Martin and Hughes

[DCFCTom84]

Both Martin and Hughes played in a side that got to Wembley playing fast, incisive football, so nothing to suggest they couldn't again.

[europia]

9 hours ago, Spenno said:

I was impressed with the shape and work ethic of the team last night. I thought two of the key strengths was the closing from the front which to me nugent did a fantastic job along with Russell and vydra and the energy and physicality of Bryson and Johnson in midfield. Assuming that this is how rowett would like us to play I can't see how Hughes or Martin would fit that system or style of play. To me rowett appears to be a manager who is concerned with the best team not trying to fit in the best players. Does anyone else think rowett might cash in on Hughes and Martin this summer?

Unfortunately Hughes value is probably down a bit and he's not doing much to improve things. Would Mel let him go for a cut price fee is the question. Martin could do with a strong finish with Fulham to attract a decent price. 

[BramcoteRam84]

Will be interesting to see what happens with Hughes, think his best chance is to compete for a place in the two, as don't think there is enough end product with him to play in the three behind the striker.

Martin will definitely add to this team. 

[archied]

Martin is coming back by all accounts but I don't think it's as an automatic starter , there no doubt he's good at this level and has some very good qualities , I'm not sure if he will be a bit too static for rowett in a lot of games and by that I mean I not sure he can pull defenders around the way nugent does and that couple with the interchanging of those around him with real pace will I believe start to produce goals , Hughes is our best player technical player but I think it's clear that more than one of our recent managers are looking for more from him to earn his place in the team, that has to be saying something and hopefully Hughes will hear it

[jagerbob]

15 hours ago, Alpha said:

Hughes? 

He is better at tackling than Bryson and he also covers the pitch. Last month it was Bryson that people were talking about selling. Hughes probably does more pressing than Johnson

If Rowett decides to cash in then it won't be because he doesn't fit. 

 

Fool.

Hughes cant tackle

get more yellows because he cant

and mcclaren rightly likened him to scholes in his mastery with the ball and severe lack of knowing how to tackle.

[kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong]

10 minutes ago, archied said:

Martin is coming back by all accounts but I don't think it's as an automatic starter , there no doubt he's good at this level and has some very good qualities , I'm not sure if he will be a bit too static for rowett in a lot of games and by that I mean I not sure he can pull defenders around the way nugent does and that couple with the interchanging of those around him with real pace will I believe start to produce goals , Hughes is our best player technical player but I think it's clear that more than one of our recent managers are looking for more from him to earn his place in the team, that has to be saying something and hopefully Hughes will hear it

Not an automatic starter?....

God bless Nugent,I love him but compared to Martin,there's no contest in terms of goals or assist play.

[RadioactiveWaste]

10 hours ago, DCFCTom84 said:

Both Martin and Hughes played in a side that got to Wembley playing fast, incisive football, so nothing to suggest they couldn't again.

Speed of thought > speed of legs

[uttoxram75]

31 minutes ago, jagerbob said:

Fool.

Hughes cant tackle

get more yellows because he cant

and mcclaren rightly likened him to scholes in his mastery with the ball and severe lack of knowing how to tackle.

I see it as the complete opposite.

Hughes gets booked because referees are generally clueless. Hughes gets close and uses his quick wits to nick the ball off a player, somehow refs think this is foul play yet quite often they'll let a career threatening lunge on Hughes go unpunished.

 

[Alph]

43 minutes ago, jagerbob said:

Fool.

Hughes cant tackle

get more yellows because he cant

and mcclaren rightly likened him to scholes in his mastery with the ball and severe lack of knowing how to tackle.

Fool eh?

Tackles - 

Hughes 58/145 = 40% successful 

Bryson  23/86 = 27% successful 

And 1 yellow card separates the pair of them. 

Foolishly the stats back the fool up.

xx

[needles]

I think we need to realise that a step back and a longer view is necessary.

Will Hughes is still a young player, who's had a new manager every 4 months for the last two season. He's come through  major injury, had a knock this season, played through it, run out of a bit of form in a disastrously struggling team (and he was far from the worst).

Over his whole career to date, he's proved himself without any shadow of doubt to be the most technically gifted and intelligent player on the books, and outstanding in the division. 

Cash in on him? Not unless we're skint or insane.

He still improving. He can learn to play any way you want, that's what happens with high quality players. Get it forward a bit quicker and up the tempo? Not a problem for a player of his calibre.

In the same way Bryson wasn't a has-been just because he'd not been flavour of the month and Chris Martin's best days weren't behind him when he'd had a dry patch in a misfiring team.

[needles]

53 minutes ago, jagerbob said:

Fool.

Hughes cant tackle

get more yellows because he cant

and mcclaren rightly likened him to scholes in his mastery with the ball and severe lack of knowing how to tackle.

I love you jagerbob, but this is on the daft side of wrong in my opinion. I reckon you've had your drink spiked!

