Hernandez & Dawson?

Hudds is the classic round peg in a square hole. He totally changes our style of play and creates a confusion of pace between the middle and top thirds. It's not his doing, it's Bruce's; Steve Bruce is desperately trying to convince himself that he can change this errant dynamic, but, as he has seen today, he can't. Today was needed, it should of been the proof of the pudding; let's hope it was.

 

this is what lets SB down at time's he has a great reluctance to drop some of his " stars" even though performances warrant it at times.

 

A point away from home is ok. Not sure we did enough to warrant 3. It keeps the points accumulation ticking over.

 

We were the better team overall and had chances to win it - but 1st half we gave too many free kicks away and invited pressure. For Friday I'd play Clucas at LB and Maloney ahead of him (Since Robbo is banned) and Hernandez for Akpom. Also Hayden for Huddlestone, but I don't think that one will happen.

 

Surely Steve Bruce after watching our play in the previous few games must have realised that our run of good play and results was because our centre midfield was hard working and playing at a much faster tempo,so why play Huddlestone when he had the options of playing Hayden as a straight swop for Meyler or bring Culcas central and Maloney on the left and carry on with the same up tempo style of play.

 

Hernandez is mid twenties but had the body of someone in his late 30s. It's ****ing laughable us having to rest our top scorer every time he goes abroad or if its a bit chilly. Everyone else manages to cope. Akpom just seems pointless every time I've seen him play. Really hoping Diomande is worth the wait.

 

He was an unused sub in the second game too.

 

That's a bit harsh, Hernandez played both games on the previous international break, came back & played in all the games up to this last international break, so as was said he was unused sub in the last Uruguay game, seems maybe something more than rest?

 

I think the timing was against him this time - it was a big surprise that he managed to play against Sheff Wed but the logistics of getting back to the UK and then travelling down to Bristol was just too big an ask and I think Steve Bruce really didn't have much option other than to rest him.

 

He hasn't been rested following an International Break before this one.

 

Bruce clearly thought we had enough against Bristol without him and he should have been right, except for getting Hudds wrong.

 

He always struggles after a break, which is why Bruce was probably right to rest him this time.

 

You mean like when he scored against Sheffield Wednesday?

 

Hayden for Hudds would quicken us up but unfortunately one of Bruce's failings (and why he's good but not geat) is that he won't drop big names quickly enough.

I don't see Akpom being bought, he's very similar to Aluko

 

Huddleston has been on the bench for the last 5 matches so Bruce can't be accused of reluctantly dropping one of his " stars". He choose experience today . The only thing Hayden brings is pace he doesn't have the accurate passing ability that Huddleston has. Huddleston was not the problem today. Dave had a mare Elmo had a mare Akpom had a mare and Diame spent most of his time on the wings where he is not his most effective. Even Livermore didn't play to the standard he has been doing. We did not play to the standard that we set against Boro and I am sorry you can't blame Huddleston for that.

 

Stop been dosile **** with agenda.

 

Bang on the money. Unfortunately I still expect Bruce to select him to start on Friday as he appears blind to all of the things you mention.

 

It's not yet close enough to Christmas.

 

So, similar to Meyler then. Yeah that's why the more sensible posters, without any hindsight, were saying that Hayden should have been Meyler's replacement yesterday. The rest is history.