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Winston Ingram
22-01-2010, 07:53 PM
One thing that never fails to surprise me is the amount of people on here wanting to move Riordan up front through the middle.

Riordan has said on umpteen occasions it's his preferred position. Even at Celtic it was one of the reasons he fell out with Strachan as he wanted him to play up front and Deeks didn't. If anyone had seen him play up front they'd agree with Deeks that the left was his best position.

When he plays up front he looks lost. He's not got the pace to play on the shoulder of a defender. He's not good in the air, his hold up play his poor. He's not any good at playing as a 2nd striker either

All his success at Hibs has come from the advanced left sided position and it plays to his strengths.He needs space when he plays. If you look at most of his goals for Hibs they have either come from distance or coming in unmarked at the back post.

I get the impression that people think moving him there would improve his goal count. That'd be like saying it be a good idea to stick Frank Lampard up front. IMO it's more likely to make it worse. He'd be easier to mark and and end up with his back to goal most of the time trying to do things he's not good at

FRes Hibbie
22-01-2010, 07:58 PM
One thing that never fails to surprise me is the amount of people on here wanting to move Riordan up front through the middle.

Riordan has said on umpteen occasions it's his preferred position. Even at Celtic it was one of the reasons he fell out with Strachan as he wanted him to play up front and Deeks didn't. If anyone had seen him play up front they'd agree with Deeks that the left was his best position.

When he plays up front he looks lost. He's not got the pace to play on the shoulder of a defender. He's not good in the air, his hold up play his poor. He's not any good at playing as a 2nd striker either

All his success at Hibs has come from the advanced left sided position and it plays to his strengths.He needs space when he plays. If you look at most of his goals for Hibs they have either come from distance or coming in unmarked at the back post.

I get the impression that people think moving him there would improve his goal count. That'd be like saying it be a good idea to stick Frank Lampard up front. IMO it's more likely to make it worse. He'd be easier to mark and and end up with his back to goal most of the time trying to do things he's not good at


When has Deek ever said he prefers playing on the left? :dunno:

Alex Trager
22-01-2010, 08:02 PM
everytime i've heard him he says he preffers in the middle

Elephant Stone
22-01-2010, 08:06 PM
Up front for me! He hasn't got the pace to be a winger, or at least he doesn't use his pace on the wing. I want a winger running fast at the full backs, you rarely see Riordan doing that. I think he'd be so much more effective up front.

Storar
22-01-2010, 08:12 PM
One thing that never fails to surprise me is the amount of people on here wanting to move Riordan up front through the middle.

Riordan has said on umpteen occasions it's his preferred position. Even at Celtic it was one of the reasons he fell out with Strachan as he wanted him to play up front and Deeks didn't. If anyone had seen him play up front they'd agree with Deeks that the left was his best position.

When he plays up front he looks lost. He's not got the pace to play on the shoulder of a defender. He's not good in the air, his hold up play his poor. He's not any good at playing as a 2nd striker either

All his success at Hibs has come from the advanced left sided position and it plays to his strengths.He needs space when he plays. If you look at most of his goals for Hibs they have either come from distance or coming in unmarked at the back post.

I get the impression that people think moving him there would improve his goal count. That'd be like saying it be a good idea to stick Frank Lampard up front. IMO it's more likely to make it worse. He'd be easier to mark and and end up with his back to goal most of the time trying to do things he's not good at

There's a video on youtube of alot of his goals first time round at Hibs and more than just a few come from the right side/centre of the box. There's also examples of him setting up goals from the right wing too.
First time round he was mainly a left sided forward but was given the choice to roam around a bit more and get into goal scoring positions. As a left sided midfielder he can't do that.
Get him up front and let him score goals!

Sir David Gray
22-01-2010, 08:49 PM
Since he's come back he's been played constantly on the left hand side of midfield and has gone through the two worst runs of form, goalscoring-wise, in his whole time as a Hibs player.

