Conor Hourihane

[MotoMkali]

17 hours ago, Keyblade said:

And he routinely did. Sometimes I feel like people are watching a different sport than me or even at all, and just look at the stats. There's no way you can watch Conor for the past 4 years and conclude that he can do a job in the PL. 

His G+A rates in the PL were higher than all but the very elite players for a relegation battling team that is huge. 

[Keyblade]

1 hour ago, MotoMkali said:

His G+A rates in the PL were higher than all but the very elite players for a relegation battling team that is huge. 

It really doesn't matter if he's shit at everything else.

[The Fun Factory]

3 minutes ago, Keyblade said:

It really doesn't matter if he's shit at everything else.

Isn't that how moneyball works? Get other players who are better at other stuff but rubbish at others which makes them good value for money.

[Keyblade]

42 minutes ago, The Fun Factory said:

Isn't that how moneyball works? Get other players who are better at other stuff but rubbish at others which makes them good value for money.

Yeah baseball is a bit different though. The team isn't all out there playing at the same time during any given inning. Whereas all 11 players are on at the same time, and Conor actually brings the rest of the team down with his deficiencies. Players just stroll by him, he has no close control so he can't move the ball on even. It's like playing with 10 men and a few goals and assists don't make up for that.

[The Fun Factory]

43 minutes ago, Keyblade said:

Yeah baseball is a bit different though. The team isn't all out there playing at the same time during any given inning. Whereas all 11 players are on at the same time, and Conor actually brings the rest of the team down with his deficiencies. Players just stroll by him, he has no close control so he can't move the ball on even. It's like playing with 10 men and a few goals and assists don't make up for that.

The irish god of walks?

[TRO]

5 hours ago, Paul33 said:

In fairness, I'd have my neighbour's gerbil ahead of Barkley at the moment ..... and that died about six weeks ago !

with the shock of being called up to our first team.

[TRO]

49 minutes ago, Keyblade said:

Yeah baseball is a bit different though. The team isn't all out there playing at the same time during any given inning. Whereas all 11 players are on at the same time, and Conor actually brings the rest of the team down with his deficiencies. Players just stroll by him, he has no close control so he can't move the ball on even. It's like playing with 10 men and a few goals and assists don't make up for that.

yep, another one.

[Stratvillan]

I like him. Instrumental in getting us promoted, may lack the quality for the Prem. But some of the personal comments like hes a coward are ridiculous. Instead of sitting on his arse, he left to play football, which is more than Gabby etc ever did. 

[villa89]

6 hours ago, MotoMkali said:

His G+A rates in the PL were higher than all but the very elite players for a relegation battling team that is huge. 

It proves the point though, you are just looking at stats not the 90 minutes on the pitch. He's crap, doesn't matter what stats he has. 

[gaffer85]

8 minutes ago, villa89 said:

It proves the point though, you are just looking at stats not the 90 minutes on the pitch. He's crap, doesn't matter what stats he has. 

You say he is crap which stats did you get that from

[WooJung]

3 hours ago, Stratvillan said:

I like him. Instrumental in getting us promoted, may lack the quality for the Prem. But some of the personal comments like hes a coward are ridiculous. Instead of sitting on his arse, he left to play football, which is more than Gabby etc ever did. 

Played an instrumental role in keeping us up too, people like to mention Trezeguet for winning us 2 games with his goals, well Hourihane won us 2 games with his goals too (Norwich on boxing day and Newcastle 2-0 at home both scoring and assisting).

Some abuse he gets is bang out of order, whatever his limitations. 

Edited March 25, 2021 by WooJung

[sparrow1988]

16 hours ago, The Fun Factory said:

The irish god of walks?

That's Jeff Hendrick. You should see him getting substituted when Ireland are a goal up (doesn't happen often). It takes him a good minute and a half to get off the pitch.

[lexicon]

13 hours ago, Stratvillan said:

I like him. Instrumental in getting us promoted, may lack the quality for the Prem. But some of the personal comments like hes a coward are ridiculous. Instead of sitting on his arse, he left to play football, which is more than Gabby etc ever did. 

That's a fair point - I don't think there's anything wrong with him as a person (never met him, but strikes me as a decent enough guy) but he's a frustrating watch. He's fine in a team that's doing well but he's not the guy you need when you're up against it. As a CM, most of the time you need to either have an defending or attacking inclination, or be well-rounded enough to do both. Unfortunately, he certainly doesn't offer anything defensively and as for the attack, he can cap a move off with a finish - but he's neither technical nor fast, so he's not contributing to build-up play. As I think I've said before, he has to be carried in a team and he just doesn't offer enough to justify it. 

[lapal_fan]

Conor suffered in the position we played him, as an out and out midfielder.  He's much better at "doing a Lampard" because he times his runs into the box really well and he's very composed in the opponents area. 

The thing Conor suffered(s) with in the Prem is the speed, because he's not too pacey unfortunately (faster than I'll ever be though!).  

I really like Conor, but we didn't do him too many favours last year, playing him as a CM when as a team we very rarely dominated the ball.  

