Wes off in Jan?

[lake district canary 4,531]

[quote user="Six Pack"]

When played correctly (something Hughton will struggle with) Hoolahan will be the different between the team playing well & getting the results and, playing well but coming up short.

Also the other players are pretty boring in comparison. Hughton needs to play him !!![/quote]

I don''t think its just Hughton  that would struggle finding a place in the team for Hoolahan.   Hoolahan can be terrific at what he does, but he doesn''t score many so is a bit wasted up front.   And in midfield he can have periods in games where he just disappears, or dithers around.   At his best he still has a role to play, but for me half our problems over the last two seasons have been the midfield mix of players.  Too many that slow the game down or are not consistent enough.    Play him, but sparingly and at targeted points in a match - and then only if the players around him compliment his style of play.  A midfield five with Johnson, Snodgrass, Hoolahan in it  - even if the other two are Fer and Howson - is limiting the attack imo.  That is why Elmander has been playing - a stronger player and able to hold the ball well.   

[JC 0]

Personally, after what was an awful and seemingly uninterested performance by Wes away at Watford I was thinking he was going to be off in January. After his performance in the match v Palace, I think he might stay until the end of the season

Agree with the above comments about utilising Elmander, whilst he has been getting some stick, ALL of the goals scored by Hooper have been with Elmander on the pitch

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="Warren Hill"]Me too...[/quote]

Bum loving from one of the select posters you crave attention from.

[Warren Hill 0]

Haven''t you got a defeat to predict or something?

Cry baby....

[nutty nigel 7,509]

Why would Wes go in January? Are we going to replace him? January signings are all well and good but they rarely hit the ground running. Becchio should stay too. If he goes we have to replace him. He''s 4th choice striker but he''s been needed in the match day squad a lot of times so far this season.

 

 

[tom cavendish 0]

[quote user="Jimmy Smith"]It wouldn''t surprise me. If Wigan lose Maloney and McMannaman etc then they might fancy him. If we can get a bit of money for him, a million or two say, then that would represent great business. Put it towards a younger replacement.

I do think he hasn''t been properly replaced yet though, there is nobody else who can unlock a deep lying stubborn defence with a bit of smart play like Wes can. We need our own Cazorla/ Mata/ Silva/ Kagawa/ Coutinho/ Pienaar/ Eriksen/ Ben Arfa.[/quote]Perhaps swap Wes in part-exchange for Callum McMannaman?

[CanaryOne 0]

Why would Wes go in January ? simple really , never was a top flight player at his peak and is now in decline .

[city4eva 207]

[quote user="Matt Juler"]He would have been great in the Premier League ten years ago when you had a lot more time on the ball, but unfortunately I believe he''s two light weight for the league as it is now.  Yes he can weave his magic, but we can''t afford to carry someone for the odd moment of brilliance. [/quote]My thougts too

[CDMullins 436]

[quote user="wcorkcanary"]Widely reported on Irish radio that Wes is off to Wigan or Forest in Jan, can anyone confirm or deny?[/quote]Linked with a move to Forest or Wigan,And some of you think he''s good enough for us.

[wcorkcanary 4,329]

I''m a Wes fan meself, being not so big and left footed too , his playing style seems right to me , having said all that, when he came on against arsenal when we''d got back into the game, he looked lightweight. Someone posted that a part ex deal for callum Mcmanananananaman would be a good move, i agree. Although he''s been a star for us the last few seasons it looks to me that that star is fading slightly, time to build again on what we have ,not sit back and stroke our (in this case) slightly aged bellies. Much as when Holt left, it would be a shame to let him go, but business is business.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="CDMullins"][quote user="wcorkcanary"]Widely reported on Irish radio that Wes is off to Wigan or Forest in Jan, can anyone confirm or deny?[/quote]Linked with a move to Forest or Wigan,And some of you think he''s good enough for us.[/quote]

Well what did u think when he was the best player on the pitch versus palace? By you''re reckoning none of the first 11 that day are good enough for us.

[lake district canary 4,531]

[quote user="CanaryOne"]Why would Wes go in January ? simple really , never was a top flight player at his peak and is now in decline .[/quote]

You can''t take away what he has achieved here.  He is a top flight player in a successful premiership team over two seasons - and a key player in both those seasons.   He has improved more than I would have thought he could, not just at the head of Lambert''s diamond, but last season too under Hughton where he was key to our unbeaten run.

 

[Buh 0]

You are negative enough with Hoolahan in the team, just imagine what you will be like when Hoolahan goes.

[Herman 9,713]

You would have sold him years ago CD to be fair.

I''m more with wcork on this. If we can get a fair price and a younger replacement I would begrudgingly wave goodbye. One of my favourite players for years so it would be a sad day.

[Rivvo 257]

I myself am a Wes fan, but as I posted on here a couple of months ago in an unrelated thread, I have heard from a ''friend of a friend'' that he is off in January. He will return to Norfolk when he retires as he''s just bought a house in Fleggburgh and his wife is a local girl but a move was definitely on the cards at that time.

I haven''t heard anything since and I''ve not heard any specific teams mentioned.

[Buh 0]

Whats going to be REALLY embarrassing is if he goes in January and a nigger deal is made about Becchio leaving than him leaving. In the same ilk as half the stadium cheering louder for Becchio than Josh Murphys home debut. A point they should feel eternally shameful for.

[Cantiaci Canary 556]

It is just SUCH a shame that he doesn''t score goals.

