Hughes and.....

[Fruitygoo]

We've had a few different strike partnerships this season so far...davies and hughes has been the choice of late, and now omerod has arrived to stake his place. So its a simple question - whats our best strike partnership?

 

For me - Hughes and Allessandra, although i'd like to see lewis knock a couple in.

 

Davies today worked hard enough but at time his close control is woeful. I've also noticed that when hughes is about to win a header, or is looking for a pass, davies doesnt seem to know where to go. Omerod looked ok today, but i think he'll be on the bench for at least first few games.

[kellys_discopants]

Lewi`s good and plays well but dosent look dangerous.

[ghostofcecere]

I expect Omerod to get a run in the team.......... no point bringing somebody in on loan if you're not gonna play him. From the brief look we got at him I was really impressed with Ormerod, his movement off the ball was excellent. Like Hughes, it's easy to see he has played at a higher level.

 

In terms of partnerships with our 'full time' forwards, then Hughes and Alessandra look like they have the best understanding together.

[opinions4u]

Hughes and Allessandra for me. But Lewis has looked a little tired of late, so bringing Davies back in to contention is right.

 

I thought Davies had a decent game today.

[jimsleftfoot]

We've had a few different strike partnerships this season so far...davies and hughes has been the choice of late, and now omerod has arrived to stake his place. So its a simple question - whats our best strike partnership?

 

For me - Hughes and Allessandra, although i'd like to see lewis knock a couple in.

 

Davies today worked hard enough but at time his close control is woeful. I've also noticed that when hughes is about to win a header, or is looking for a pass, davies doesnt seem to know where to go. Omerod looked ok today, but i think he'll be on the bench for at least first few games.

 

Davies has a very slow brain and despite his speed, he can only move as fast as his brain allows him. He has a woefull first touch and I don't think he did hardly anything yesterday. He has been found out, stick close to him and hit him fast and he won't be a threat, and on the hole he is not a threat. The match changed when he was substituted which says a lot.

 

Ormerod will partner Hughes on Tuesday, Lewis is third choice. If O'Grady has a good month on loan he might end up walking straight into the first team after a month.

[kellys_discopants]

Ormerod will partner Hughes on Tuesday, Lewis is third choice. If O'Grady has a good month on loan he might end up walking straight into the first team after a month.

 

Davies is clearly third over Lewi. It all depends how fit Ormerod is, he hasnt played much football this season i dont think.

[futchers briefs]

Looking at Ormerods movement yesterday..i would think he'll be starting with Hughesy

Looked v dangerous

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

I thought Davies had a decent game today.

 

I didn't. Thought his game was completelyt summed up by him trying to get a free kick by leaning back so much on the defender that he simply stepped aside and let him fall over on his arse. Ormerod is far more experienced and far more dangerous than Davies.

 

Ooh and the pinball feet was there for all to see too.

 

Sell him in January.

[BlueJazzer]

Gotta say, there was a moment when Davies lost the ball after about 10 15 mins and then chased after him and won it back. Brilliant. Think it sums up the change in his attitude. He also warmed down for the rest of the game with Lewi. Cant have imagined him doing that last year. I say give him a few more games with Hughes and he'll start banging them in. I think the loan signing of Ormerod may just have come at the wrong time for him tho. Time will tell......

[Guest sheridans_world]

Sell him in January.

 

 

Money for a goal-less striker ?!

[razza699]

Money for a goal-less striker ?!

striker?!

[ritchie82]

Davies had a decent game IMO. Tried hard (which might not have been the case this season) and just looks like he needs to get his match sharpness back. I would personally send Lewis out on loan with a 24 recall clause. That way should Hughes be struggling then we can get him back asap.

[monkeykieran]

I just can't see Davies scoring, I don't personally think he had a great game as his touch was shocking so had to keep working just to keep the ball or get it back after a mistake.

 

Ormerod should be started next I think, he looked good to me.

[razza699]

Davies had a decent game IMO. Tried hard (which might not have been the case this season) and just looks like he needs to get his match sharpness back. I would personally send Lewis out on loan with a 24 recall clause. That way should Hughes be struggling then we can get him back asap.