[StringerBell]

15 hours ago, Anag Ram said:

I just hope he doesn't react to the players saying either 'he's beastly to us' or 'he's our chum'. 

I doubt that would happen. Patrick Bamford's not here anymore.

[Carl Sagan]

Martin - definitely at Derby next season.

Hughes is less certain. It's been a terrible two years for him, with the career-threatening injury and trying to come back from that (I don't think he's fully properly fit yet) and playing in a declining side (when a problem was always that other players were not good enough to be on his wavelength anyway) under changing regimes.

I was surprised Hughes signed a new contract, but I would be gobsmacked if it didn't contain a release clause. I'd expect Derby to have said £30m, Hughes' agent to have said £20m, and them to have settled on £25m. If someone in the Premier League or Spain/Italy/Germany comes in with that money, he will leave for new challenges and to try to press his claim for the full England team.

For me, because of the injury Will hasn't improved over the last two seasons. I expect he will pick up again from next year. But because of the last two seasons, I'm not sure anyone will meet the clause. In which case it is Rowett's most important job to convince Hughes that staying at Derby will improve him and lead to a win-win for club and player next season, by finally earning promotion. A hungry Will, raring to go and imposing himself on games, would be the best player in the division.

[Chester40]

7 hours ago, Alpha said:

Fool eh?

Tackles - 

Hughes 58/145 = 40% successful 

Bryson  23/86 = 27% successful 

And 1 yellow card separates the pair of them. 

Foolishly the stats back the fool up.

xx

Is this right? Craig wins 1 in 4 of his tackles?? Stats eh...

I like him generally...but if we are top 2 next season then I would not expect him to be playing regularly. Too hot and cold...can get by-passed in some games. Centre-mid is where I would be looking to spend big if it were on one key signing. Martin, Vydra and Nugent (Weimann..Bent) up top that could be enough.

Johnson, Hughes and Thorne...joined by a really lynch -pin..captain..leader...I'd be happy. 

[Ambitious]

I'd doubt either of them will go. 

Hughes needs to improve his fitness, that goes without saying, but I think once he's done that he will take a central role in the team again. 

Martin won't be, and shouldn't be, a runner. He's good at what he's good at; keeping the ball in the opposition's final third and bringing others into play. We've got enough runners in this side to allow Martin that luxury, similarly to how McClaren used him.

[Curtains]

Was it me or does Martin look overweight again .

Watched the highlights of Rotherham Vs Fulham and he missed a sitter being too slow. 

Want him back but looks like he might need to work on his fitness level again. 

Hughes still looks good but can we hold on to him this summer. 

[angieram]

10 hours ago, uttoxram75 said:

I see it as the complete opposite.

Hughes gets booked because referees are generally clueless. Hughes gets close and uses his quick wits to nick the ball off a player, somehow refs think this is foul play yet quite often they'll let a career threatening lunge on Hughes go unpunished.

 

For me, this is our biggest problem in trying to hold on to Will. Surely he'd get more protection from referees if he went off to play in the Premier League?

If he has been off form this season, it is because he is always getting clobbered by someone!

[jono]

On 1 April 2017 at 07:04, Spenno said:

I was impressed with the shape and work ethic of the team last night. I thought two of the key strengths was the closing from the front which to me nugent did a fantastic job along with Russell and vydra and the energy and physicality of Bryson and Johnson in midfield. Assuming that this is how rowett would like us to play I can't see how Hughes or Martin would fit that system or style of play. To me rowett appears to be a manager who is concerned with the best team not trying to fit in the best players. Does anyone else think rowett might cash in on Hughes and Martin this summer?

It's a good point but with Hughes and Martin I see them slotting in very well with Friday's basic set up. Hughes could have played instead of Bryson and Martin could have played the Nugent role. There would have been a slight change in balance but I see them both as regular contenders for a first team place. What I want to see is how he gets Butterfield back on track. I am hugely disappointed that a player with his passing ability and eye for goal has slumped to looking very timid. 

 

[RadioactiveWaste]

11 minutes ago, jono said:

It's a good point but with Hughes and Martin I see them slotting in very well with Friday's basic set up. Hughes could have played instead of Bryson and Martin could have played the Nugent role. There would have been a slight change in balance but I see them both as regular contenders for a first team place. What I want to see is how he gets Butterfield back on track. I am hugely disappointed that a player with his passing ability and eye for goal has slumped to looking very timid. 

 

That's a good point. I think butters get a lot of critics because he can do better - although if he plays on the wing ever again I'll give up!

Another thought with Hughes - could he play in the middle of the 3 in 4-2-3-1? He probably has the tenacity to do it.

[Sexydadbod]

I love Will but for me he has regressed as a player. Southampton were close to getting him a years ago but I can't really see which premier league he would get into now. Most of the teams at the bottom play reactive football which would see Hughes struggle like under Pearson and he is not good enough for a top 10 side. Only team I can really see him fitting into is Bournemouth but if Wilshere isn't an automatic starter, what chance does Hughes have?