Callum Crane: left-winger?

[TheFamous1875]

We're in sore need of a left-footed winger and they're hard to come by, and as far as I'm aware, Callum Crane has played there before so my question for those who have seen him is: could he be our answer to that width and pace we need down the left flank?

He was Man of the Match vs Birmingham and was praised at length on here at the time, so I'm wondering if anyone thinks he could be our answer? It's always better to recruit from within and it's always good to see our youth given the chance, so why not? Thoughts please.


GGTTH.

[hhibs]

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We're in sore need of a left-footed winger and they're hard to come by, and as far as I'm aware, Callum Crane has played there before so my question for those who have seen him is: could he be our answer to that width and pace we need down the left flank?

He was Man of the Match vs Birmingham and was praised at length on here at the time, so I'm wondering if anyone thinks he could be our answer? It's always better to recruit from within and it's always good to see our youth given the chance, so why not? Thoughts please.


GGTTH.

Had this thought myself but ,have only really seen him in that Birmingham game where he looked first rate, so not really in a position to say.

[Big L]

Very comfortable on the ball, might b worth a try.

[GreenNWhiteArmy]

See to be honest and this might come in for a bit of criticism but if we continue to play 3 at the back, I'd be inclined to stick Stevenson in at left centre back ahead of Fonts and get crane in at left wing back

We all know Stevenson has a shocking delivery but in terms of ability on the ball he is comfortable and can jump in to a tackle. Think he could also read the game well enough. Sort of thinking like Blind at man utd.

Crane for me is the future and I'd be inclined to give him a full year at the championship for him to be ready for the step up next season

[The Leith Dutch]

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See to be honest and this might come in for a bit of criticism but if we continue to play 3 at the back, I'd be inclined to stick Stevenson in at left centre back ahead of Fonts and get crane in at left wing back

We all know Stevenson has a shocking delivery but in terms of ability on the ball he is comfortable and can jump in to a tackle. Think he could also read the game well enough. Sort of thinking like Blind at man utd.

Crane for me is the future and I'd be inclined to give him a full year at the championship for him to be ready for the step up next season

No danger for Stevenson at Centre back - height isn't everything but he absolutely could not play that role from a physical perspective.
Your argument about Blind looks more to have have the air of a deep lying defensive mid which might be an option but you'd probably say we had better options there.

I kind of think you take Stevenson for what he is right now - a good to very good left back who gives 100% but who is a little limited going forward.

That limitation is crucial to the whole 3 at the back proposition - at this level it should only be deployed, at least in my opinion, as an attacking 3-5-2 with proper wingers or, at the very least, wing backs who are more effective going forward.

[AlbertK86]

I mentioned this a few weeks ago on another thread. Boy has pace to burn, is very direct and played very well against Birmingham and Edin City when he came on. Put in a few good crossed as well.

[Big L]

Stevenson best position is midfield, the last time he played there, which was a few seasons ago, he was voted Hibs fans player of the year. The guys being played out of position and never complains. Great pro.

[CapitalHibs]

We had a fantastic 3-5-2 when Whittaker and Murphy were the (true) wing backs. Just look at the video when we crushed Killie 5-1 in the League Cup Final

[overdrive]

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We had a fantastic 3-5-2 when Whittaker and Murphy were the (true) wing backs. Just look at the video when we crushed Killie 5-1 in the League Cup Final

We generally didn't play a 3-5-2 under Mowbray or Collins (Collins tinkered with Boozy at sweeper). Whittaker and Murphy were nearly always played in a 4 including in the League Cup Final.

[BoomtownHibees]

Stevenson as a centre half takes stupidity to a new level.

Remember Collins playing Kevin McCann there

[BoomtownHibees]

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We had a fantastic 3-5-2 when Whittaker and Murphy were the (true) wing backs. Just look at the video when we crushed Killie 5-1 in the League Cup Final

4 at the back in the cup final

[jacomo]

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We generally didn't play a 3-5-2 under Mowbray or Collins (Collins tinkered with Boozy at sweeper). Whittaker and Murphy were nearly always played in a 4 including in the League Cup Final.

