I'm not sure, when he's on it he's easily good enough for a lower EPL side. Inconsistency is his largest fault, but he's been far more consistent this season. He's not got dazzling technique, but he's strong and brave to put it to use and not scared of getting hurt, which usually ends up achieving the same as skill, short of banging them in to the top corner from 30 yards. Two footed anarl. Not sure what else you want from him to be honest.
People say he's not skilled, but who's involved in more goals out of Huddlestone and Meyler? Yes he doesn't have the technical ability in terns of fancy touches and long passes. But he doesn't mess up in front of goal and that's bloody important.
Isn't the transfer window shut? He needs to get his Head down and get Hull back into the Premier League, apart from a few glimpses this season, he hasn't looked like a prem player to me! What is there? 3 months until thereabouts ends he just needs to man up and get playing, and prove that he is prem quality!
Would he be a better fit further forward instead of a deeper midfield role? He doesn't have a great pass on him, but he has a good finish in him.
My frustration about the Burnley game wasn't really about the players, it was about the substitutions. Players, like Akpom, have been flattered by some poor opposition, Burnley were not poor. A dogged one point, away from home, against our bogey team was a realistic expectation; a snatched win a bonus. At 73 minutes we had the ball and the dominance; we had developed our defence high, as it should be, there was always a chance of a goal. Even when Diane does not look stand- out he is doing a job of containment, just by presence, and threat; Abel much the same, but livelier. Taking them both off was just daft and way beyond needless, it changed the whole balance of our team. Burnley recognised that and exploited it pretty damn quick. Diame takes a lot of flack, but he is high in quality if benchmarked in the Championship, not too shoddy in the lower PL either. Abel has shown his threat, Aluko has shown the opposite and Akpom, well, he scored a hat trick, didn't he. Why Bruce felt compelled to make those substitutions, I have no idea, but I do know the outcome was not unexpected to many of us wannabe managers, it still makes no sense after reading all of the rather weak defence of it on here. Fine margins seem to be Bruce's way, when we should we using country miles. Are there any injuries reported from the game?
Replacing Diame was the correct decision, he had a really poor game, it was just taking off Hernandez that was the mistake.
We were certainly starting to dominate the game in the 2nd half. However the pivotal moment for me was Hernandez missed header, if we had scored that then I think we would have gone on to win the game. I have to agree with OLM taking Diame off was the right move, but Hernandez should have stayed and Akpom on for Diame, those 2 would have occupied Burnley and would have kept up our momentum in the game.
It was close game that could have gone either way, both teams competed well in bloody awful conditions. I'm just glad we only have to go to Burnley once every season. It might be on my doorstep but generally its one the worse days out football wise, and apart from Quinny scoring a winner in one, its generally a ground we come away with nothing from.
He doesn't play a deep midfield role. He's normally the one closing down in the opposition half and making runs into the box. Football Manager and FIFA might have him down as a holding midfielder but that's not how he plays for us.
I agree, watching it during the game I thought he should have scored. Having now watched it again on the highlights it hasn't changed my mind.
Diame appeared to take the hump and lose interest after he was told to remove the snood. ffs, it was wet more than cold. Hernandez was a coin toss for me and I can see why Bruce did what he did. Abel missed in front of goal from 6 yards out and it just looked like one of those days for him. At Blackburn though Hernandez will start but Diame wont. imho.
Nah i said get Meyler in for Blackburn Brucey. He just gave this cheeky little grin, but he knows dont worry. I fully expect Meyler to play on Satdee. Otherwise I'm in the Bob camp...
Mmmm. Except many on here seem to view him as one of those "effort" players who's best attribute is his work rate. I always thought of him as a tackling midfielder who hangs back and tries to win the ball for us, rather than a more advanced player, but with his ability to score goals, he might be more effective as a more attacking midfielder. Either way, I find him annoyingly inconsistent, but when he's on form he's got to be in the first team at this level. I don't think he has enough quality and consistency to be a regular Premier League player, but he can do a job for us in a pinch.
