starting thurgate is another
Thurgate for Hoff. Ivan for Jackson. If Crazy George doesn't lift, then Hoff for him. Try Jair central and if it doesn't work, get rid of him and run with Sheppard until the mad Mick returns.
Doesn't matter one bit how many times he gets himself in scoring positions, at the end of the day it is his conversion rate that matters. Like i use to say to Stanny it took Hoff upward of 6-7 years to have a above average season in the HAL and low behold it also took a shift away from his usual position to achieve that.
He would be better off not getting into scoring positions he would have an excuse for not converting. Hoff was a average RB and handy utility plug a hole type player like last season but that is all. What other club in this league would see Hoff lead the line for almost a third of the regular season.
Hoff is one of those types who could have easily at the end of any given season ( except for last season ) faded back in to NPL and no one would have given it a second thought.
I think my problem is I love players who give 100% every game even if they dont have the beat technical ability
I get it i do but in a professional league where results count toward membership and sponsorship you need players with both those qualities. Squads are filled with nice blokes but it is the ones who have give 100% and have technical ability that win you things or at least keep you in the hunt.
That is exactly right hence why he gets a look in week after week because he is a fringe player who has found himself in a squad with the very circumstances you just mentioned above . In a team with a full healthy squad he is on a bench at best or in the stands with the rest of us on game day.
Cheers
Hoffman has played in 175 A-League games
He's scored 9 goals from 13 games for the Olyroos.
He's scored 4 goals from 11 games for the Young Socceroos
That's a quality professional footballer and to call him otherwise is deluded.
I think Hoffman has done well. Not great, but not terrible.
He doesn’t deserve to be dropped to the bench. He’s been put in a position I don’t think he wants to be in and something he isn’t overly suited to through no doing of his own. He’s simply doing what’s asked of him.
I think Hoffman has offered more to us in a position he’s not familiar with at this level than George has offered this season.
I’d much rather see George dropped to the bench before Hoffman.
Wouldn’t mind seeing Dimi in a false 9. With Hoffman/Jair/Thurgate/Austin supporting.
Let Vargas run the midfield with Kanta and Ugar the anchors.
went to the Victory v WSW game on saturday night, one thing that stood out.
whenever Honda drifted into space (wide right) the second the ball was played to him, a CM and his right back rushed to him and they played triangles until Honda had the ball with no pressure. WSW couldnt over commit because it would open up Barbarouses, or someone rushing through top of the box.
By the extra players coming to him for the easy ball, Honda had so much more extra time, and was never double teamed. Once he was 1 on 1 with a WSW player he could pick and choose as he pleased with his passes (or runs).
contrast that to sunday and whenever the ball was switched to Dimi no one came near him, and if his fullback made a run it was usually to overlap him.
this always left Dimi with limited options, and it 'seemed' like the idea of getting him the ball was to put him in space and let him create something.
problem was a lot of the time he was on the ball he was quickly double teamed, leaving him no real options.
it certainly looked like the game plan to hope Dimi got in lots of 1 v 1 situations in space. but it didnt work.