Last season he went nine SPL games without scoring and he has currently failed to score in his last six league matches. When he was here the first time, the longest he went without scoring was always around three or four games.

I don't know if that tells you anything with regards to the position that he used to play as opposed to the position that he plays now but that's the stat.

aussie_hibee
22-01-2010, 09:21 PM
i would love to see deek given a free role like zemmama had the other week. A 4-4-1 if you like with deek being told to go and do whatever he wants.

hfc rd
22-01-2010, 09:51 PM
Definately would put Deeks up front beside Stokesy rather than on the left wing.

skipster7
22-01-2010, 10:06 PM
Definately would put Deeks up front beside Stokesy rather than on the left wing.
:agree:there is no one at the club who you would want the ball falling to at the edge of the box rather than deek.FWIW i feel he's not even playing left wing as this suggests he has more freedom than he has currently, chasing players back to his own corner flag.
the guy has something like 77 goals for us and we are wasting his talents.

Westie1875
22-01-2010, 11:42 PM
Upfront. :agree:

monktonharp
22-01-2010, 11:53 PM
Upfront. :agree::agree:that's where he belongs.fish and chips are like Riordan and goals. gie the guy a brek

NORTHERNHIBBY
23-01-2010, 12:07 AM
Up front, as part of two, with four behind in midfield.:agree:

iwasthere1972
23-01-2010, 12:24 AM
:agree:that's where he belongs.fish and chips are like Riordan and goals. gie the guy a brek


:hilarious No way - Deeks couldn't tackle a fish supper.

Franck is God
23-01-2010, 08:54 AM
One thing that never fails to surprise me is the amount of people on here wanting to move Riordan up front through the middle.

Riordan has said on umpteen occasions it's his preferred position. Even at Celtic it was one of the reasons he fell out with Strachan as he wanted him to play up front and Deeks didn't. If anyone had seen him play up front they'd agree with Deeks that the left was his best position.

When he plays up front he looks lost. He's not got the pace to play on the shoulder of a defender. He's not good in the air, his hold up play his poor. He's not any good at playing as a 2nd striker either

All his success at Hibs has come from the advanced left sided position and it plays to his strengths.He needs space when he plays. If you look at most of his goals for Hibs they have either come from distance or coming in unmarked at the back post.

I get the impression that people think moving him there would improve his goal count. That'd be like saying it be a good idea to stick Frank Lampard up front. IMO it's more likely to make it worse. He'd be easier to mark and and end up with his back to goal most of the time trying to do things he's not good at


100% agree with everything you've said.

His most successful period at Hibs was playing on the left side of a front three with O'Connor was leading the line and that was under Mowbray. Even then he was rarely used from the start in games against the Old Firm if at all and the majority of his goals came against the opposition from the lower end of the table. Very clever player with an eye for a goal but he is not a centre forward.

I did notice someone saying that he gets goals from the edge of the box and he wouldn't want anyone else there, I agree with the sentiment but a big part of the reason he was there unmarked in the first place is that he's not played as a striker and has drifted there from a wide position.

He might feel that up front is his best position, I think it's my best position too and I am equally deluded.

Pedantic_Hibee
23-01-2010, 10:26 AM
If I were Yogi, when the line-up is named and the formation set, he should have Riordan symmetrical with Stokes.......and then tell him to do whatever the ****** he likes, go wherever he wants and do as much damage as he can.

Riordan's an intelligent footballer, he's got great positional sense and as his goals show, he can score from any angle. So for that reason, I wouldn't have him at left midfield, I wouldn't have him as a left-winger and I wouldn't have him as a striker up top with Stokes.

Let's face it, he is a luxury. Yes he's worked harder at his game this season but he's still a luxury. So let that luxury roam and put enough trust in him and his nous to sniff out a goal or an area of the pitch where he feels he can do the damage.