Regardless of what happens in the summer, I wish the guy every success and will always remember him (and some of his awesome goals (Blues, Baggies, Norwich)) very fondly!! 

[lexicon]

49 minutes ago, lapal_fan said:

Conor suffered in the position we played him, as an out and out midfielder.  He's much better at "doing a Lampard" because he times his runs into the box really well and he's very composed in the opponents area. 

The thing Conor suffered(s) with in the Prem is the speed, because he's not too pacey unfortunately (faster than I'll ever be though!).  

I really like Conor, but we didn't do him too many favours last year, playing him as a CM when as a team we very rarely dominated the ball.  

Regardless of what happens in the summer, I wish the guy every success and will always remember him (and some of his awesome goals (Blues, Baggies, Norwich)) very fondly!! 

I think that's doing a massive disservice to Lampard as a player - he was much better on the ball, could hold his own in the midfield battles etc. Just a much, much better player.

[lapal_fan]

4 minutes ago, lexicon said:

I think that's doing a massive disservice to Lampard as a player - he was much better on the ball, could hold his own in the midfield battles etc. Just a much, much better player.

He's definitely a budget version - but I'm comparing him against one of the best midfielders of the Prem era, more stylistically than directly. 

[villa89]

16 hours ago, gaffer85 said:

You say he is crap which stats did you get that from

expected Stephen Ireland's, or Ex. RIP Grannny as it's usually known.

[VillaChris]

On 23/03/2021 at 09:50, T2CSCFC said:

Hourihane has been an unmitigated disaster for us (Swansea) and that view is almost universally held now

I've never seen a pro footballer who can't even run let alone tackle. Since he's come in he's completely unbalanced the side and lost all energy or zip. His close control is very poor and he hides every game. The odd free kick doesn't go anywhere near enough to compensate for all that.

 

Also think he didn't fancy it one bit v Cardiff and couldn't wait to get off. Please take him back.

Oh dear, there was me thinking you'd buy him for 5 or 6m if you went up!

[MotoMkali]

21 hours ago, villa89 said:

It proves the point though, you are just looking at stats not the 90 minutes on the pitch. He's crap, doesn't matter what stats he has. 

Yes it absolutely does. A relegation battling team will always be struggling for control of a game. Having a player who can get a goal or assist against the run of play is huge for those teams. There is a reason him playing was the best indicator of points behind Heaton and Wesley last season. He was 3rd in points per game.

That is big for a team that lacks quality or incision. He shit houses wins and draws which again is key when yiu are in a bad run of form like we are now or when you are battling relegation.

 

[T2CSCFC]

On 25/03/2021 at 06:17, useless said:

In the thirteen games that Hourihane has played for Swansea they've taken twenty-three points, in the thirteen games before he joined them they took twenty-seven points.

so it's not as if they've had a massive drop off in form with him in the side, who's to say their form wouldn't have dropped off even more if they hadn't have signed him.

At the start of the season they also took twenty-three points from their first thirteen games, so with him in the side they've been going along more or less pretty much as they have been all season, in fact they've average slightly more points per game since they signed Hourihane than they did for the rest of the season previous to signing him.

He's already their third top goal score having played less than half the amount of games than most of their other players

It may not have translated into points yet then if those figures are correct, but I'm guessing you've seen the stat on how many goals we'd conceded with and without him. That's a noticeable increase. And you also have to remember the luck we've had in recent games. 2 last kick penalties and I mean last kick - 95.50 and 93.50 on the clock respectively - both kinda questionable and the one against Boro, in that game we were diabolical. 

We've lost 4 games in that 13 game run as well 

We'd lost 4 before Hourihane in 24 games. 

But I can't believe I'd have to even explain to you guys what he's like, you've seen enough of him. You must know the boy can't run or tackle. That was as clear as day the first game he played in the Cup for us. But then he pinged one in from the touchline against Brentford, another outside-the-area against the league leaders and then, all of a sudden, you think, well maybe we've got to compensate somehow for him...

But as the games have passed and as our midfield has become more and more non existent then it's time to call a spade a spade. The boy will always get goals and assists I would guess. There's no sane man on the planet that doesn't marvel at his dead balls and his shooting - that's real quality. But the lack of energy, speed, desire, grit, steel and touch isn't there. 

And it's only so long you can blag getting the points on the board with the way we've been playing. We haven't been a great watch all season and be very aware of all the plaudits Cooper is getting, he's ruined our football and it's all been about Jose Mourinho pragmatism. The fan base has put up with Cooper because we've been getting results but Cooper is another one that divides opinion. 

But I just can't quite get my head around how Hourihane does. But one thing I will guarantee you, forget any dreams of him in the Premier League. I'd be betting every team that plays you if you start him again. 

For what it's worth on Barkley - he ruined us so many times when we were up, he's a quality player and whilst I haven't seen that much of Villa or him recently, in the early part of the season I thought him and Grealish looked like they were enjoying themselves and enjoyed playing together. I thought it was a good move for Barkley. Him, McGinn, Grealish, Watkins made the Villa a good watch on tv. 

All the best for the remaining part of the season.