Boyd and Hemdani

[Super_Ally 0]

Boyd was poor playing as the lone striker on Thursday night true. But more often than not Hemdani was absolutely gash at CB but is given dispensation as he was being played out of position.

 

Well I would argue that Boyd is not being played in his correct position when it is as a lone striker, so why do I read so much abuse for him re: this performance and yet Hemdani will prob win POTY? Surely it is Walter we should be looking at for this mistake?

[ascender 352]

I don't think Hemdani's done too badly at centre half when he's been asked to play there. The difference is that Boyd is a striker, but Hemdani is a midfielder being asked to play at centre half in a league where he's just not suited to the task.

 

The decision to play Boyd on his own up front was a very strange one. I'm not sure if it was down to the other striking options being limited or the fact he wanted to play 5 midfielders. I thought most of the team were absolutely terrible last week and while Hemdani drew the plaudits, it wasn't that he was getting great praise, just that he was the best of a bad bunch. I think most of the players got slaughtered in the press and most places did mention that the formation did Boyd no favours at all.

 

Hemdani's goal and his willingness to get forward despite being saddled with a very defensive position was one of the only plus points for us. He also showed yet again that he is a class above many of the other players with his touch and how comfortable he is on the ball. I've said it before, but if he had more of a final product to his game and was being allowed to play in a more free and attacking role, I think he'd be getting talked about as one of the best players in the SPL.

 

I'm giving Walter the benefit of the doubt just now as he's got his work cut out for him. Coming in halfway through a disastrous season I think he's doing well considering what he's inherited. Besides, once the players cross the line, there's only so much he can do. Those players were abysmal on Thursday night and while WS could maybe have changed things around, he didn't exactly have many options on the bench.

 

The main thing for me since WS took over is that he took immediate steps to sort out our defensive problems. These were problems which were obvious to every fan for the last 2 or 3 years, but which two other managers didn't seem that concerned about. That in itself was a massive step in the right direction, but the real test will come in the summer when we'll see what his long term plans are for the club. But that's a whole other discussion.

[Super_Ally 0]

Good response mate. Still think I have a point re: some players getting away without criticism and others taking an unfair amount.

 

Only grip I have with your post is about Hemdani being given more freedom.

 

I may be wrong, but I beleive it is an unwillingness on his part to cross teh half way line and make forward passes or shoot (2 key goals aside). Which is odd, as when he does come forward, he can be effective.

 

Maybe on weds, with Barry out, Thomson will sit in and we will see if Hemdani is held back by the managers or if it is his style of play.

[buster 0]

Walter has to be the one stick is aimed at for thursday.

He got it horribly wrong playing Boyd on his own and that knowing full well the weaknesses of KB�´s game.

Playing Hemdani, Thomson and Ferguson together didn�´t work either, they get in each other�´s way.

 

The other thing was that he didn�´t change things until H-T and Prso didn�´t join Boyd until later still.

 

Boyd was doing his impression of a bag of cement but hey he�´s good against the wee teams so better not critizise his unprofessionalism too much :admin:

 

Hemdani seems a class act in Scotland because the sad truth is that there are far too many footballers in this country who aren�´t particularly good at the basics of the game such as first touch, passing to a player with the same colour jersey, etc....why practise that when you could enjoy a pint and a game of snooker

[pete 2,499]

Sorry Ally i agree with most of your posts but this is a cheap snide remark about Hemdani,to try and make Boyd look better. Hemdani has been class in most of the games he has played in this year and it is not his fault that there is pressure on Boyd. I do not blame Boyd for his performance on Thursday it was mostly the decisions of our manager that was to blame. Boyd can't play a lone striker, it is not his forte. If we want to play a lone striker it has to be Prso. Why the hell we needed to play a lone striker in a home game against mediocre opposition i will never know.

[Gribz 743]

Agree with Pete here, Hemdani cant be slated at all this season. When he has played centre half in european games he has strolled it, but its the rough and tumble of the SPL that makes him look like he struggles in those games - but even then I cant see where the original point came from.

 

The problem with Hemdani is he is 2 yards short of pace. Had he had that extra quicker feet then who knows what he could do. But technically he is the best player we have along with Prso.

 

I also would like to see him given more duties to go forward.

 

As for Boyd, ive said my piece on him. I want to see Sebo or Novo play instead of him. These guys will run all day, and if we are to play negative with 1 upfront it should be 1 of those 2.

 

The more i think of it I wouldnt mind seeing Novo and Sebo both start against Celtic.

[Hurlock 0]

I think Hemdani was the only player other than Burke willing to move forward at pace on Thursday night, the rest of the players including an extremely lazy Boyd just stood still and waited for the ball to come to them which is useless against a Spanish side who are capable of more than that.

 

Today against Celtic I sincerely hope the rest of the players stand up and be counted, moving constantly off the ball to give the guy with the ball options. I don't want a repeat of Thursday night, it was like watching Scotland get tanned 5-0 by France under Bertie Vogts !

[ascender 352]

Good response mate. Still think I have a point re: some players getting away without criticism and others taking an unfair amount.

 

Only grip I have with your post is about Hemdani being given more freedom.

 

I may be wrong, but I beleive it is an unwillingness on his part to cross teh half way line and make forward passes or shoot (2 key goals aside). Which is odd, as when he does come forward, he can be effective.

 

Maybe on weds, with Barry out, Thomson will sit in and we will see if Hemdani is held back by the managers or if it is his style of play.

 

Its been like that all season though, particularly where some of the Scottish lads have been concerned. McGregor and Hutton have taken a lot of stick, much of it undeserved. We should be supporting all our players, not constantly knocking them.

 

That's exactly what's confusing me about Hemdani, I don't know if its his unwillingness to get forward or if he's under manager instructions not to go forward, to leave that to Fergie.

[Super_Ally 0]

Sorry Ally i agree with most of your posts but this is a cheap snide remark about Hemdani,to try and make Boyd look better. Hemdani has been class in most of the games he has played in this year and it is not his fault that there is pressure on Boyd. I do not blame Boyd for his performance on Thursday it was mostly the decisions of our manager that was to blame. Boyd can't play a lone striker, it is not his forte. If we want to play a lone striker it has to be Prso. Why the hell we needed to play a lone striker in a home game against mediocre opposition i will never know.

 

It wasn't meant as a sly dig at Hemdanim, just something i'm always confused about, and it seems you agree with me to an extent. WS picked the wrong line up and asked Boyd to play a way that doesn't suit him, so I wish people would lay off.

[CammyF 6,782]

Hendami has been one of our best players this season whether playing in defence or in midfield.

 

Cammy F