Today, I'd have Miller and McBride in the centre, Galbraith out left, Wotherspoon on the right, Stokes up front and apply the above to Riordan; i.e don't stray too far away from Stokes whereby he's isolated, but go on the hunt for the ball and do as much damage as you can from it.

Having Derek Riordan further than 35 yards from goal is pointless; he can't dribble past players, he's not blessed with blistering pace, he's not brilliant at tracking back and he couldn't tackle a fish supper.

But put him within a 35 yard radius of the net and he's a threat.....let the laddie off the leash, Yogi, and let him run riot.

Winston Ingram
23-01-2010, 11:35 AM
If I were Yogi, when the line-up is named and the formation set, he should have Riordan symmetrical with Stokes.......and then tell him to do whatever the ****** he likes, go wherever he wants and do as much damage as he can.

Riordan's an intelligent footballer, he's got great positional sense and as his goals show, he can score from any angle. So for that reason, I wouldn't have him at left midfield, I wouldn't have him as a left-winger and I wouldn't have him as a striker up top with Stokes.

Let's face it, he is a luxury. Yes he's worked harder at his game this season but he's still a luxury. So let that luxury roam and put enough trust in him and his nous to sniff out a goal or an area of the pitch where he feels he can do the damage.

Today, I'd have Miller and McBride in the centre, Galbraith out left, Wotherspoon on the right, Stokes up front and apply the above to Riordan; i.e don't stray too far away from Stokes whereby he's isolated, but go on the hunt for the ball and do as much damage as you can from it.

Having Derek Riordan further than 35 yards from goal is pointless; he can't dribble past players, he's not blessed with blistering pace, he's not brilliant at tracking back and he couldn't tackle a fish supper.

But put him within a 35 yard radius of the net and he's a threat.....let the laddie off the leash, Yogi, and let him run riot.

He played in that position against Falkirk. Other than the FK he scored and the tap in from another set piece he never touched the ball

Hibee_Rab
23-01-2010, 11:42 AM
i would love to see deek given a free role like zemmama had the other week. A 4-4-1 if you like with deek being told to go and do whatever he wants.

Halfway through the match news filters through of deeks being kicked out of a night club. He wanders back on to the pitch and scores the winner.

Toaods
23-01-2010, 11:51 AM
I think he's at his best on the left but is wasted by being told to stay there by different managers.

We must be the only club in the world to have a fellah that can rattle a ball just as naturally and effectively with both feet yet we leave him in the same flank week in, week out.


even O'Brien got a few runouts down the right side.

Yogi, :wtf:

hibiedude
23-01-2010, 12:01 PM
I couldn't give a toss where R01rdan plays are long as he get his finger out and puts in a shift.

All this nonsense about that's the reason for his his poor off late is because he's played out of position what a load of cr@p.

If he doesn't try to win the ball back when he loses it what's that to do with him being played out of position. :confused:

Expecting Rain
23-01-2010, 12:08 PM
i would love to see deek given a free role like zemmama had the other week. A 4-4-1 if you like with deek being told to go and do whatever he wants.

I think Hibs should give it a try, after all he`s two footed and he would probably strike up a good partnership with Stokes.
The downside is he might be prone to taking tougher challenges from opposition defenders but again give him a run and let him prove he`s capable.

Pedantic_Hibee
23-01-2010, 12:12 PM
He played in that position against Falkirk. Other than the FK he scored and the tap in from another set piece he never touched the ball

He doesn't really offer much else apart from a goal threat from a 35 yard radius though. He rarely hits the byeline, hits the target with a diagonal or slips in a through ball from the left flank.

To me, he's a long-distance Kris Boyd, i.e Boyd offers nowt outside the box and only gives you goals essentially.

Riordan is the exact same, albeit from a longer distance.

Winston Ingram
23-01-2010, 01:51 PM
He doesn't really offer much else apart from a goal threat from a 35 yard radius though. He rarely hits the byeline, hits the target with a diagonal or slips in a through ball from the left flank.

