Shaun Hobson

[OrangeyBrown]

He's a quality defender and I don't entirely buy the whole 'no-nonsense' talk that we're seeing come up. He's certainly a lot more composed on the ball that your typical old-fashioned centre back and brings the ball forward well at times, a bit like Barrett used to do for us.

I would suggest his early inconsistency was more to do with the much weaker and inexperienced group of players around him compared to now. At times we were essentially fielding our U23 side as opposed to a proper league outfit.

I don't think he's that slow or unagile either, for his size he seems pretty mobile to me!

 

[OllieSteph44]

His overall pass completion rate is still only 62% with an average of 32 passes a game that’s only
20 complete passes per game. Given that most of those passes are in the least intense area of the pitch, that area of his game needs a lot of work before you could consider him a good footballing CB. His strengths are clearly his strength and his defending. Which is exactly what we needed it to be right now.

 

[OrangeyBrown]

His overall pass completion rate is still only 62% with an average of 32 passes a game that’s only
20 complete passes per game. Given that most of those passes are in the least intense area of the pitch, that area of his game needs a lot of work before you could consider him a good footballing CB. His strengths are clearly his strength and his defending. Which is exactly what we needed it to be right now.

Just taking a player's overall pass completion is essentially meaningless, otherwise Leon Britton was better than Xavi! How many of those 'passes' were long? How many of them were balls down the channel for a Sterling/Acquah who weren't making the run? How many are lumped forward to a striker that's being outjumped? Context is everything.

 

[OllieSteph44]

Just as a quick comparison....

The first two league games of the season we lost 4-0 and 2-0. In those two games he made 55 passes at 70% (Harrogate) and 63 passes at 62% (Carlisle)

In the last two league games both have been clean sheets he made 25 passes at 68% (Grimsby) and 22 passes at 36% (!!!!!) (Barrow)

There’s a clear indication of how he’s changed or been asked to change his game and the results as such.....

 

[Thundersley Blue]

I was always to accept the manager's judgement. We can't afford finished articles. The only disappointment so far has been Sterlimg, but on paper looked a good signing.

Quite right that some on here are too quick to judge.

 

[OllieSteph44]

Just taking a player's overall pass completion is essentially meaningless, otherwise Leon Britton was better than Xavi! How many of those 'passes' were long? How many of them were balls down the channel for a Sterling/Acquah who weren't making the run? How many are lumped forward to a striker that's being outjumped? Context is everything.

Of course there is context to all stats but we were or I was only discussing his ball playing ability compared to his or the teams improvements defensively.

Essentially, most of his passes were shorter early on and many of his “passes” now will actually be defined as clearances.

Of course the most telling stat is one @mfurok will love is that in those first two games we conceded 6 goals and he attempted 118 passes.....whereas on the last two games we have kept two clean sheets and he’s attempted a total of just 47 passes.....

Wrong tactics or wrong personnel? Most probably the wrong tactics for the personnel.....

 

[FarmdogSUFC]

Just as a quick comparison....

The first two league games of the season we lost 4-0 and 2-0. In those two games he made 55 passes at 70% (Harrogate) and 63 passes at 62% (Carlisle)

In the last two league games both have been clean sheets he made 25 passes at 68% (Grimsby) and 22 passes at 36% (!!!!!) (Barrow)

There’s a clear indication of how he’s changed or been asked to change his game and the results as such.....

I'm genuinely really surprised at that as he's decent in tight situations IMO. I've always thought he looked decent on the ball as well. Does it indicate how many of the passes were long and short?

I still think he's capable of being a ball playing CB but as the stats suggest we've sort of abandoned that for the time being.

 

[londonblue]

Just as a quick comparison....

The first two league games of the season we lost 4-0 and 2-0. In those two games he made 55 passes at 70% (Harrogate) and 63 passes at 62% (Carlisle)

In the last two league games both have been clean sheets he made 25 passes at 68% (Grimsby) and 22 passes at 36% (!!!!!) (Barrow)

There’s a clear indication of how he’s changed or been asked to change his game and the results as such.....

