captain connor

[Andy Holland]

For me he epitomises everything that's wrong with Sheridan's team. Strolls around and great at receiving the ball 90 yards from goal. And that's about it. Flatters to deceive. Why is he taking free kicks on the halfway line? Leave it to a defender and get yourself into areas where you might have a greater influence. No coincidence that for the three years he's been a mainstay in the side we have struggled to score goals. The most negative midfield player I can recall in 30 years of watching Argyle.

I've called him negative myself - but it's quite ridiculous to call him the "most negative" you've ever seen.

Presumably you never watched Steve Adams, McCall, Fletcher, Folly etc.


When CH gets forward and plays almost behind the striker, he's a real asset, a constant goal threat and always in with a chance of getting some assists.

But when he goes "safe", and drops to the halfway line, turning to face his own goal every time he receives the ball, he's absolutely worthless to us, or anyone for that matter.

I've said it for ages - if his mentality got sorted he'd be a superb player, and he's definitely capable of playing at a much higher level than he is right now.

He needs a strong manager to recognise what he could offer and to get him performing that way consistently - a manager, sadly, that we've not had.

 

[Cerbera]

For me, Cap'n Crab.Only ever goes sideways or backwards.

Occasional brief glimpses of brilliance - yesterday's goal being a shining example.

Keep him, but relieve him of the armband. But then, give it to whom?

 

[Frank Butcher]

If you need an armband to become a leader then you're a waste of space anyway.

Leaders will lead regardless of there role, because they are leaders. Hence Wotton or Branston. The armband means very little other than pre-match formalities.

For what it's worth, I could hear Hourihane screaming to organise the team when defending corners today. So he does lead, just not as ferociously as some would like.

I can't honestly believe there could be many questions left of his ability. There are many flaws in this current team. He is absolutely not one of them. He's still only a 23 year old lad, who has captained a club through a difficult rebuilding phase, all while he's still trying to establish himself and find out what his best role is as a player. We are lucky to have him in my opinion and hopefully with a higher standard of player around him, and the perfect player in the midfield with him, we can really see him shine.

This.

You are confusing leaders with the role of captain.

Yes, there should be leaders across the squad, but the captain is the one that players turn to, that takes responsibility and that has authority. Consider the Wotton remonstrations yesterday - was there any respect for the captain ? And setting that example aside, more generally whenever I see CH trying to direct individuals it often ends up in backchat.

Captains are invariably players who are respected by having the experience, mettle and/or inspirational qualities to motivate others, and the ability to recognise when the shape of a game needs to change (and be listened to).

Even though I'm daring to disgree with the footballing bibles that are the Evans twins :roll: , he is a very good player at this level - but, for me at least, he is not a captain.

In fact, I think it would do him a world of good to lose the responsibility.

 

[Gerald Wylie]

For me he epitomises everything that's wrong with Sheridan's team. Strolls around and great at receiving the ball 90 yards from goal. And that's about it. Flatters to deceive. Why is he taking free kicks on the halfway line? Leave it to a defender and get yourself into areas where you might have a greater influence. No coincidence that for the three years he's been a mainstay in the side we have struggled to score goals. The most negative midfield player I can recall in 30 years of watching Argyle.

Totally agree.

Definitely done well to have scored 7 goals this season then :scarf:

Which is why I find him frustrating. Clearly has ability but plays the game far too safely and rarely gets himself into the penalty box. He should dictate matches far more than he does.

 

[SMIAL]

No doubt he's got ability but yet another frustrating season from him. Mr inconsistent, but he's young he may one day turn into a good player at this level.

 

[barmybodminbill]

Connor has been our most consistent midfield player this season although he has had had a couple of poor games which he has admitted too in interviews.... the main problems with the team is the lack of other consistent midfield players in the squad.. Luke young is good when he good but is so on/off too often, blizzard is the same, Conor cannot be blamed for the whole midfield problems as some on here think he should be, wotts has helped greatly when he's sat as the defensive partner to Connor but his displays this season have been up and down, maybe Conor needs to relinquish the armband and concentrate on his game but to do that we need a " senior" midfield sitter in to be captain and for that person to pass on his experience to Conor...with Connor as vice captain, to succeed we need three of our four midfield to be on their game every game, which hasn't happened very often this season, one man can only do so much, we would certainly be a lot worse off without him. And his goals..We have a great number of midfield players on our books but you will not need more than one hand to count the players who could honestly say that they have had a fairly good season .We need to build next year's squad around the 6/7 better players, ie Conor ,lewis, Reubin, young, Nelse, Luke mc, Tyler........

 

[Pogleswoody]

For me he epitomises everything that's wrong with Sheridan's team. Strolls around and great at receiving the ball 90 yards from goal. And that's about it. Flatters to deceive. Why is he taking free kicks on the halfway line? Leave it to a defender and get yourself into areas where you might have a greater influence. No coincidence that for the three years he's been a mainstay in the side we have struggled to score goals. The most negative midfield player I can recall in 30 years of watching Argyle.

Presumably you never watched Steve Adams, McCall, Fletcher, Folly etc.

McCall?? Steve McCall?? are you actually suggesting that McCall was a 'negative' player and that Hourihane is anywhere near his quality??

Have I got the wrong McCall?? Steve McCall My Lord .. Steve McCall?? :shock: :facepalm:

 

[SMIAL]

Connor has been our most consistent midfield player this season although he has had had a couple of poor games which he has admitted too in interviews....

