Best first touch in the squad?

[spike220]

Who do you think has the best first touch in the squad?

There are a few seriously good contenders here which is a great problem to have.

[overdrive]

Lewis Stevenson

[lucky]

Scott Allan and Lewis Stevenson stand out for me. It pisses me off when players second touch is a tackle due their inability to control a ball

[hibee_girl]

Lewis Stevenson

:agree:

[NadeAteMyLunch!]

No one will ever beat David Murphy for first touch though 💚

[Scottie]

Doo doo doo Dominique Malonga. :agree:

[GreenArmyyy!]

David Gray and Scott Allan.

[jacomo]

Doo doo doo Dominique Malonga. :agree:

He'd get my vote.

[Smartie]

I've always been a Lewis fan but this season is the first that I've appreciated how good his first touch is.

I either haven't noticed it before or it has improved.

There are a few candidates in our squad. I'd even say that Hanlon has almost as good a first touch as I've seen on a centre half.

[Billychaotic182]

David Gray for me

[heretoday]

Doo doo doo Dominique Malonga. :agree:

Yes.

[Leitherhibs]

Yes.

For a tall fella its extremely good. Stevenson for me though.

[The_Horde]

Mcgeouch for me.

[GreenLake]

Since Nelson left, I would say Allan.

[Smartie]

Since Nelson left, I would say Allan.

I suppose some could say that best=travels the furthest.

[worcesterhibby]

King Louis for me..but I love the way Malonga always looks like he has mis-controlled it, but then when the defender jumps in to nick it, it's not there and Dom has beaten him..it's like it's on elastic with Malonga sometimes.

[Smartie]

King Louis for me..but I love the way Malonga always looks like he has mis-controlled it, but then when the defender jumps in to nick it, it's not there and Dom has beaten him..it's like it's on elastic with Malonga sometimes.

I know what you mean, I sometimes wonder how he manages it.

Although I sometimes wonder whether it's less to do with having a great touch and more to do with being deceptively quick when he puts his mind to it?

[Seveno]

Dom and Lewis

[Spike Mandela]

Impressed with Malonga's first touch.

[hibees 7062]

McGoosh for me

[Vault Boy]

It's encouraging that there are so many genuine candidates. I think in recent seasons Stevenson and Hanlon have really been the only two with consistent ball control in the side. However it is fair to say that there are now a number of players who have this ability, which is how it should be. Any one from Stevenson, Gray, Allan, McGeouch and Malonga for me, couldn't choose between them, all very adept at bringing the ball down.

[Pretty Boy]

I always find threads like this a bit bizarre. I would expect every player playing professional football to have a good to great 1st touch. It's one of the very 1st things you are taught playing football.

For what it's worth I can't think of anyone in our 1st team squad who has a particularly poor 1st touch

[Smartie]

I always find threads like this a bit bizarre. I would expect every player playing professional football to have a good to great 1st touch. It's one of the very 1st things you are taught playing football.

For what it's worth I can't think of anyone in our 1st team squad who has a particularly poor 1st touch

Aye, you would think so. But James Collins for one jumps out as one who didn't have it.

And there have been players over the years - Murphy sticks out as one - whose touch has seemed better than others.

The effort and graft one was always one that got me. Surely effort and correct application would be the least you would expect from professional footballers? But after seeing the way that some players go through the motions/ heads go down/ look genuinely disinterested over the past few years it even made me appreciate the "run through brick walls" mentality of a guy like Michael Nelson that I previously took for granted.

[lord bunberry]

Mcgeouch for me.

And me

[jane_says]

Dom. Doesn't always take it in tight to him, but always into space.

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

Scott Alan. Just looks a class player.

[Mibbes Aye]

Dom. Doesn't always take it in tight to him, but always into space.

:agree: Important point. There's the first touch that effortlessly kills a tricky ball, say crossfield on the first bounce. That's what I think of when I think of Murphy, though he had far more in his repertoire than just that.

Then there's that really positive first touch that plays it on into good space and allows the player in possession to go on and pressure the opposition through pace and/or strength.

But then there's that other kind of first touch that does enough to lure an opponent out of position or into a challenge that they can't complete, opening up even more room. That takes good technique and control, but also good situational awareness. Malonga has a bit of that about him, certainly.

[Iggy Pope]

Pretty Boy is right, I think. Touch should be a given. In saying that, we happily appear to have a squad that can touch and move without labouring. Any of the back 4 combo are comfortable and equally, any of the middle 2 know when to launch. The current midfield are in my opinion, beyond reproach in this respect and two of them have a 'touch' that I doubt any on here could either coach or criticise.
Finally. Jason Cummings. Previously, nothing stuck to this boy, but in recent weeks, everything has. If its training and working with good strikers like Heffernan in training, then we are looking good.
FWIW, yesterdays second 45 was exemplary for me.

[worcesterhibby]

:agree: Important point. There's the first touch that effortlessly kills a tricky ball, say crossfield on the first bounce. That's what I think of when I think of Murphy, though he had far more in his repertoire than just that.

Then there's that really positive first touch that plays it on into good space and allows the player in possession to go on and pressure the opposition through pace and/or strength.

But then there's that other kind of first touch that does enough to lure an opponent out of position or into a challenge that they can't complete, opening up even more room. That takes good technique and control, but also good situational awareness. Malonga has a bit of that about him, certainly.

Was just about to post something very similar to this. The best players don't just get the ball under control with their first touch, the move it into a position which helps them attack. Dalglish was probably the best at this of any Scottish player I have seen in the flesh. There are a number in the current squad capable of this at times including Louis, Allan and Malonga. To do it consistently requires, great touch, exceptional spacial awareness and a bit of imagination. Personally, as a player I had none of those :greengrin

[rosco-hibee]

The last Hibs game I was at was the 4-0 against Der Hun, and particularly looked out for Allan after hearing a few folk rave about him. In terms of first touch though, Louis stuck out for me. In fact, Louis looks generally a far more confident player this year under Stubbs.

[Mikey09]

I'm gonna go out on a limb.... When fit and, hopefully, playing regularly, Djedje will show his class as albeit the short clips I've seen of him, his first touch looks fantastic.

Non Hibs Players I've seen in the flesh with the best first touch- I'll go for Di Canio and the best player I have ever seen, Zinadine Zidane...... :not worth

[JimBHibees]

Got to be said isnt it good to be speaking about the technical ability of the team whereas in the last few years we had players struggling with the basics. To me all the players will have a decent touch however the forward players will need a sharper touch in that they will be taking the ball in areas where they are under most pressure and also in less space. To me Allan and Malonga are ahead in this regard.

[Iceman1875]

Dylan for me.


At Easter Road we play...

[dangermouse]

For killing the ball dead from a cross-field pass, Callum Booth reminds me of David Murphy.