Riordan/Stokes

**Kevvy1875** · 19-02-2010 11:24 PM

First of all, Stokes has done a brilliant job this season and has been scoring for fun. IMO the way Hibs play at the moment which is getting the early ball to Stokes down the centre and Stokesy scoring many goals from this. IMO Hughes has the team set up to play this way. Not a bad thing when its working.

This however is a problem for a striker like Deeks who comes into his own when he has a yard of space on the edge of the box. When we hem teams in and they defend their penalty box, who is the guy you want to pick his spot from 20yds? Riordan obviously. He dosn't get the oppurtunity as often as he would like these days as the team is not set up to feed him oppurtunitys, as I mentioned before I believe the team is set up for the early centre to Stokes and that is the reason he has scored so many. Trouble is that it may have been so sucsessful that the team have come to rely on the tactic too much and have forgotton we need to mix it up at times? Like trying to work the ball forward and someone like Deeks, Spoony, Zoomer and Rankin to have pops from the edge of the box.

I like both players and reckon we are fortunate to have two really potent goal scorers. However, we are not getting the best from Riordan because of the over dependancy of the same tactic to feed this early ball through to Stokes.

We need to mix the play up a wee bit more and bring Riordan into the game IMO. How that is done? Thats up to Hughes. I am no manager but I have my opinion and as good as Stokes is and as well as he has done for us it may actually become detrimental to rely on only his goals from the exact same tactic over and over again.

Feel free to be critical or agree...just some thoughts I have been mulling over.

**OstKurve Hibs** · 20-02-2010 12:46 AM

We all no deek needs taken off left wing,waste of talent!!! i would like to see him partner stokes or even a supporting role sittin behind stokes n maybe benji, that way he could pick up scraps n use his strikin ability to hit shots from about 20/25 from goal whilst also laying on chances for the front 2.

***HFC 0-7*** · 20-02-2010 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by OstKurve Hibs

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

We all no deek needs taken off left wing,waste of talent!!! i would like to see him partner stokes or even a supporting role sittin behind stokes n maybe benji, that way he could pick up scraps n use his strikin ability to hit shots from about 20/25 from goal whilst also laying on chances for the front 2.

Riordan should be effective on the left wing. When Zouma plays on the right of midfield, he always manages to get the ball as he goes looking for it. Riordan stays out wide and doesnt come in at all looking for the ball until the latter stages of the games. Riordan should keep the width until the ball is with stokes then he needs to come inside for the lay offs etc so he can either have a go from range or 'try' and tale it past a player. I dont know if I have acutally seen riordan go past a player all season.

***J-C*** · 20-02-2010 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by OstKurve Hibs

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

We all no deek needs taken off left wing,waste of talent!!! i would like to see him partner stokes or even a supporting role sittin behind stokes n maybe benji, that way he could pick up scraps n use his strikin ability to hit shots from about 20/25 from goal whilst also laying on chances for the front 2.

Funny how both Mixu and now Yogi have been playing Deek out there on the left

**~~PaulSmith~~** · 20-02-2010 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by JC50

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Funny how both Mixu and now Yogi have been playing Deek out there on the left

Add in Tony Mowbray whilst at Hibs and Gordon Strachon and I can only see Derek playing up front during the Williamson era nigh on 8 seasons ago.

**down-the-slope** · 20-02-2010 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by hibs13681

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Riordan should be effective on the left wing. When Zouma plays on the right of midfield, he always manages to get the ball as he goes looking for it. Riordan stays out wide and doesnt come in at all looking for the ball until the latter stages of the games. Riordan should keep the width until the ball is with stokes then he needs to come inside for the lay offs etc so he can either have a go from range or 'try' and tale it past a player. I dont know if I have acutally seen riordan go past a player all season.

You havent because he hasnt....

Derek played fine when GOC was up top as he had strength and could hold up play (better than stokes as he was stronger) and so Derek got time to come in for lay offs and link up

The biggest two issues are

1) Deeks who was no whippet has lost so much pace he is now painfully slow
2) his previous wide left position was when we had 3 central midfielders so the team suffered less from his lack in the defensive side.

He isn't and never will be an up top striker as he can't run the channel or hold up play, and headers have never been his thing and he preffers coming onto the ball. YouTube - Derek Riordan - Come Home To Hibs.

I do think he had a period where he was putting in more effort but that seems to have waned as well past 3 or 4 games

**skipster7** · 20-02-2010 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by PaulSmith

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Add in Tony Mowbray whilst at Hibs and Gordon Strachon and I can only see Derek playing up front during the Williamson era nigh on 8 seasons ago.

i must have been at different games then,i cant remember watching hibs under mowbray with only Gary o up front with Riordan tackling folk in the left back position

.i do however remember him of to the left of O'Connor higher up the pitch scoring 20+ every season

maybe im starting to go senile.

**ancient hibee** · 20-02-2010 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by down-the-slope

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

You havent because he hasnt....

Derek played fine when GOC was up top as he had strength and could hold up play (better than stokes as he was stronger) and so Derek got time to come in for lay offs and link up

The biggest two issues are

1) Deeks who was no whippet has lost so much pace he is now painfully slow
2) his previous wide left position was when we had 3 central midfielders so the team suffered less from his lack in the defensive side.

He isn't and never will be an up top striker as he can't run the channel or hold up play, and headers have never been his thing and he preffers coming onto the ball. YouTube - Derek Riordan - Come Home To Hibs.

I do think he had a period where he was putting in more effort but that seems to have waned as well past 3 or 4 games

Where does he appear in the SPL all time scorers list again.What tosh

**Hainan Hibs** · 20-02-2010 10:14 AM

I'm in sort of two minds about Riordan.

I feel we need someone like Galbraith on the left who has a bit of pace and will try to beat a man.

Also if we put Riordan up front through the centre I feel it would just take one standard SPL huddie to bully him and bring in the "10 men" effect again.

However, Riordan is prone to getting us out of **** creek in many games with his out of the blue wonder goals and if it wasn't for those goals we wouldn't be third. However, in games were that doesn't happen we are basically playing with 10 men.

***silverhibee*** · 20-02-2010 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by PaulSmith

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Add in Tony Mowbray whilst at Hibs and Gordon Strachon and I can only see Derek playing up front during the Williamson era nigh on 8 seasons ago.

Dereks first season at celtc, and yes i know he didn't play many games for them, but in the first season, strapon played him as a striker along side the guy Hesselink in the games that he started for them, and for the few games he played that season, maybe started 13 games and got 7 goals playing next to the big guy. Hope Jack Reagan can back me up here.

**Hainan Hibs** · 20-02-2010 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by silverhibee

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Dereks first season at celtc, and yes i know he didn't play many games for them, but in the first season, strapon played him as a striker along side the guy Hesselink in the games that he started for them, and for the few games he played that season, maybe started 13 games and got 7 goals playing next to the big guy. Hope Jack Reagan can back me up here.

I'll help you out there,

CELTIC FANS ARE JUST AS SECTARIAN AS RANGERS FANS.

He'll be along in no time mate

**Hibby 2005** · 20-02-2010 10:42 AM

Stokes and Riordan up front with a midfield of Galbraith, Miller, McBride and Zemamma would be lovely to see but I doubt we will. It might not work and there would need to be a strong defence behind them but it could be interesting.