a central midfielder - he is comfortable playing anywhere from there forward. I imagine Hughton sees him as a second striker behind RvW supplying knock downs and through balls, but if need be he can push further forward to allow Hoolahan to play also.

 [/quote]

That''s a good call, the smaller more nimble RVW playing off the bigger Toivonen.

But that does imply we will be playing even more like Stoke, pumping long balls up to the big guy or focusing on set plays.

Where this breaks down as a theory is that Toivonen has specifically stated he wants to play for a team who play football on the ground, not long ball.

[Tak 0]

[quote user="Jonzey"][quote user="Tak"]

Toivonen has started many games for PSV and Sweden as a central midfielder - he is comfortable playing anywhere from there forward. I imagine Hughton sees him as a second striker behind RvW supplying knock downs and through balls, but if need be he can push further forward to allow Hoolahan to play also.

 [/quote]

That''s a good call, the smaller more nimble RVW playing off the bigger Toivonen.

But that does imply we will be playing even more like Stoke, pumping long balls up to the big guy or focusing on set plays.

Where this breaks down as a theory is that Toivonen has specifically stated he wants to play for a team who play football on the ground, not long ball.

[/quote]

 

If you are going the Stoke way you would want two big strikers, both very capable in the air. I wouldn''t imagine the powers that be knew about Toivonen''s preferance for playing on the ground until he mentioned it the other day.

 

Having him play up front or just off a striker would mean that longer, direct balls are an option, RvW and Hoolahan together would probably mean that isn''t an option.

 

[Militant Canary 0]

I see the brain trust is out in force today.