That kind of points to a "just get rid of it mentality", which isn't such bad thing sometimes.

 

[OllieSteph44]

That kind of points to a "just get rid of it mentality", which isn't such bad thing sometimes.

Its survival football. Which in essence we desperately needed to employ! However it’s also a tactic used to stem the flow, or turn around a losing mentality and get some results. It’s also sometimes not the end point of a process but more the initial stages of one ?

 

[amsemp]

Its survival football. Which in essence we desperately needed to employ! However it’s also a tactic used to stem the flow, or turn around a losing mentality and get some results. It’s also sometimes not the end point of a process but more the initial stages of one ?

Said the same thing a few weeks ago. He’s adopted this approach of ‘if the ball’s in our box, get it out’. And he’s really bloody good at it.

 

[mfurok]

Its survival football. Which in essence we desperately needed to employ! However it’s also a tactic used to stem the flow, or turn around a losing mentality and get some results. It’s also sometimes not the end point of a process but more the initial stages of one ?

We’ve already seen the awful initial stages of the process.

This is the adjustment stage.

 

[Welly7]

His reading of the game is very good and defending is his priority. Heading is assured and can look quite comfortable on the ball at times. I think 100% he is much better in a back 4 as opposed to a back 5.

What also excites me about him is that when I watch him I can see some flaws in his game, but I think these are all flaws that can be worked on and coached on the training pitch. With the right coaching, and if he continues to display an eagerness to learn, then I think he will undoubtedly improve. A fine example of the loan system working. Bournemouth will be extremely pleased with his game time as well as his performances.

 

[Petejames]

Was like a cart horse tonight very slow and can’t turn... every team will target him

 

[Strykr]

These threads are like the manager of the month award....

 

[FarmdogSUFC]

Yeah my comments went to absolute **** tonight. He had a bit of a stinker

 

[Strykr]

Yeah my comments went to absolute **** tonight. He had a bit of a stinker

He'll be back. On his day he's a decent L2 defender and still plenty of time to learn and improve.

 

[Jay_SUFC]

This is why I don't understand us going to a back 5. Hobson has looked excellent in a back 4, so why change it

 

[duncan bulgaria]

Just as a quick comparison....

The first two league games of the season we lost 4-0 and 2-0. In those two games he made 55 passes at 70% (Harrogate) and 63 passes at 62% (Carlisle)

In the last two league games both have been clean sheets he made 25 passes at 68% (Grimsby) and 22 passes at 36% (!!!!!) (Barrow)

There’s a clear indication of how he’s changed or been asked to change his game and the results as such.....

I think this highlights what was plain to see to all , the first 10 games of the season the wrong tactics were used with the personnel available, we was never suited to receiving the ball off the keeper and playing our way up the park .
Im a fan of that approach and switched over to the Leicester vs Chelsea game last night and even Chelsea at times got robbed trying that approach .

I questioned MM's tactics as did others , yes he has strengthened the squad but fundamentally we play more in the opponents half then our own and we look miles more comfortable that way, even with the poor squad at the start of the season i honestly think we could of picked up a couple of points had we adopted this approach from the start .

Im fully in MM's camp now as i enjoy watching us play now and we have that hunger and intensity which was also missing .

 

[Westcliff Shrimper]

This is why I don't understand us going to a back 5. Hobson has looked excellent in a back 4, so why change it

I think against teams in the top ten, MM thinks a variation on the 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 will work as we get more experience in the team (let's be honest, the spine was VERY experienced) but this does put a couple of square pegs in round holes. Hobson isn't a left sided centre back but is a better option than Kyps for instance.

Against Mansfield I expect him to go for a back 4, with ANG and RHF either side of Sim.

 

[Petejames]

The worst centre back I think i have seen in the pro game slow overweight defends on the wrong side clumsy and some of you rate him?? Give your head a wobble ffs 2 goals were down to him tonight -useless