Just shows what good players can do.

You are right, Mowbray and Collins used a back 4, but with Boozy in midfield the full backs could bomb on.

Equally, Stubbs' diamond often worked brilliantly with Dylan, McGinn, Hendo and Fyvie all fit.

[J-C]

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Stevenson best position is midfield, the last time he played there, which was a few seasons ago, he was voted Hibs fans player of the year. The guys being played out of position and never complains. Great pro.

Stevenson is a left sided defensive midfielder, he played there and won MOM on 2007 cup final and it's where he is more natural, he isn't great going forward as it's not in his natural game.

What you could do is play Crane as your attacking wingback with Stevenson in front of him covering went he went forward, like he did when Murphy was here. With the midfielders we have that won't happen and we'll see wee Lewis at left wingback for now.

[Keyser Sauzee]

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Stevenson best position is midfield, the last time he played there, which was a few seasons ago, he was voted Hibs fans player of the year. The guys being played out of position and never complains. Great pro.

On the Stevenson thread earlier in the week you were saying he is the best LB in Scottish football now your claiming he's played out of position!??

[Brightside]

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We're in sore need of a left-footed winger and they're hard to come by, and as far as I'm aware, Callum Crane has played there before so my question for those who have seen him is: could he be our answer to that width and pace we need down the left flank?

He was Man of the Match vs Birmingham and was praised at length on here at the time, so I'm wondering if anyone thinks he could be our answer? It's always better to recruit from within and it's always good to see our youth given the chance, so why not? Thoughts please.


GGTTH.

He doesn't have the pace. Hence why he became a LB

[jacomo]

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Stevenson is a left sided defensive midfielder, he played there and won MOM on 2007 cup final and it's where he is more natural, he isn't great going forward as it's not in his natural game.

What you could do is play Crane as your attacking wingback with Stevenson in front of him covering went he went forward, like he did when Murphy was here. With the midfielders we have that won't happen and we'll see wee Lewis at left wingback for now.

Lewis hasn't played in midfield for a long time. For a while he was the squad's utility man, fitting in wherever he was needed.

He has made the left back position his own. Surely that is now his role?

[lucky]

Stevenson is a LB as is Crane. Let's not play players out of position. Crane's time will come but at the moment he's behind Lewis

[J-C]

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Lewis hasn't played in midfield for a long time. For a while he was the squad's utility man, fitting in wherever he was needed.

He has made the left back position his own. Surely that is now his role?

Don't get me wrong I like Lewis as our LB and he has made it his position, I was just pointing out where he started his career and he won MOM playing there in 2007 cup final, he could easily slot back there if needed.

[NAE NOOKIE]

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Stevenson as a centre half takes stupidity to a new level.

Remember Collins playing Kevin McCann there

Exactly ..... a jaw dropping decision at the time and watching Lee Miller, a guy who usually gave Rob Jones a hard time, take the poor wee laddie to the cleaners was embarrassing for poor wee Kevin and bloody annoying for the fans. Anybody who thinks Stevenson could play centre half shouldn't be allowed to talk about Subbuteo, never mind real fitba.

As for Crane as a winger .... he was a stand out against Birmingham, but for me it was how well he defended, I cant remember too many barnstorming runs up the left wing.

[Andy74]

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Don't get me wrong I like Lewis as our LB and he has made it his position, I was just pointing out where he started his career and he won MOM playing there in 2007 cup final, he could easily slot back there if needed.

This isn't really true - Stevenson made his debut for Hibs in the pre season tour as a kid and he came through as a left back.

He might have moved to midfield for a bit and is remembered there for the cup game but that doesn't make him a midfielder being played out of position.

[GreenCastle]

Hopefully if we are up against some teams the younger players can get some minutes.

First 2 league games have been close so not had the chance.

Would like to see Crane and Martin be more involved.

[GreenNWhiteArmy]

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Exactly ..... a jaw dropping decision at the time and watching Lee Miller, a guy who usually gave Rob Jones a hard time, take the poor wee laddie to the cleaners was embarrassing for poor wee Kevin and bloody annoying for the fans. Anybody who thinks Stevenson could play centre half shouldn't be allowed to talk about Subbuteo, never mind real fitba.

As for Crane as a winger .... he was a stand out against Birmingham, but for me it was how well he defended, I cant remember too many barnstorming runs up the left wing.

hahahaha do one. i played football at a relatively high level and think he would do alright so i'm sticking to my opinion of that so i'' cpntinue to discuss "real fitba"

Typical dinosaur Scottish approach where cause someone is small they cant play a certain position. we are miles behind our European counterparts in terms of philosophy

[J-C]

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This isn't really true - Stevenson made his debut for Hibs in the pre season tour as a kid and he came through as a left back.

He might have moved to midfield for a bit and is remembered there for the cup game but that doesn't make him a midfielder being played out of position.

I can only ever remember him being played at left midfield as a youngster, I'm happy for him to play LB as he has good tackling skills, he reads the game pretty well and is positionally fairly good, the only thing he lacks is a bit of height.

[NAE NOOKIE]

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hahahaha do one. i played football at a relatively high level and think he would do alright so i'm sticking to my opinion of that so i'' cpntinue to discuss "real fitba"

Typical dinosaur Scottish approach where cause someone is small they cant play a certain position. we are miles behind our European counterparts in terms of philosophy

John Collins played fitba at a relatively high level as well mate .... folk who have played at a high level make stupid decisions all the time.

FWIW ... I wouldn't have any problem playing a smaller player at the back, if I thought he had the quality to play that position. Fabio Cannavaro was a great wee player ( 5'9" ) and was outstanding at CH in spite of his lack of inches, one of the worlds best in fact, but guys like him are the exception, not the rule.

Advocating tall players at CH isn't exactly dinosaur thinking ..... how many players under 5'11" actually make a career at CH, not many, and there's a reason for that. Yes there are players under 6' who can play CH ...... 5'6" Lewis Stevenson isn't one of them and in 10 years at Easter Road ( during which I have seen all bar one or two of his games at home ) he has never provided a shred of evidence that he could be.

The argument here isn't can a small player do well at centre half, the argument is can Lewis Stevenson do well at centre half ..... the answer is no and it has nothing to do with Dinosaur thinking.

[GreenNWhiteArmy]

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John Collins played fitba at a relatively high level as well mate .... folk who have played at a high level make stupid decisions all the time.

FWIW ... I wouldn't have any problem playing a smaller player at the back, if I thought he had the quality to play that position. Fabio Cannavaro was a great wee player ( 5'9" ) and was outstanding at CH in spite of his lack of inches, one of the worlds best in fact, but guys like him are the exception, not the rule.

Advocating tall players at CH isn't exactly dinosaur thinking ..... how many players under 5'11" actually make a career at CH, not many, and there's a reason for that. Yes there are players under 6' who can play CH ...... 5'6" Lewis Stevenson isn't one of them and in 10 years at Easter Road ( during which I have seen all bar one or two of his games at home ) he has never provided a shred of evidence that he could be.

The argument here isn't can a small player do well at centre half, the argument is can Lewis Stevenson do well at centre half ..... the answer is no and it has nothing to do with Dinosaur thinking.

fair one mate - that's your opinion and i respect it, maybe should have led with that instead of the subbutteo line though haha

I've messaged Lennon to ask him to play wee Lewis at CB tomorrow though so we'll see what happens

[The_Horde]

Steven Crane? Callum Whittaker?

[NAE NOOKIE]

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fair one mate - that's your opinion and i respect it, maybe should have led with that instead of the subbutteo line though haha

I've messaged Lennon to ask him to play wee Lewis at CB tomorrow though so we'll see what happens

Fair enough mate .... I'll give you a wave, coz I'll be partnering Jason Cummings up front