To me, he's a long-distance Kris Boyd, i.e Boyd offers nowt outside the box and only gives you goals essentially.

Riordan is the exact same, albeit from a longer distance.

No offence but that's rubbish. He's arguably the best crosser of the ball in the league:confused:

I don't know what Derek Riordan you've been watching but the one I see bangs in a bucket load of crosses with either foot every game:agree:

skipster7
23-01-2010, 02:07 PM
He played in that position against Falkirk. Other than the FK he scored and the tap in from another set piece he never touched the ball
so, apart from scoring 2 he never touched the ball,he must have been top man with pro zone that day:wink:
sometimes the half empty brigade leave me shaking my head:confused:

Winston Ingram
23-01-2010, 02:27 PM
so, apart from scoring 2 he never touched the ball,he must have been top man with pro zone that day:wink:
sometimes the half empty brigade leave me shaking my head:confused:
look at the title of this thread. It's about the position he plays. Both goals were from set pieces so it wouldn't matter if he played centre back that game as he still would have scored those goals. The statement was relating to someone suggesting he could play behind the strikers, which in that game he demonstrated that he couldn't. The people who don't bother reading what has been said and still feel the need to comment really leave me shaking my head

Franck is God
23-01-2010, 09:59 PM
He played on the left today, scored a bit of a poachers goal and a free kick. His willingness to be involved got him his goals today and had nothing to do with his starting position.

This doesn't even deserve the debate anymore!

Winston Ingram
24-01-2010, 10:58 AM
He played on the left today, scored a bit of a poachers goal and a free kick. His willingness to be involved got him his goals today and had nothing to do with his starting position.

This doesn't even deserve the debate anymore!

...and then did absoultely nothing when he went up front for the last 30 mins. I don't think he even touched the ball:confused:

Big Frank
24-01-2010, 11:02 AM
...and then did absoultely nothing when he went up front for the last 30 mins. I don't think he even touched the ball:confused:


mon buster, admit it, most of the support would like to see him in a more central position rather than scratching his arse as a left midfielder/winger.

Don't think your poll has had more than 25% of hibs net happy at him out wide.


:hnet:

Franck is God
24-01-2010, 11:53 AM
...and then did absoultely nothing when he went up front for the last 30 mins. I don't think he even touched the ball:confused:

Riordan thrives on having a bit of space and time on the ball while facing the goal. Playing up front is too restrictive, he isn't blessed with the strength to turn a player and also doesn't have the burst of pace to play on the shoulder of the last defender.

If he is to be successful with us then we have to set the team up to get the best from him, the tactics and formation we played yesterday allowed that, I only hope that when Zemmama is fit again we don't leave out the players that gave us our balance back. For me the addition of Nish and McBride gave us that and Zemmama for either of those players takes it away again.

Westie1875
24-01-2010, 11:56 AM
...and then did absoultely nothing when he went up front for the last 30 mins. I don't think he even touched the ball:confused:

The whole team didn't do much for the last half hour after the subs started.

judas
24-01-2010, 12:01 PM
To be honest, I think Riordans preference says it all.

He should play where he wants to play.

In most cases, you get the best return from players who are playing in their preferred position.

A happy employee is a good employee and all that.

skipster7
24-01-2010, 12:20 PM
look at the title of this thread. It's about the position he plays. Both goals were from set pieces so it wouldn't matter if he played centre back that game as he still would have scored those goals. The statement was relating to someone suggesting he could play behind the strikers, which in that game he demonstrated that he couldn't. The people who don't bother reading what has been said and still feel the need to comment really leave me shaking my head
i had read this thread and for me its simple, riordan is the best striker/goalscorer at the club so should therefore be played in the position where he gets the most chances.to pick one game when he didn't play well when not left midfield is not really balanced when you total up the
goals he has scored for us when playing up front or just off the main striker.you could have picked any of these games as an example but have obviously made your mind up.sorry if my need to comment upset you.:confused: