Thanks to you he will inspire Hull to a victory against us now.
Always rated him very highly. His passing is brilliant. Was a moment yesterday when he received the ball quite hard on the half volley and he calmly flicked it around straight to the feet of their winger.
They are the only side playing the kind of system that can accommodate a player who is as slow as a 34 year old Pirlo.How can he only be playing for Hull City?.....
They are the only side playing the kind of system that can accommodate a player who is as slow as a 34 year old Pirlo.
I believe even he is faster than Huddlestone ....Yet Gareth Barry can play for Everton!...
And it was against Fulham..who have been largely insipid. I'd like to see Bruce try it against a more aggressive outfit. For I'm a huge fan of Huddlestone. But his lack of pace consistently works against him, both at club and international Level. That is why a Spurs could dare let a player of his natural talent go....Also, today they changed system and played 442 and Bruce said it was as good a performance as he can remember having seen...
You seemed to think I said he lacked quality. I never did...Besides, Redknapp was the manager. He picked Huddlestone for his football skills. He wasn't the type to pick pace over ability...... Also when Spurs qualified for the CL he played in a 2 man central midfield with Modric.
True. Remember, I never said he can't defend. I said he is extremely slow. Two totally different things....There are also two sides to the game and I don't see how the system explains his defensive stats. For example, he made 7 tackles against us. Today he made 5 interceptions. These are ball winning stats the best DM would be proud of
Huddlestone is the epitome of letting the ball do all the work. He is a good game reader too in defensive play. But in a league like the EPL, faster players will always be preferred over him at most clubs. Which is most unfortunate. Personally I'm glad Bruce has taken the chance on him. He will reap handsome dividends...I think he suffers more than any other player from people reaching conclusions about him regardless of what he does on the pitch. We know he's slow, so everyone focuses on it. But the purpose of movement is so you can get on the ball and get it back when the opposition has it. Huddlestone does that.
I believe even he is faster than Huddlestone ....
And it was against Fulham..who have been largely insipid. I'd like to see Bruce try it against a more aggressive outfit. For I'm a huge fan of Huddlestone. But his lack of pace consistently works against him, both at club and international Level. That is why a Spurs could dare let a player of his natural talent go....
You seemed to think I said he lacked quality. I never did...Besides, Redknapp was the manager. He picked Huddlestone for his football skills. He wasn't the type to pick pace over ability...
True. Remember, I never said he can't defend. I said he is extremely slow. Two totally different things....
Huddlestone is the epitome of letting the ball do all the work. He is a good game reader too in defensive play. But in a league like the EPL, faster players will always be preferred over him at most clubs. Which is most unfortunate. Personally I'm glad Bruce has taken the chance on him. He will reap handsome dividends...
Personally If I was manager at Juve I would buy the fella, as another option to have as Pirlo finished up his career..but that's just my ''championship manager'' side talking..
Indeed.Spurs let him go as he spent most of the previous 3 seasons injured and AVB want athletes. In his post game interview, Bruce even said the reason he's playing so well is because he's recovered from his ankle problems.
I'd be amazed if Barry beat Huddlestone in a race. Its obvious not having pace does work against him, but it doesn't mean he should only be playing at a club like Hull. He makes up for it in other areas and the clip I posted does demonstrate he really isn't this immobile lump most think he is. Maybe in the last couple of years he's been particularly slow, but he had an ankle problem which he couldn't shake and in the end had to sit out an entire season. He then had to try and get fit whilst hardly ever featuring. But now the ankle is fine, he's playing every week and he is clearly an excellent shape.
I don't think we are really disagreeing with each other. I just think he's done enough to be playing at a higher level and my main point is that he's shown he can do it in the past and due to injuries it's been forgotten. I think he'd be great for Newcastle, Everton, Villa (I know they are below Hull, but are a bigger club and ironically I think he'd be great for Spurs. Ultimately I think due to injuries in recent year and weight struggles as a youngster people forget how good the guy is when fit and playing.
The whole Huddlestone issue is something that bugs me as an Englishman. We spend all our time saying we don't create technical enough players and when we do produce one, everyone says he isn't physically good enough! The fact he lets the ball do the work, as you point out, seems to be lost on too many people.
Well he did, that didnt work out for him....One of the cleanest strikers of a ball I can remember seeing. Should be playing for a better team than Hull.
Well he did, that didnt work out for him....
Well he did, that didnt work out for him....
Imagine a midfield of
Huddlestone--Barry--Fellaini