 

 

For me I would like to see Davies behind 2 strikers sort of in a roaming role, however who I would drop I dont know,

[neiladamsheadband]

if had to make a choice ro partner hUGHesy it would be omerod then lewis then davies, just thinkDaveis makes the wrong choice when he gets into good positions omedrod is a class player at this level and i believe willl be prove to b a class signin for us

Edited October 20, 2008 by neiladamsheadband

[futchers briefs]

if had to make a choice ro partner hUGHesy it would be omerod then lewis then davies, just thinkDaveis makes the wrong choice when he gets into good positions omedrod is a class player at this level and i believe willl be prove to b a class signin for us

he does seem to be making wrong choices at the moment, agreed, though i would say this could be to do with his confidence/lack of 90 minutes and "over eagerness" to do right by people rather than an overall problem with his ability. As i mentioned earlier Ormerods movement when he came on, looked top drawer, so maybe Shez will change it - then again maybe not

[Stitch_KTF]

For me I would like to see Davies behind 2 strikers sort of in a roaming role, however who I would drop I dont know,

 

 

I can't think of an attacking role less suited to Craig Davies.

[oafc1955]

 

I can't think of an attacking role less suited to Craig Davies.

 

The problem with Davies is that he's just not a team man...he plays like he's on his own out on the field.

 

I've lost count the amount of times he's wasted great opportunities and he just does not compliment any sort of strike partner!

 

When he first came in to the side everybody, including me, thought he was going to be an awesome player for us but it just hasn't happened. Yes he scored a few goals for us last season but he's been found out this year, well and truly!

 

He's nowhere near the threat he was last season and I just can't see him improving...it's a shame and I hope he proves me wrong but I reckon if we could get a small fee for him, and Ormerod is a success, then he might well be allowed to move on in January.

[FLH1993]

weve got ormerod on a months loan so the obvious thing to do would be to start him. + sending Davies on as a substitute may give him a wee bit of motivation, meaning he might get that goal he so desperately needs. Once hes got that, i think hel score 15 again this season with ease and then will naturally be 1st choice to partner hughes.

[jimsleftfoot]

Gotta say, there was a moment when Davies lost the ball after about 10 15 mins and then chased after him and won it back. Brilliant. Think it sums up the change in his attitude.

 

He did it once or twice maybe but then didn't move for much of the rest of the game. In fact, how many 50-50 balls did he win?

[jimsleftfoot]

The problem with Davies is that he's just not a team man...he plays like he's on his own out on the field.

 

I've lost count the amount of times he's wasted great opportunities and he just does not compliment any sort of strike partner!

 

When he first came in to the side everybody, including me, thought he was going to be an awesome player for us but it just hasn't happened. Yes he scored a few goals for us last season but he's been found out this year, well and truly!

 

He's nowhere near the threat he was last season and I just can't see him improving...it's a shame and I hope he proves me wrong but I reckon if we could get a small fee for him, and Ormerod is a success, then he might well be allowed to move on in January.

 

I used to think he was lazy now I just think his brain is slow. It doesn't matter how motivated you are if your brain doesn't think quickly enough and his anticipation and awareness has been terrible. I was listening to the Football League Broadcast and Peter Taylor was talking about intelligent players and how they only need to be told once whereas the thicker players need to be told a million times. I think Davies falls into the latter.

 

On a different note, one of the Spanish Swansea players was being interviewed. He is a qualified primary school teacher, is studying for Medical Genetics degree and wants to be a Doctor of Medicine when he retires from football.

[BlueInAus]

It shows how well we are doing as a team, and how well Shez is doing, that we only have one goal-scoring striker and are still fourth!

 

The "who would you play" question for the top teams is usually which one of your strikers do you leave out....... with us at the minute it is which one should we play with Hughes.

 

For mine, it has to be Ormerod if he has fitness. Even if he can only last 60 mins, I still think he would be better than Craig or Lewis at the minute.

 

If we cannot get Orms for the season, or if he doesn't impress enough to be offered it, then I would go with Lewis starting. He gives more on the pitch, and he is still young. Surely the goal-scoring will come if he plays enough. Davies knew how to do it, he is just in a big form slump. Hopefully coming on as a sub in most matches will give us that explosive pace at the end of the game, and get him back into touch.

 

There isn't a lot else Shez and the board can do, I think they are doing Oldham proud. I cannot critisise them for any footballing decisions this year!

[slystallone]

It shows how well we are doing as a team, and how well Shez is doing, that we only have one goal-scoring striker and are still fourth!

