Riordan in Midfield

[ShanksSaidNo]

Following the game on Saturday, how do people feel about Riordan playing in midfield again?

I admit I was in the camp of "Get Deek upfront" for most of Yogi's reign, however, after watching the game on Saturday now think, through no fault of his own he's actually better playing out on the left. He didn't have one of his better games against Killie but that said i think due to our lack of creativity in midfield he doesnt get the service he requires when playing up front and therefore spends long times out of the game, annonymous and stranded.

At least when he is asked to play in midfield he has more of an influence on the game as he sees more of the ball. It will perhaps be easier to solve when Duffy returns as he could play as a lone striker, allowing Riordan to go back to the left as at the moment the thought of playing Nish up there on his own has no appeal whatsoever.

I know the predicatable - 'some people are never happy' replies await, although i am merely making an observation based on what I saw on Saturday!

[Andy74]

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Following the game on Saturday, how do people feel about Riordan playing in midfield again?

I admit I was in the camp of "Get Deek upfront" for most of Yogi's reign, however, after watching the game on Saturday now think, through no fault of his own he's actually better playing out on the left. He didn't have one of his better games against Killie but that said i think due to our lack of creativity in midfield he doesnt get the service he requires when playing up front and therefore spends long times out of the game, annonymous and stranded.

At least when he is asked to play in midfield he has more of an influence on the game as he sees more of the ball. It will perhaps be easier to solve when Duffy returns as he could play as a lone striker, allowing Riordan to go back to the left as at the moment the thought of playing Nish up there on his own has no appeal whatsoever.

I know the predicatable - 'some people are never happy' replies await, although i am merely making an observation based on what I saw on Saturday!

I think you are right, he is nothing specal up front at all and never did quite get the clamour for him to go up there.

He is of course vital to have on the pitch as he will pop up with cracking goals and free kicks. For me, he can do that far more effectively coming in from those wide positions.

The ideal sceanrio is to have strikers that can go and do the job up front and also have Deek banging them in from wide on the left.

It does show you though, some of the easy fixes people thought were going to sort things out when Hughes was around don't really work out that way.

[HibeePaj]

iv always been a fan of Riordan in midfield however that leaves us with a real lack of goals in attack. Give trakys a chance however i feel we really need to bring in a proven goalscorer for attack.

Riordan has really started getting on my nerves lately with his laziness when it comes to getting back in play. After most attacks you can rely on him pottering about MILESSS offiside. he is of NO use in the offside position, i don't think its too much to ask for a striker to keep himself in play.

i know Nish was offside a few times on saturday however that came from lazy runs and observation, Riordan always seems to take AGES to get back onside, after an attack.

[Winston Ingram]

He's never been a striker. Which he's proved again since Stokes has left. He looks lost up there and by his own accord moved further and further over to the left the longer the game went on.

[3pm]

I'd play Riordan off the centre forward.

[Franck is God]

I'm another who never understood the 'play Deek upfront and everything will be fine' attitude.

He is a poor forward, he doesn't have the pace to play on the shoulder or the strength to hold up the ball or the ability in the air to flick it on and in all the years he has been playing he has never figured out how to time a run to stay onside.

I have argued many times that he is the icing on the cake for our team but for him to be effective the other nine outfield players need to be better than they are right now hence why he wouldn't be in my first choice team most weeks.

I'd love to have a team that still included Boozy, KT, Brown, Stewart, O'Connor etc so all he really needed to do was find a bit of space 25 yeards out and score a cracker or to be invloved in all the set pieces but I'm afraid those days are gone and IMO cannot afford a player like him anymore.

When Duffy is fit, if Trakys ever gets fit and when Byrne comes back I think he'll struggle to stay in the side and finding him a place in the midfield isn't an option for me as it just weakens that area of the pitch too.

[3pm]

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I'm another who never understood the 'play Deek upfront and everything will be fine' attitude.

He is a poor forward, he doesn't have the pace to play on the shoulder or the strength to hold up the ball or the ability in the air to flick it on and in all the years he has been playing he has never figured out how to time a run to stay onside.

I have argued many times that he is the icing on the cake for our team but for him to be effective the other nine outfield players need to be better than they are right now hence why he wouldn't be in my first choice team most weeks.

I'd love to have a team that still included Boozy, KT, Brown, Stewart, O'Connor etc so all he really needed to do was find a bit of space 25 yeards out and score a cracker or to be invloved in all the set pieces but I'm afraid those days are gone and IMO cannot afford a player like him anymore.

When Duffy is fit, if Trakys ever gets fit and when Byrne comes back I think he'll struggle to stay in the side and finding him a place in the midfield isn't an option for me as it just weakens that area of the pitch too.

You're joking surely?!

[WellingtonHibby]

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I'm another who never understood the 'play Deek upfront and everything will be fine' attitude.

He is a poor forward, he doesn't have the pace to play on the shoulder or the strength to hold up the ball or the ability in the air to flick it on and in all the years he has been playing he has never figured out how to time a run to stay onside.

I have argued many times that he is the icing on the cake for our team but for him to be effective the other nine outfield players need to be better than they are right now hence why he wouldn't be in my first choice team most weeks.

I'd love to have a team that still included Boozy, KT, Brown, Stewart, O'Connor etc so all he really needed to do was find a bit of space 25 yeards out and score a cracker or to be invloved in all the set pieces but I'm afraid those days are gone and IMO cannot afford a player like him anymore.

When Duffy is fit, if Trakys ever gets fit and when Byrne comes back I think he'll struggle to stay in the side and finding him a place in the midfield isn't an option for me as it just weakens that area of the pitch too.

[hibiedude]

R01rdan should be given a free roll Let him go looking for the ball because up front with someone like Nish doesn’t work.

His skill is based on coming in from the wing and running at defenders-if he is left waiting on the midfield feeding him good service with the ball then he gets frustrated then loses interest in the game.

[Holmesdale Hibs]

Until we have a midfield that can create chances its difficult to see any of our strikers scoring a lot of goals. If he was getting the service he would be one of the top scorers in the SPL. I can’t imagine teams being worried about our strike force without him in it.

Rankin and McBride are ok defensively but are not creative. Miller will try and play a forward pass but if he’s not the playmaker then plan B seems to be a long ball from Bamba. Wotherspoon put some decent balls in the box and will run at players but we need someone that can pick a pass and split defences. For this reason we need to keep Zemamma, hopefully with most of his salary coming from appearance and performance incentives.

Riordan does a good job in midfield but, until Duffy is fit, I think we need him up front.

[WellingtonHibby]

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R01rdan should be given a free roll Let him go looking for the ball because up front with someone like Nish doesn’t work.

His skill is based on coming in from the wing and running at defenders-if he is left waiting on the midfield feeding him good service with the ball then he gets frustrated then loses interest in the game.

If any player "loses interest in the game" then they shouldnt be anywhere near the pitch in my opinion. Its just not a viable excuse. Yes, get frustrated, but work harder and get involved rather than getting huffy about it.

[Phil MaGlass]

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I'm another who never understood the 'play Deek upfront and everything will be fine' attitude.

He is a poor forward, he doesn't have the pace to play on the shoulder or the strength to hold up the ball or the ability in the air to flick it on and in all the years he has been playing he has never figured out how to time a run to stay onside.

I have argued many times that he is the icing on the cake for our team but for him to be effective the other nine outfield players need to be better than they are right now hence why he wouldn't be in my first choice team most weeks.

I'd love to have a team that still included Boozy, KT, Brown, Stewart, O'Connor etc so all he really needed to do was find a bit of space 25 yeards out and score a cracker or to be invloved in all the set pieces but I'm afraid those days are gone and IMO cannot afford a player like him anymore.

When Duffy is fit, if Trakys ever gets fit and when Byrne comes back I think he'll struggle to stay in the side and finding him a place in the midfield isn't an option for me as it just weakens that area of the pitch too.

I can go along with most of that, mibbe thats why there has been nothing heard about him signing a new contract, he didnt fit into Yogis plans or fits in the team anymore?

