Hudd!

[Davo99]

Thinking in the Parker and Sandro thread about how the team will mainly set up, unless we're having it pretty bad with injuries and players out, there doesn't seem to be much room for Tommy all that much to be honest. I feel that's a great shame as I really rate Huddlestone. What I don't get is why we are bidding loads for an out-of-contract Gary Cahill when we potentially have a great centre-half of our own already in the big man.

He's young, he has the size and strength, he can play the ball really well and has played there quite often in the past when stepping in to the role seamlessly. Apparently there is a need for a centre-half at the Club, too. In the long term, if King isn't back to getting the majority of a season in and with Gallas at 34, we'll potentially be left with Kaboul, Caulker, Dawson Bassong and Huddlestone in defence (providing Seb stays). That's not bad if he trains there and maybe gets a chance in the side there at some point. He could stake his place for a role there. I think Hudd is capable of being a versatile, yet potentially very important player for us.

I hope he can make the transition as he a player I like a lot but if not I don't really see him getting much of a look in here games-wise barring an injury crisis. I think he's better than that and will most likely look to leave after too long. Who knows, eh? :shrug:

 

[C0YS]

He will get plenty of games, he is now our 4th CM and realistically could fight for a place, as long as he is happy with that no reason to change things.

Mind I would not be against him being given a chance at CB, he turns that position into an offensive outlet against the weaker sides.

 

[beats1]

Once hudd gets back on his feet and out of this rut I fully expect him to be playing alot and maybe him playing in a 4-3-3

 

[NickHSpurs]

Harry really rates Tommy, as do I, in the past couple of seasons he's played every time he's fit. Him and Luka are a decent combination in the centre and seem to do a good job together.

He'll still get plenty of game time, I reckon we'll see two of Parker/Hudd/Sandro away from home quite a bit allowing us to rest Rafa/Luka if need be.

 

[Stavrogin]

There's one thing people don't seem to acknowledge - although Sandro himself was excellent during the second half of last season, there was never an occasion when we got into a good rhythm, where results and performances were smooth and impressive.

As soon as Huddlestone returned from injury and went straight back into the side (despite being, as we now know, barely fit) there was an immediate fillip in results, goals scored and overall play. We've not yet seen a midfield combination that appears better/as functional as Huddlestone/Modric or Huddlestone/Palacios.

I wouldn't be that confident that, from all the possible permutations, the best midfield system wouldn't include Huddlestone.

 

[kernowspur]

Sandro and Parker with Modric in front of them has got to be the first choice. I am constantly amazed by the number of people on here who believe Hudd is good enough to walk into the team. He is a good squad player but has serious limitations in terms of speed and mobility. His defence splitting passes are few and far between and he rarely scores, but that last has been a continual problem with most of our CMs.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

There's one thing people don't seem to acknowledge - although Sandro himself was excellent during the second half of last season, there was never an occasion when we got into a good rhythm, where results and performances were smooth and impressive.

As soon as Huddlestone returned from injury and went straight back into the side (despite being, as we now know, barely fit) there was an immediate fillip in results, goals scored and overall play. We've not yet seen a midfield combination that appears better/as functional as Huddlestone/Modric or Huddlestone/Palacios.

I wouldn't be that confident that, from all the possible permutations, the best midfield system wouldn't include Huddlestone.

Except that's not quite true is it. In 09-10 we actually notched up our most consecutive sequence of wins immediately after Hudd got injured against Everton, winning 4 straight league games. His return game was Portsmouth in the FA Cup, followed by Arsenal in the league, both games he was dire.

Last season our points tally (and I would say performances, marginally) improved immediately when Hudd got injured, I posted them on here. We went on a ten game unbeaten run (all comps) including Arsenal away, Liverpool. Eventually (February) our form just plain dipped. On Hudd's first game back (Stoke home, April) we did win, but then continued to fail to win for a further 6 games.

All of which doesn't support your assessment.

 

[Spurger King]

I've thought about the idea of Hudd as a centre-back before. It would allow him to spread the passes around, and it would mean his lack of pace is slightly (though only slightly) less of an issue.

However he can't tackle...or at least he can't tackle at the level of a premiership defender.

 

[Mr Pink]

Hudd needs to regain proper match fitness and until he does that he shouldn't even be on the bench.

If he does manage to get that back he'll be very useful back up and a great sub to come on at home if we need to go for the jugular.

I expect him to play all Europa League, Carling and FA cup games if fit...in addition to filling in the League due to injuries and tactical substitutions.

He'll get plenty of games.

 

[chrissivad]

I've thought about the idea of Hudd as a centre-back before. It would allow him to spread the passes around, and it would mean his lack of pace is slightly (though only slightly) less of an issue.

However he can't tackle...or at least he can't tackle at the level of a premiership defender.

Please dont think about it again

Hudd needs to regain proper match fitness and until he does that he shouldn't even be on the bench.

Agree he should play in the reser.... oh

so how do you get match fitness when you shouldn't even make the bench?

 

[Mr Pink]

Please dont think about it again





Agree he should play in the reser.... oh

so how do you get match fitness when you shouldn't even make the bench?

Ok, lets look at it another way....Hudd has had plenty of games to rid the rustiness etc yet it still looks pretty evident that he isn't 100 fit.