 

The "who would you play" question for the top teams is usually which one of your strikers do you leave out....... with us at the minute it is which one should we play with Hughes.

 

For mine, it has to be Ormerod if he has fitness. Even if he can only last 60 mins, I still think he would be better than Craig or Lewis at the minute.

 

If we cannot get Orms for the season, or if he doesn't impress enough to be offered it, then I would go with Lewis starting. He gives more on the pitch, and he is still young. Surely the goal-scoring will come if he plays enough. Davies knew how to do it, he is just in a big form slump. Hopefully coming on as a sub in most matches will give us that explosive pace at the end of the game, and get him back into touch.

There isn't a lot else Shez and the board can do, I think they are doing Oldham proud. I cannot critisise them for any footballing decisions this year!

 

 

Good post.

 

I think what we have this year is OPTIONS up front; for the first time in ages.#

 

Hughesy if injury free is a definite starter (though i am getting a little bored with the Hughes MoM from the sponsors when he clearly wasn't anywhere near it!)

 

Lewis has the potential to play at a higher level; but he is a Heskey esq type of striker - in that i don't see him getting more than 10 a season, but he keeps his place in the team through his teamwork & assits - Lewis is a great little link forward; and he works well with Hughesy.

 

As people have said, Davis is on a confidence slump; which is affecting his play. He's working hard (after the 'Dale stupidity) & just needs a goal or two - he'll come good again at this level.

 

Ormerod looks te business - his runs on saturday were very intelligent & if he is / or gets fit - then i can see him featuring regularlly during his loan spell. My mate is a Forest fan, and he text me when we signed Brett to say he was class when he was on loan at Forest last season - workrate & intelligence were his main points, but he got 3 or 4 important goals too for them.

 

Also throw in O'Grady when he comes back from Bury (hopefully full of confidence) & Smalley and we look very strong on paper up front. It's just a shame we don't play on paper isn't it??

[Fruitygoo]

I think we have to get smalley and wolfenden out on loan....surley someone would take them...at l of east untill anuary with a busy set of fixtures coming up - maybe we should see if Barrow want any of them....the way i see it is if Hughes and Ormerod are starting, then davies and lewis must start in the reserves, so any others wont get a game - we dont have regular reserve games anyway!

 

On the Davies front, i never made my mind up with him last season - i didn't dislike like, i didn't think he was a great player. When he performed his antics at rochdale, i actually realised how stupid he is. Yes, he's working hard now to make up for that now but when he gets the ball, his control is poor and he has to work hard just to get the ball down. When we have possetion and he's off the ball, he doesn't seem to know where to go. Hughes and Ormerod instinctivly know and run into positions without thinking about it. That aspect cant be to do with confidence....you either know where to go, or you dont.

 

In response to Lewis, i think that he would get more than 10 a season with a good run. So far, he's been unlucky a number of times by either snatching at good oportunities, or being unlucky by having a couple blocked on the line from close range. I think he believes in his own ability and with a goal or two, he'll look an even better player and he'll score....i think (not 100%) is that he scored quite a lot of goals at reserve/youth level.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

In response to Lewis, i think that he would get more than 10 a season with a good run. So far, he's been unlucky a number of times by either snatching at good oportunities, or being unlucky by having a couple blocked on the line from close range. I think he believes in his own ability and with a goal or two, he'll look an even better player and he'll score....i think (not 100%) is that he scored quite a lot of goals at reserve/youth level.

 

Someone like Alessandra has a far richer future in football. A player with a first touch which is always under his control; it's what seperates the wheat from the chaff at the higher levels. He's not had much luck in front of goal lately (And neither has Davies), and if it wasn't for a couple of outstanding saves then he'd have notched a couple of times at least. But the big thing for him is the ball sticks up front when he's up there. I'd always prefer Lewis to start a match and Davies to come on when defenders are tiring and his 3 touches to bring a ball under control isn't being punished all the time.

 

For Ormerod and Hughes, they know where to run because they have so much experience behind them, and quicker speed of thought. If you look at any top class striker, they can anticipate where a ball is going to go, so it's that speed of thought to act earlier than the defender which gets them into goalscoring positions. A fantastic example of that was the penalty Hereford conceded last week; Hughes didn't beat N'Gotty for pace, he simply anticipated where the ball was going to go and got there first.