Consistently average!! Sheridan has even said it, he will have one good game in 8. More poor games than good games.

We need better from a midfield general.

 

[PilgrimJosh]

The problem lies not with Conor, but instead with the lack of a midfield partner. Blizzard hasn't been great and Young inconsistent but neither have played enough for Hourihane to establish himself as a genuine box to box midfielder yet.

We need a new midielder, someone who will stay back and do the dirty work but ideally an upgrade on Blizzard. Cox would be good, but whoever, just someone. That would mean you coukd go 442 or 442 diamond where Hourihane is the CAM and a new CDM.

He's good enough, just needs a good partner. That, after Reid, would be top of my shopping list.

 

[MrP20]

Connor has been our most consistent midfield player this season although he has had had a couple of poor games which he has admitted too in interviews....

Consistently average!! Sheridan has even said it, he will have one good game in 8. More poor games than good games.

We need better from a midfield general.

Very true.

And Sheridan constantly slagging the team off for a lack of talking is a direct criticism of Hourihanes captaincy.

 

[Andy Holland]

For me he epitomises everything that's wrong with Sheridan's team. Strolls around and great at receiving the ball 90 yards from goal. And that's about it. Flatters to deceive. Why is he taking free kicks on the halfway line? Leave it to a defender and get yourself into areas where you might have a greater influence. No coincidence that for the three years he's been a mainstay in the side we have struggled to score goals. The most negative midfield player I can recall in 30 years of watching Argyle.

Presumably you never watched Steve Adams, McCall, Fletcher, Folly etc.

McCall?? Steve McCall?? are you actually suggesting that McCall was a 'negative' player and that Hourihane is anywhere near his quality??

Have I got the wrong McCall?? Steve McCall My Lord .. Steve McCall?? :shock: :facepalm:

Calm down, and have a look to see if I compared them in terms of quality.

McCall was utter quality, but no fan of getting in the box, shooting from distance etc.

 

[Gerald Wylie]

For me he epitomises everything that's wrong with Sheridan's team. Strolls around and great at receiving the ball 90 yards from goal. And that's about it. Flatters to deceive. Why is he taking free kicks on the halfway line? Leave it to a defender and get yourself into areas where you might have a greater influence. No coincidence that for the three years he's been a mainstay in the side we have struggled to score goals. The most negative midfield player I can recall in 30 years of watching Argyle.

I've called him negative myself - but it's quite ridiculous to call him the "most negative" you've ever seen.

Presumably you never watched Steve Adams, McCall, Fletcher, Folly etc.


When CH gets forward and plays almost behind the striker, he's a real asset, a constant goal threat and always in with a chance of getting some assists.

But when he goes "safe", and drops to the halfway line, turning to face his own goal every time he receives the ball, he's absolutely worthless to us, or anyone for that matter.

I've said it for ages - if his mentality got sorted he'd be a superb player, and he's definitely capable of playing at a much higher level than he is right now.

He needs a strong manager to recognise what he could offer and to get him performing that way consistently - a manager, sadly, that we've not had.

Adams, Wotton, Fletcher, etc were obviously defensive midfield players whereas Hourihane's talent lends itself to a playmaker. Which is why he is so disappointing to watch. He's certainly no McCall, Machin, Friio or Castle.

 

[The Doctor]

I have always thought that Friio was over-rated as a midfield player as he rarely influenced the play in that part of the field. I think his reputation is based almost entirely on his knack of popping up at opportune moments to score goals.

 

[Pogleswoody]

For me he epitomises everything that's wrong with Sheridan's team. Strolls around and great at receiving the ball 90 yards from goal. And that's about it. Flatters to deceive. Why is he taking free kicks on the halfway line? Leave it to a defender and get yourself into areas where you might have a greater influence. No coincidence that for the three years he's been a mainstay in the side we have struggled to score goals. The most negative midfield player I can recall in 30 years of watching Argyle.

Presumably you never watched Steve Adams, McCall, Fletcher, Folly etc.

McCall?? Steve McCall?? are you actually suggesting that McCall was a 'negative' player and that Hourihane is anywhere near his quality??

Have I got the wrong McCall?? Steve McCall My Lord .. Steve McCall?? :shock: :facepalm:

Calm down, and have a look to see if I compared them in terms of quality.

McCall was utter quality, but no fan of getting in the box, shooting from distance etc.

Because he controlled the ball, kept the ball and played forward (swear word :shock: ?) passes to those in the box who wanted to shoot. He scored a few great goals himself! I'd take a 22 year old McCall :nworthy: over a 22 year old Hairyhand anyday!!

If you want me to calm down .. give me a Snickers!!

 

[Nobby]

Connor has been our most consistent midfield player this season although he has had had a couple of poor games which he has admitted too in interviews....

Consistently average!! Sheridan has even said it, he will have one good game in 8. More poor games than good games.

We need better from a midfield general.

So by your maths, Hourihane has had no more than six good games this season. Give me a break.

Where is this myth that he's a midfield general? The only people to label him that come from PASOTI. He isn't Yaya Toure for crying out loud. He's a young footballer, still carving out an identity on the pitch.

Whether you like him or not is an opinion your entitled too, but this season without him we would have been miles from the playoffs and wouldn't be far away from battling it out with the other Devon clubs. In my opinion anyway.

I've never known a young player to perform so well for us but to get so much criticism. At least with Summerfield, he was genuinely shocking most of the time, but how Hourihane can be frequently singled out is beyond me. It's as if people think he should be the best player because he's the captain, and we all know that's not how it works.