I've said this from the start. Given the chance, Hogan could do well at Premiership level. He struggled with the more physical side to the Championship, there's no denying that, but that extra bit of time and space I believe would suit Hogan down to the ground. Warnock gave Mackie a chance, and look what happened. In my eyes I think Neil's been a little too harsh on Ephraim.
I don't think he is a PL player. He will be outstanding with a confident Charlton side, but remember he couldn't hold down a place last season and we are well beyond that level now...
Did he get much of a chance last season? In my opinion, he didn't. I believe he can play in the PL as he has that little bit of extra time and space on the ball(see Ben Watson), and his pace would be a threat to defenders.
He started 19 league matches, including the first 14 in a row, I reckon that is giving him a pretty good chance. I can't see him making it in the Premier League, those big, nasty defenders would just push him off the ball.
19 league matches? Forgive me, I didn't think it was that many. But there is an argument to say starting 19 league matches in the season we won the league, so he couldn't have been doing much wrong. It's a common misconception that you have to be 'big' or 'strong' in the modern game to succeed and not get 'pushed off the ball' as well, the likes of Messi, Neymar etc (could name many more) are all very slight blokes yet cope absolutely fine.
In my opinion Ephraim started last season like a house on fire and scored on of my favourite goals of that campaign against Middlesbrough. He then got sussed and was regularly bullied into anonymous performances and really should have been dropped before he was. Smith provided the team with a lot more from there on in and kick started the season again. As for the slighter built players, there will be a lot more examples of those with talent that did not make the grade than those that did.
