Another excellent performance from Jeff tonight. Don’t think he gave the ball away all night. Hendrick and Tarkowski have been our two best players this season by a distance. Hope the fans can continue to get behind him and he signs a new contract soon.

He did give the ball away. However he played well

Covered every blade of grass tonight. Good in front of the back 4 when needed to tidy up and always giving support in attack. Needs to be beside Cork for me on Sunday as Cork and Westwood are too alike

A miles better player in central midfield and we look a far better side when he's not in the runner number 10 role.

Hendrick needs to start in the middle with Vydra in behind Wood. We will notice an almighty difference.

Superb tonight, best player on the pitch

Not a fan of Jeff i must say but he was MOTM for me tonight

You may have noticed ( slight underestimation) I don't particularly like Jeff, however thought he was up there tonight with our best performer.
Well done.
Hopefully more CM starts can bare fruit for us. Looked far more comfortable not in the opposition box, and effecting play up to and around it.

Lancasterclaret wrote:Superb tonight, best player on the pitch

Fully agree....never seen him perform like he did in those first 30 mins. He looked world class at times with his positioning. Just hope we dont go back to playing him as a no 10, not that he isnt okay there its just not his best position.

He has helped the team out by playing there. Now lets get him in his proper position and offer him another contract

Hendrick has been very good for most matches this year. One of our best players and I was a critic of him last year, albeit out of position.

Not been a fan however i agree with the OP. Superb tonight and easilly MOM.

Stand out performance

MDWat wrote:Another excellent performance from Jeff tonight. Don’t think he gave the ball away all night. Hendrick and Tarkowski have been our two best players this season by a distance. Hope the fans can continue to get behind him and he signs a new contract soon.

And our only goalscorers!

amazing what a player can do when he plays in his proper position

Played well in the midfield but lacks confidence in the box. The quick thinking free kick to him should of brought a goal.

RVclaret wrote:Hendrick needs to start in the middle with Vydra in behind Wood. We will notice an almighty difference.

Rather Vydra behind Barnes or Vokes there both better than Wood

Outstanding simple as that. And so much better in his natural position as are we with 11 in their natural positions.

bumba wrote:Rather Vydra behind Barnes or Vokes there both better than Wood

Wood’s goals to minutes ratio is far better than any of the others. Not firing yet this season but he will do soon.

RVclaret wrote:Wood’s goals to minutes ratio is far better than any of the others. Not firing yet this season but he will do soon.

His form this season is terrible, his touch tonight was woeful when he came on.
Vokes and Vydra could make a much better partnership

Like I've said many many times Jeff Hendrick would be the first name on my team sheet if I was picking the side ...love the fella.

We signed him as a CM, he has been asked to play as a number 10 and does everything he has been asked to do playing out of position. How anyone can slate him in crazy.
Tonight he played in his position and was outstanding.

How anyone can slate a player trying his best out of position amazes me.

My MOM tonight and by far one of the best performers for us this season so far. There have been a couple of occasions where I've thought "hit it" when it's opened up for him (another tonight although I may be being harsh without seeing it again) but I do think he'll have it in his mind "if I smash it over I'm going to get berated again" so I'll take a touch. Hopefully, more and more performances like tonight will bring his confidence back. He is only relatively young and I still think he will get develop to become an even better player.

Goodclaret wrote:My MOM tonight and by far one of the best performers for us this season so far. There have been a couple of occasions where I've thought "hit it" when it's opened up for him (another tonight although I may be being harsh without seeing it again) but I do think he'll have it in his mind "if I smash it over I'm going to get berated again" so I'll take a touch. Hopefully, more and more performances like tonight will bring his confidence back. He is only relatively young and I still think he will get develop to become an even better player.

I'm sure that from his best chance tonight he did everything right, got over the ball and on target, good block sends it over.
Hendrick was as good as any player on the pitch tonight.

boatshed bill wrote:I'm sure that from his best chance tonight he did everything right, got over the ball and on target, good block sends it over.
Hendrick was as good as any player on the pitch tonight.

That's good then. As I said, I hadn't seen it back. It's easy for us in the stands to say "oh he should just score" isn't it?

Let's just hope he carries on as he is doing as there is clearly a very good player in him

Was my motm though there were a few who also played well

Not just tonight though, he's been our best player so far this season whether in the midfield in a four or further forward.

I think Westwood and Cork have both been better than Jeff this season - Westwood and Hendrick were both superb tonight though and tonight was the best I've seen Jeff play. As one of his biggest critics - I'm now behind him.

Amazing what a difference it makes with him actually playing in his rightful postion.

Far better in the centre rather than further forward.

Cleveleys_claret wrote:Covered every blade of grass tonight. Good in front of the back 4 when needed to tidy up and always giving support in attack. Needs to be beside Cork for me on Sunday as Cork and Westwood are too alike

Absolutely. Cork and Hendrick would give us a different feel i think, especially with Vydra in the number 10 role.

ClaretTony wrote:Not just tonight though, he's been our best player so far this season whether in the midfield in a four or further forward.

Have to disagree there. Apart from last nights poor cameo Jack Cork has been our best player for me.

I must be honest I've been critical of Hendrick in the past. At times he can be very frustrating and I feel he has a lot more to offer than what has been shown thus far until this season. Signs are however encouraging but he is playing deeper which helps.

MDWat wrote:Another excellent performance from Jeff tonight. Don’t think he gave the ball away all night. Hendrick and Tarkowski have been our two best players this season by a distance. Hope the fans can continue to get behind him and he signs a new contract soon.

Tarks? Really? Same guy who left his man for the second at Fulham?

Completely agree on Hendrick though, entirely different player when he's played in position.

deanothedino wrote:Tarks? Really? Same guy who left his man for the second at Fulham?

Completely agree on Hendrick though, entirely different player when he's played in position.

Nothing to do with position though as we've seen this season when he's played in a more advanced role and still been our best player. Simple fact is he's playing well.

Started this season very well but looks far more comfortable in his natural position with the game in front of him. Another very good performance last night. Hope he keeps it up.

What it does show is that many of the so called negative posters, or those that it’s said “have to have a scape goat” actually do rate players accordingly.

Hendrick has been poor and rightly got criticism for it. This season so far, he’s been much better and the comments reflect this.

I have to hold my hands up to knocking Hendrick, and other posters have rightly posted he is being played out of position and is better in the centre midfield role, which to be fair i couldn't see that happening, but in the last 3 matches in particular he has stood out, and long may it continue. If (I know we wont) ever did go 5-3-1-1 at this moment in time a midfield of Westwood , Hendrick and Cork would certainly be playing to our strengths i believe, as none of 3 deserve to miss out at the moment.

Heaton
Tarks-Gibbson-Mee
Lowton-Hendrick -Cork - Westwood- Taylor
Vydra
Vokes

ClaretTony wrote:Nothing to do with position though as we've seen this season when he's played in a more advanced role and still been our best player. Simple fact is he's playing well.

Still a level above in the deeper role for me. You are free to have your own assessment though.

deanothedino wrote:Still a level above in the deeper role for me. You are free to have your own assessment though.

It has always been his natural position but I've never had the downer on him that so many have had when he's played further forward.

Very good game, but not my MOM, I'll give that to the young lad