[HFC 0-7]

Riordan, IMO, is much better up front, but only when he gets given chances by the rest of his team. Hibs midfield at the moment has a severe lack of creativity and therefore riordan will get no chances. Couple that with Nish, who IMO, is just not good enough to either play with the ball on the ground, in the air or hold the ball up, Riordans chances will be very limited.

Galbraiths pace would bring riordan into the game a lot more as he can get past players and give the ball to riordan.

If Zemmama was fit we would see a different riordan IMO.

[hibiedude]

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If any player "loses interest in the game" then they shouldnt be anywhere near the pitch in my opinion. Its just not a viable excuse. Yes, get frustrated, but work harder and get involved rather than getting huffy about it.

Thats why I said R01rdan should be given a free roll if there's a better option to get the best out of this guy then please explain

[aussie_hibee]

Some people have very short memories. It was only a week or 2 ago that he topped a poll on here for player of the month with about 95% of the votes. He was the only player doing anything for near on a month, everyone was screaming for him to be in the Scotland side as well as him playing up front on his own at parkhead and proving many wrong who said he was to slow, weak and lazy to do it. Some people are never happy. Couldn't get in the side If Duffy and trakys get fit.... Have a ****ing word with yourself. The most talented player we have had in god knows how long who's only "problem" is getting pissed off with the average players around him. It just shows how much he wants to win.
I only hope he doesn't read this site with the crap that is written on here about him.
The guy is a ****ing legend that the team should be built around. Hard workers and tacklers are ten a penny, natural talents like him are as rare as rocking horse *****.

[superfurryhibby]

I think Deek's 82 goals in less than 200 hundred games for Hibs shows that he knows how to score. If played up front with proper support and half decent service from midfield then I believe that is where he would be most effective.

[hibiedude]

Any top striker needs proper service and we have lacked in all departments over the last 6-7 months but R01rdan can still find the net no question.

[blackpoolhibs]

I think Riordan can play up front, although he needs to play with a centre forward/target man who can hold the ball up. His partner needs to be strong and able to get the ball under control and pass to a green shirt. When we get one of those, he will be fine.

[WellingtonHibby]

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Thats why I said R01rdan should be given a free roll if there's a better option to get the best out of this guy then please explain

Apologies if im mistaken, but you seemed to be excusing his *alleged* lack of work ethic sometimes. As if not getting proper service or whatever was a valid reason for becoming disinterested. i dont think it is.

A free role is ony ever effective, in my opinion, if one can trust the player to put in a shift and get about the pitch, winning the ball, passing and recieving, prompting play and getting on the end of things. For me, thats not Deeks.

[alex74]

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Some people have very short memories. It was only a week or 2 ago that he topped a poll on here for player of the month with about 95% of the votes. He was the only player doing anything for near on a month, everyone was screaming for him to be in the Scotland side as well as him playing up front on his own at parkhead and proving many wrong who said he was to slow, weak and lazy to do it. Some people are never happy. Couldn't get in the side If Duffy and trakys get fit.... Have a ****ing word with yourself. The most talented player we have had in god knows how long who's only "problem" is getting pissed off with the average players around him. It just shows how much he wants to win.
I only hope he doesn't read this site with the crap that is written on here about him.
The guy is a ****ing legend that the team should be built around. Hard workers and tacklers are ten a penny, natural talents like him are as rare as rocking horse *****.

[delbert]

if this thread was getting written 30 years ago, it would be almost word for word the same, except the player in question would have been Ally MacLeod. 99 goals in his time at hibs and always told he was a lazy so and so (which to be fair he was sometimes), mainly because Ally could'nt understand how so called pro's could'nt pass a ball 10 yards to someones feet, while he could do it over 30 or 40 effortlessly. Ally had what Riordan has, its called ability, and it sticks out like a beacon in a piss poor team of journeyman no hopers, which is what we have just now, and it's why we appear to be on the edge of euphoria after scraping a 2-1 win over another piss poor team. When Riordan goes at the end of this season (and I am 99% certain he will), enjoy the memories, remember how lucky you were to see this guy play for our club, and continue to marvel at guys who can run through brick walls at top speed for 90 minutes, without the ability to recognise what a football is for !!

