Newcastle v Burnley - Player Ratings

[TVC15]

Well to be fair a lot more people seem to have given Hendrick a 5 than a 7....does not make anyone right or wrong just a different opinion.

I gave him a 5 last night as think he struggled to get into the game until the last 15 minutes when he dropped deeper and played better. I also gave Scotty a 5 and the other 3 starter midfielders a 6 because I don`t think they played well and other than the end of the game allowed a really poor Newcastle midfield (other than Kennedy) to get the better of them.

I`ve not been one of the ones scoring Hendrick low every week but do think he has looked a long way from his best in a position that to does not seem to suit him.

[randomclaret2]

UTB rowing with people on a player ratings thread ...3

[Blackrod]

He's been poor in that role for weeks. I thought he was slightly better last night but still not great so I gave him a 5 as many other posters have. Given the discussions that in the away end last night I'm surprised there aren't some 3s on there.

[MrTopTier]

Still Hendrick getting 5 ratings - beyond belief for me is that.

28 responses 7 gave a 7, 7 gave a 6, 14 gave a 5, seems fair enough to me, they are only opinions and after all as LDV once said "the greatest deception men suffer from is their own opinions" seems quite apt for a football message board.

[MACCA]

Why is it an opinions based thread, yet people are questioned when giving their opinion?

Some posters can give 5's to certain players and it's accepted or deemed the correct score, others give 5's and it's beyond belief, or agenda driven. You can certainly tell the players who cannot do wrong in some peoples eyes.

I do not know another forward player who has only 2 goals, possibly no assists, and not a lot of anything else in in the final 3rd ( even more so in the last 10 or so games ) and still be starting games. If this would be a Nahki Wells or any other I'd expect the cries for a change would be loud and clear, Jeff's only saving grace is "it isn't his position" but even that is getting tiresome. He is a professional footballer, he should still be able to run, pass, tackle and shoot with reasonable success.
His shooting and crossing of late have been woeful at best.

[claretspice]

Why is it an opinions based thread, yet people are questioned when giving their opinion?

Some posters can give 5's to certain players and it's accepted or deemed the correct score, others give 5's and it's beyond belief, or agenda driven. You can certainly tell the players who cannot do wrong in some peoples eyes.

I do not know another forward player who has only 2 goals, possibly no assists, and not a lot of anything else in in the final 3rd ( even more so in the last 10 or so games ) and still be starting games. If this would be a Nahki Wells or any other I'd expect the cries for a change would be loud and clear, Jeff's only saving grace is "it isn't his position" but even that is getting tiresome. He is a professional footballer, he should still be able to run, pass, tackle and shoot with reasonable success.
His shooting and crossing of late have been woeful at best.

Hendrick has 1 assist to go with his two goals.

If we're using this stat to judge players though, Steven Defour's role is to be the creative one in our midfield 3, and takes some set plays, and he has one goal (a free kick) and one assist. So by that measure, he's been failing too. Likewise, our main striker for much of the season has been Barnes and he has 3 goals.

Scoring and making goals is a team activity. To look at one individual in isolation is wrong.

[MattBFC]

Pope 8 - if he sorts his kicking out, Toms going to struggle getting back in
Bardsley 5 - needs to be rested now. Too many silly fouls and often takes too long to play a pass
Long 6 - mostly good but well beaten for their goal
Mee 7 - some great things but a few poor passes too
Taylor 7 - poor start but grew into game and had a good second half. Not sure if he’s upset a few team mates though as he was in acres of space frequently but on a number of occasions they just wouldn’t give him the ball
Gudmundsson 6 - with the full backs not pushing beyond halfway for first 65 mins, he was often isolated. A few good moments though
Westwood 6 - Diamé definitely stood out in the midfield areas so our guys were often dominated
Cork 6 - as Westwood
Arfield 6 - as Joey. Left isolated too often
Hendrick 6 - 5 until Westwood came off, a 7 afterwards. He just doesn’t have enough to play the number 10 role
Barnes 8 - as most performances lately; played really well on the scraps we gave him. Harshly had a goal ruled out but then missed a great chance early in second half

Lennon 7 - was excited by this performance. Would love a start for him on Saturday but would be amazed if we don’t keep the same line up
Vokes 6 - does what Sam does; strong aerially in both boxes

[diamondpocket]

Steven Defour's role is to be the creative one in our midfield 3, and takes some set plays

I don't think Defour's role is to be creative; Dyche doesn't trust his fitness hence him & Cork play pretty deep and Defour has regularly been quite deep picking the ball up and starting our play with Cork, which has made a real difference in us keeping the ball better in midfield especially away from home; consequently, we have so many more points way from home. Our 4-4-2 last year didnt give us enough ball possession and I think we lost out many times because we couldnt hold out enough. This year, that is much different due to Cork & Defour's deeper lying midfield possession play.

[MACCA]

Hendrick has 1 assist to go with his two goals.

If we're using this stat to judge players though, Steven Defour's role is to be the creative one in our midfield 3, and takes some set plays, and he has one goal (a free kick) and one assist. So by that measure, he's been failing too. Likewise, our main striker for much of the season has been Barnes and he has 3 goals.

Scoring and making goals is a team activity. To look at one individual in isolation is wrong.

So what is his role?
What has he brought to the table in the last 5-10 games?
I'm genuinely ( and by the looks of the ratings and MOTM votes many others are too ) struggling to see what he offers in the final 3rd, and what he does that an Arfield/Barnes and every other player can't do.
The things he does do always seems basic. His shooting is poor, he rarely plays a killer pass, I haven't seen 1 cross out of him, a great tackle, a set play or anything of real note. Other than maybe some closing down and tracking back I can't see why he is free from questioning.
I haven't seen a 10m pound premier league player for about a dozen games wearing that number 13 shirt.

It's not purely his fault, but he is contributing to our lack luster attacking play, by not contributing.

[Dark Cloud]

Pope 8
Bardsley 6 (all rather frantic, hence the rash foul for the penalty)
Long 7
Mee 8
Taylor 8 (did well and one absolutely excellent recovery where he chased back and mugged their player off and came away with the ball)
Westwood 7
Cork 7 (he set such a high bar in the first half of the season,but he's not quite at the same level atm)
JBG 6
Arfield 7
Hendrick 6
Barnes 8 (makes an excellent fist of the lone striker role but did completely miss the target when put in the clear by JBG unfortunately)

Lennon 8
Vokes 7

Agree with many who felt Newcastle were there for the taking and we didn't really seize the opportunity. Having said that we got away with the rubbish penalty, conceded an awful goal and could easily have lost the game. SD got his subs right and got them on early enough to make a difference and they all had a really positive impact, Lennon in particular. Consequently we finished the game strongly and I wondered if we might nick it after we equalised as they showed how lacking in confidence they really were. Ultimately a draw was probably fair and we're rather limping along somewhat towards the finishing line.

[Duffer_]

I haven't seen a 10m pound premier league player for about a dozen games wearing that number 13 shirt.

£10m - what's that? About 3s 6d in old money? I know that it is ridiculous to be blasé about 10 mil but that's a pretty small stick you're beating him with.

He's doing what is asked of him to the best of his ability. I would move him back into CM now Defour is out and experiment a bit more upfront but I don't understand the rage about this/towards him.

UTC!

[MACCA]

£10m - what's that? About 3s 6d in old money? I know that it is ridiculous to be blasé about 10 mil but that's a pretty small stick you're beating him with.

He's doing what is asked of him to the best of his ability. I would move him back into CM now Defour is out and experiment a bit more upfront but I don't understand the rage about this/towards him.

UTC!

I was making the point, it
A. It is a lot of money, even with this seasons riches ( we spent nothing this window )
B. Scotty Arf and Barnes were free and 300k respectively and they can and do, do that role better than him.
C. There's no rage, just a fair summary of his displays based on a wide range of fans views, which may or maybe purely his fault. Some people feel the need to defend him like he has been a revelation this season and carried us, when in truth he has regularly been in the bottom few performers week on week. People deserve to question his role when things aren't going well, he plays in a pivotal role of the pitch and is failing quite miserably and regularly in it.

I think if it was Scott Arfield or George Boyd with similar stats, performances and ratings, people would be screaming for change, and rightly so. Jeff has had a lot of "it's not his role" excuses that has cut him some slack, but that is now getting tiresome, because the BASICS are not being done well now either.

[Sfw]

Pope 8 (mom)- kept us in it at start of both halves. The save on to post and follow up save was top class.
Bardsley 5- lost against pace.
Long 7- could have been better on corner but strong against a poor forward line.
Mee 7- just a couple of rushed half clearances but again never let's us down.
Taylor 6- some great things to his play.
Cork 6- should have been awarded penalty but doesn't look as commanding as earlier in season. Important player for us.
Westwood 5- hard for a player that's not had much game time.
Arfield 6- effort always there.
Gudmondson 5- not his best game.
Hendrick 6- apart from the pass to Barnes for disallowed goal not much else. The role doesn't suit him.
Barnes 7- tireless and gives everything. A little more composure would have ended with goal in second half.
Lennon 7- so much better option with pace out wide. Final ball on occasions little off but the track back shows he is not a luxury player (Mr Merson).
Vokes 7- one scuff shot but does take pressure off Barnes will benefit if the service provided by Lennon and nkoudou is good.
Nkoudou 7- all our subs contributed to our comeback.

[Dark Cloud]

I think we have to be careful and stick to being objective when "rating or slating" players based on "value". It's very easy (because I've done it), to think Arfield for example is brilliant because he was free from Huddersfield reserves and Hendrick, for example is utter bobbins because you expect to see far more from an £11 million player when in truth they both look very similar when playing on the field. The price payed isn't a player's choice or fault and if it was something of a rip off that's something the club agreed to, not the player. (I'm not suggesting Hendrick was a rip off btw )