Personally, I wouldn''t let him leave until he wants to retire and would play him more frequently.

[Monty13 2,229]

I wouldn''t let him go, but then I would also play him more. He is one of the very few players we have who can make the difference between one point and three.

However he isn''t being played, and if our injuries hadn''t been quite so bad I wonder if he would have started any PL games. He''s still got 3 or 4 seasons of football in him and if he is not getting a look in here I would not be surprised or blame him for getting a move to a club where he would be a regular.

[Buh 0]

Wes is a great player but the thing is even if he moved I''m not sure how much game time he''d get. Whoever picks him up is going to have to change their whole formation and ethos to accommodate a 30+ year old playmaker that doesn''t score a lot of goals. At any level, that is a big risk. Can anyone see a championship team where he could just "drop in"? Wes is very nearly a top-top player, it''s a shame that he never made that transistion but also a blessing we''ve had him for so long.

[NWC 239]

[quote user="Buh"]Wes is a great player but the thing is even if he moved I''m not sure how much game time he''d get. Whoever picks him up is going to have to change their whole formation and ethos to accommodate a 30+ year old playmaker that doesn''t score a lot of goals. At any level, that is a big risk. Can anyone see a championship team where he could just "drop in"? Wes is very nearly a top-top player, it''s a shame that he never made that transistion but also a blessing we''ve had him for so long.[/quote]That''s a good post. Totally agree on all points.

[BOO 0]

I don''t want Wes to go! doubt he will! but to be honest if he ain''t playing then he is no great loss? Love the guy!

[a1canary 0]

The game today was absolutely crying out for him.

[BOO 0]

It was a1

[Monty13 2,229]

I agree, would have took Elmander off earlier and replaced him with Wes, we were completely overrun in midfield and it was crying out for someone to get their foot on the ball and retain possession. When a games crying out for him and he doesn''t get introduced you can pretty much tell his time here is coming to its end.

[a1canary 0]

I found the whole thing deeply depressing. We had the personnel to WIN that game and CH, who would probably accept that putting Wes on would given us a different and more effective threat, preferred to settle for a point. That, at the end of the day, is what divides fans about him.

[lake district canary 4,531]

[quote user="a1canary"]I found the whole thing deeply depressing. We had the personnel to WIN that game and CH, who would probably accept that putting Wes on would given us a different and more effective threat, preferred to settle for a point. That, at the end of the day, is what divides fans about him.[/quote]

We had the personnel to win the game and he was brought on - an £8m striker. I thought it was a terrific first half - very competitive from both teams.  But to bring on Hoolahan in the second half, our build up play would have been too slow.  We''ve seen it time and time again.   Snodgrass slows play down.  Johnson is not the best passer.  Hoolahan on there as well would have been made us even slower.   Also if Hoolahan had come on it would have to have been for Elmander - so  would you rather have had Hoolahan instead of RVW?    I thought it was an attacking move to bring on RVW and he needs the game time, he needs to play.   And we still won a point at the end of the day. 

[Monty13 2,229]

It was a terrific first half, but we were completely outplayed in the second, luckily Sunderland never really looked like converting any of their chances.

Yes i would rather have had Hoolahan than RVW, just because he cost 8 mil doesn''t mean he is the automatic answer to every tactical problem.

Elmander was pretty blown after a good 60 mins and we were totally failing to retain any possession for large periods of the second half, Having Wes on imo would have redressed the balance and taken some of the pressure off the defence.

What build up play? The vast majority of our build up apart from a couple of good quick breaks was either slow and ponderous or long ball?

It was a good point, but all people were stating is they think we would have had a better chance of winning if Wes was on. Hell he could have brought both on and sacrificed Redmond who was anonymous in the second half.

[OldRobert 38]

[quote user="Monty13"]I agree, would have took Elmander off earlier and replaced him with Wes, we were completely overrun in midfield and it was crying out for someone to get their foot on the ball and retain possession. When a games crying out for him and he doesn''t get introduced you can pretty much tell his time here is coming to its end.[/quote]Monty, with respect, why would you bring him on to retain possession, when one of the things he doesn''t do, is just that, retain possession.

[Monty13 2,229]

Seriously OldRobert? we''re back to the old argument of Wes loses the ball too much?

Even though yesterday in the second half our long balls were rarely successful and we were down to 30% possession you think Wes wouldn''t have improved that?

When he is on the pitch he has more passes than any other player, because he helps us retain possession, yes he loses the ball sometimes but no more really by percentage than any other player, he just sees much more of it. A team with Wes in would retain the ball much more than a 442 without Howson.

[OldRobert 38]

[quote user="Monty13"]Seriously OldRobert? we''re back to the old argument of Wes loses the ball too much?

Even though yesterday in the second half our long balls were rarely successful and we were down to 30% possession you think Wes wouldn''t have improved that?

When he is on the pitch he has more passes than any other player, because he helps us retain possession, yes he loses the ball sometimes but no more really by percentage than any other player, he just sees much more of it. A team with Wes in would retain the ball much more than a 442 without Howson.[/quote]Going to have to agree to disagree here Monty.  To use that ghastly expression, I hear where you''re coming from, but I''m afraid I''m in the, he loses the ball too much, gets shoved off the ball, and plays himself into cul de sacs, camp, and also the system has to be accommodated to enable him to play.  For me, and of course, it''s only my opinion he was excellent in the lower leagues, but not in the PL.[:)]