However, to answer your question, if he is declared fit to play by our medical staff he should get his match fitness back by playing in Cup games, particularly the CC and EL, and build up fitness that way...certainly not at the expense of games in the League when fully fit wouldn't be first choice anyway.

 

[chrissivad]

he should be looking sharper,but isn't, agree on that.

They way it looked, it read that he shouldn't play untill he is match fit and then get the cup games. There will be a few along with Hudd that will have the cup games to keep fitness up incase/when they are called on for the first team.

 

[Black]

I'm glad harry rates hudd better than most of you do

The fact that he is playing him and knows that hes not 100% says a lot

 

[kernowspur]

I'm glad harry rates hudd better than most of you do

The fact that he is playing him and knows that hes not 100% says a lot

Yes it does - it says Harry has his favourites.

 

[stevenqoz]

Sandro is a potentially good player who has had some good games for us. He has significantly less experience in the EPL than Huddlestone and at the moment is even further from being fit than Huddlestone. Options are good and Harry knows that at a push he can tell Modric to go left if need be. Sandro, Modric, Parker, Huddlestone, Lennon and Bale are all easier to accomodate in our side than VDV imo. It will be interesting to see what Harry does if we put a few wins together before VDV is fit to come back.

 

[ultimateloner]

Over hyped and over-rated; probably better as an impact sub in the 2nd half when the opposition has less gas to track him.

 

[SpurSince57]

Except that's not quite true is it. In 09-10 we actually notched up our most consecutive sequence of wins immediately after Hudd got injured against Everton, winning 4 straight league games. His return game was Portsmouth in the FA Cup, followed by Arsenal in the league, both games he was dire.

Last season our points tally (and I would say performances, marginally) improved immediately when Hudd got injured, I posted them on here. We went on a ten game unbeaten run (all comps) including Arsenal away, Liverpool. Eventually (February) our form just plain dipped. On Hudd's first game back (Stoke home, April) we did win, but then continued to fail to win for a further 6 games.

All of which doesn't support your assessment.

Was our failure to win down to the Hudd, or the fact that only Bolton, Wigan and West Ham needed more chances to score than us?

 

[KeaneIsKeane]

Tom Huddlestone just doesn't seem like a player who should be playing in the midfield at the top level. He's skillful to a degree, but there is just far too much space to cover or exploit in the center of the pitch for him to be as effective as someone who is less skillful, but more athletic. It's really the same reason Niko can't play in the midfield. Someone mentioned him as a CB and I'd be curious to see it more often, but I'm not convinced either. I think he is a good player, but not a top player. I realize that it is rather absurd, but it'd be fun to watch him play striker in a 4-4-2 in Europe. He's strong and rather a calm/clean striker of the ball in all situations. I'm not saying he'd be a certain success there because I have no idea how his movement would be and how his lack of pace would effect him there. I also don't know if his strength translate to him being able to play with his back to goal at all. So it's a huge jump in logic, but like I said it'd be fun to just see once in Europe.

 

[Damian99]

Except that's not quite true is it. In 09-10 we actually notched up our most consecutive sequence of wins imm
ediately after Hudd got injured against Everton, winning 4 straight league games. His return game was Portsmouth in the FA Cup, followed by Arsenal in the league, both games he was dire.

About as meaningless as me telling you we kept more clean sheets last season with Dawson, as opposed to without.

Lost count the amount of times you have contradicted yourself in order to argue your own opinions.


I want to know who the ref was, what the weather was like and in which direction the wind was blowing during that sequence of results.

 

[sloth]

Huddlestone's decent enough and if it weren't for his body-type (the opposite of a Messi, top heavy makes him "one-directional" (that could almost be a Pleatism), he'd be an extremely useful player.

He is what he is though and that is cultured on the ball. But because he can ping a ball as sweet as anyone, he tries it too much and the likes of Modric get bypassed and the team loses rhythm imo. His vision at close quarters isn't great and he likes to pass it to the flank, get it back, pass it to the other flank, get it back, then go for the Quarter-Back pass to an onrushing winger.

Partly it's the team's fault (and in particular Harry's) I'm sure, for not making the little runs and angles off the ball that the top teams do. But partly it's a failing of Huddlestone's too.

When we don't have the ball having a him as the sitting CM becomes an unaffordable luxury, the reason being that imo he simply can't press. If he tries to harry them by getting tight they'll just roll him or side-step him and he get's bypassed. To make up for this he instead stands-off.

Unfortunately no stat will really show this up. They show he gets his fair share of tackles and interceptions, but, to steal some rugby terminology (you can tell who's been watching the World Cup), there's several phases of possession and there's turnover ball. The optimum is to restrict the opposition's possession and turnover their ball as soon and as often as possible. With Huddlestone in the side we end up marking space much more and allowing the opposition a more trouble free possession relying on them making an error rather than forcing the issue. With a Palacios, Sandro or Parker, we press the opposition and force the turn-over.

For me though there's a good place for Huddlestone in the squad, he should be an ever-present in the CC team and the Europa Cup and a useful stand-in if one of the main guys gets injured.

My main concern squad-wise this year is the back-up to Adebayour. If he gets injured we're in a bit of trouble. I'm really hoping we've a secret deal to sign Damiao in January, if not I'd love us to sign a Zamora type understudy. Not someone for the main team necessarily but who can do a job in the CC / Europa cup teams and back-up Adebayour if we get an injury. It's a gettable type player who we sign while we're trying for the Llorente's of this world.