[Albion Hibs]

Not for me. He costs us too many goals from Midfield. Would rather have him up front getting us goals, which is of course what he is there to do / best at.

[heretoday]

Riordan should definitely play in midfield. Good post.

[Winston Ingram]

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R01rdan should be given a free roll Let him go looking for the ball because up front with someone like Nish doesn’t work.

His skill is based on coming in from the wing and running at defenders-if he is left waiting on the midfield feeding him good service with the ball then he gets frustrated then loses interest in the game.

His was given that role away to Falkirk last season. He scored 2 from set pieces but other than that I don't think he touched the ball

[Bookkeeper]

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if this thread was getting written 30 years ago, it would be almost word for word the same, except the player in question would have been Ally MacLeod. 99 goals in his time at hibs and always told he was a lazy so and so (which to be fair he was sometimes), mainly because Ally could'nt understand how so called pro's could'nt pass a ball 10 yards to someones feet, while he could do it over 30 or 40 effortlessly. Ally had what Riordan has, its called ability, and it sticks out like a beacon in a piss poor team of journeyman no hopers, which is what we have just now, and it's why we appear to be on the edge of euphoria after scraping a 2-1 win over another piss poor team. When Riordan goes at the end of this season (and I am 99% certain he will), enjoy the memories, remember how lucky you were to see this guy play for our club, and continue to marvel at guys who can run through brick walls at top speed for 90 minutes, without the ability to recognise what a football is for !!

Riordans not the problem. The lack of a semi decent, creative midfield is.

[greenlex]

Personaly I thought Derek had one of his hardest working games in a Hibs Shirt on Saturday.

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Following the game on Saturday, how do people feel about Riordan playing in midfield again?

I admit I was in the camp of "Get Deek upfront" for most of Yogi's reign, however, after watching the game on Saturday now think, through no fault of his own he's actually better playing out on the left. He didn't have one of his better games against Killie but that said i think due to our lack of creativity in midfield he doesnt get the service he requires when playing up front and therefore spends long times out of the game, annonymous and stranded.

At least when he is asked to play in midfield he has more of an influence on the game as he sees more of the ball. It will perhaps be easier to solve when Duffy returns as he could play as a lone striker, allowing Riordan to go back to the left as at the moment the thought of playing Nish up there on his own has no appeal whatsoever.

I know the predicatable - 'some people are never happy' replies await, although i am merely making an observation based on what I saw on Saturday!

[hibiedude]

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Apologies if im mistaken, but you seemed to be excusing his *alleged* lack of work ethic sometimes. As if not getting proper service or whatever was a valid reason for becoming disinterested. i dont think it is.

A free role is ony ever effective, in my opinion, if one can trust the player to put in a shift and get about the pitch, winning the ball, passing and recieving, prompting play and getting on the end of things. For me, thats not Deeks.

What I’m saying is if R01rdan is up front he must get the service to stick the ball in the net which hasn't happened in a long time?

Apart from set pieces most of R01rdans goals come from his own ability either coming in from wide or like his goal at Celtic which no other player would attempt.

Deeks has a special talent he tries things other players would never think off and the free roll would him the opportunity to show off his unique skills.

Or do we leave him up front and hope Nish finds him with a flick on ?

[Deeklipse]

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Thats why I said R01rdan should be given a free roll if there's a better option to get the best out of this guy then please explain

I think he should be given a free sausage roll.

[erin go bragh]

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Some people have very short memories. It was only a week or 2 ago that he topped a poll on here for player of the month with about 95% of the votes. He was the only player doing anything for near on a month, everyone was screaming for him to be in the Scotland side as well as him playing up front on his own at parkhead and proving many wrong who said he was to slow, weak and lazy to do it. Some people are never happy. Couldn't get in the side If Duffy and trakys get fit.... Have a ****ing word with yourself. The most talented player we have had in god knows how long who's only "problem" is getting pissed off with the average players around him. It just shows how much he wants to win.
I only hope he doesn't read this site with the crap that is written on here about him.
The guy is a ****ing legend that the team should be built around. Hard workers and tacklers are ten a penny, natural talents like him are as rare as rocking horse *****.

deeko:notworthy: