This is how it feels (Motherwell 01 08 21)

[brog]

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No I was at the game and recall him doing at least two or three times, one time when he just passed the ball back to Macey without looking anywhere else.

Newell has never been a deep lying central midfielder who is going to dictate games in his career and he isn’t one now IMO. When he played higher up the park in the second he was much, much better and had an influence on the game.

I was frustrated by Joe in the first half but I thought he was excellent in the 2nd. Strangely though, I thought Joe actually moved a bit deeper. With Doidge replacing Gogic we only had 2 real midfield players, Joe and Kyle. We effectively went to 4 2 4 or 4 3 3 with Murphy included. I applaud the bravery of Jack Ross in doing this. Wherever Joe was it worked!

[B.H.F.C]

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I was frustrated by Joe in the first half but I thought he was excellent in the 2nd. Strangely though, I thought Joe actually moved a bit deeper. With Doidge replacing Gogic we only had 2 real midfield players, Joe and Kyle. We effectively went to 4 2 4 or 4 3 3 with Murphy included. I applaud the bravery of Jack Ross in doing this. Wherever Joe was it worked!

Don’t get me wrong, he would still pop up every now and again to take it of Hanlon and pass it to Porteous but he just tried to be a lot more positive. For the goal he’d got in to the final third. There was another couple of good bits of play down the right. Even in the last minute it was him pressing O’Donnell at right back. Just thought he showed a lot more intent.

[hibbyfraelibby]

Porto needs to learn how to weight his passes. Everything is skelped with the power of a Saturn V rocket meaning the recipients of his passes are either knocked over by the sheer power or are forced to take an extra touch or two taking the sting out of them so they can control the ball.

[CmoantheHibs]

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I was frustrated by Joe in the first half but I thought he was excellent in the 2nd. Strangely though, I thought Joe actually moved a bit deeper. With Doidge replacing Gogic we only had 2 real midfield players, Joe and Kyle. We effectively went to 4 2 4 or 4 3 3 with Murphy included. I applaud the bravery of Jack Ross in doing this. Wherever Joe was it worked!

I agree with this but I think he was under orders in the first half. Same happened at the start of last season when he was asked to play more defensively minded then once JR allowed him more licence to go forward he was superb. Thought he was excellent in the 2nd half yesterday and drove us forward numerous times which obviously went unnoticed by some.

[Fergus52]

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No I was at the game and recall him doing at least two or three times, one time when he just passed the ball back to Macey without looking anywhere else.

Newell has never been a deep lying central midfielder who is going to dictate games in his career and he isn’t one now IMO. When he played higher up the park in the second he was much, much better and had an influence on the game.

That's exactly the role he's been playing for us for the past 12 months or so though.

Another poster already posted the stats but he had the most touches and passes in the team after Porteous and Hanlon on Sunday, the best pass completion rate on the park, highest number of chances created (key passes), and second most interceptions after Lewis. If that's not the stats of a deep lying playmaker controlling the game then I dunno what is.

Even in the second half when he was pushing forward more often, the whole team was playing higher up the park and he was still often our deepest midfielder. When our defence had possession he was still the one dropping very deep to show for the ball. Our second goal came from him doing this - He has some interplay with Hanlon and then Stevenson - recycling the ball deep while Motherwell commit more men to the press - then when the space starts to open up he calls for it back and drives into the space that has been created from his (often maligned) backwards and sideways passing, which leads to us equalising. Was a really clever bit of play which was key to us eventually winning the match.

Although I think it's overblown, I understand posters who think he doesn't look to go forward enough and get frustrated at his apparent lack of positivity sometimes. But to say he's not a deep central midfielder who can control games is proper nonsense, it's exactly what he was doing on Sunday and what he did for us all last season.

[Iain G]

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That's exactly the role he's been playing for us for the past 12 months or so though.

Another poster already posted the stats but he had the most touches and passes in the team after Porteous and Hanlon on Sunday, the best pass completion rate on the park, highest number of chances created (key passes), and second most interceptions after Lewis. If that's not the stats of a deep lying playmaker controlling the game then I dunno what is.

Even in the second half when he was pushing forward more often, the whole team was playing higher up the park and he was still often our deepest midfielder. When our defence had possession he was still the one dropping very deep to show for the ball. Our second goal came from him doing this - He has some interplay with Hanlon and then Stevenson - recycling the ball deep while Motherwell commit more men to the press - then when the space starts to open up he calls for it back and drives into the space that has been created from his (often maligned) backwards and sideways passing, which leads to us equalising. Was a really clever bit of play which was key to us eventually winning the match.

Although I think it's overblown, I understand posters who think he doesn't look to go forward enough and get frustrated at his apparent lack of positivity sometimes. But to say he's not a deep central midfielder who can control games is proper nonsense, it's exactly what he was doing on Sunday and what he did for us all last season.

I thought he was a winger though? 😁

But that is a seriously good summing up of exactly what he brings to our midfield and is a key component of how we play.

[B.H.F.C]

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That's exactly the role he's been playing for us for the past 12 months or so though.

Another poster already posted the stats but he had the most touches and passes in the team after Porteous and Hanlon on Sunday, the best pass completion rate on the park, highest number of chances created (key passes), and second most interceptions after Lewis. If that's not the stats of a deep lying playmaker controlling the game then I dunno what is.

Even in the second half when he was pushing forward more often, the whole team was playing higher up the park and he was still often our deepest midfielder. When our defence had possession he was still the one dropping very deep to show for the ball. Our second goal came from him doing this - He has some interplay with Hanlon and then Stevenson - recycling the ball deep while Motherwell commit more men to the press - then when the space starts to open up he calls for it back and drives into the space that has been created from his (often maligned) backwards and sideways passing, which leads to us equalising. Was a really clever bit of play which was key to us eventually winning the match.

Although I think it's overblown, I understand posters who think he doesn't look to go forward enough and get frustrated at his apparent lack of positivity sometimes. But to say he's not a deep central midfielder who can control games is proper nonsense, it's exactly what he was doing on Sunday and what he did for us all last season.

He’s been playing the role. I don’t think he dictates games from it though. Simply passing the ball doesn’t mean you’re dictating the game. We saw it countless times last season when teams were actually happy for us to have the ball and to pass the it side to side and back the way without any real idea of where we were going.

Stand by my comment that’s not his position, or at least I don’t think he’s as effective in playing it as you do. Last season was the first season he’s played it consistently in his career and some think he did/does it better. He influenced the game in the second half yesterday simply by being more positive. Instead of just knocking the ball back and square he decided to knock it square, run 20 yards, get the ball back, and run another 20 yards with it. If he’s more positive and shows more urgency, like he did in the second half, then he may change my mind.

Obviously it’s a smallish number of games but I thought our midfield was better without him last season and we won five of the six games we played without him in the league.

[MagicSwirlingShip]

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A great summary as always, thought Kev Nisbet’s intelligent link up play deserved a mention. Nearly everything good had some Nisbet involvement. Him and Magennis looked good together, it was like watching Scotty Allan at times. An encouraging start to the league season. Well done Hibs

Scotty Allan , who was left on the bench. Turns out we can play some decent stuff without him.

[jacomo]

Yes! TIHIF is back!

Great report.

[Fergus52]

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He’s been playing the role. I don’t think he dictates games from it though. Simply passing the ball doesn’t mean you’re dictating the game. We saw it countless times last season when teams were actually happy for us to have the ball and to pass the it side to side and back the way without any real idea of where we were going.

Stand by my comment that’s not his position, or at least I don’t think he’s as effective in playing it as you do. Last season was the first season he’s played it consistently in his career and some think he did/does it better. He influenced the game in the second half yesterday simply by being more positive. Instead of just knocking the ball back and square he decided to knock it square, run 20 yards, get the ball back, and run another 20 yards with it. If he’s more positive and shows more urgency, like he did in the second half, then he may change my mind.

Obviously it’s a smallish number of games but I thought our midfield was better without him last season and we won five of the six games we played without him in the league.

Fair enough, I clearly just rate him more than you do

I agree he should definitely look to do this more often

[brog]

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I agree with this but I think he was under orders in the first half. Same happened at the start of last season when he was asked to play more defensively minded then once JR allowed him more licence to go forward he was superb. Thought he was excellent in the 2nd half yesterday and drove us forward numerous times which obviously went unnoticed by some.

Yep, pretty much sums it up for me.

[Greenbeard]

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That's exactly the role he's been playing for us for the past 12 months or so though.

Another poster already posted the stats but he had the most touches and passes in the team after Porteous and Hanlon on Sunday, the best pass completion rate on the park, highest number of chances created (key passes), and second most interceptions after Lewis. If that's not the stats of a deep lying playmaker controlling the game then I dunno what is.

Even in the second half when he was pushing forward more often, the whole team was playing higher up the park and he was still often our deepest midfielder. When our defence had possession he was still the one dropping very deep to show for the ball. Our second goal came from him doing this - He has some interplay with Hanlon and then Stevenson - recycling the ball deep while Motherwell commit more men to the press - then when the space starts to open up he calls for it back and drives into the space that has been created from his (often maligned) backwards and sideways passing, which leads to us equalising. Was a really clever bit of play which was key to us eventually winning the match.

Although I think it's overblown, I understand posters who think he doesn't look to go forward enough and get frustrated at his apparent lack of positivity sometimes. But to say he's not a deep central midfielder who can control games is proper nonsense, it's exactly what he was doing on Sunday and what he did for us all last season.

It wasn't clever. It's rarity might make you think so but it was pretty straightforward. Pass and move straight away to offer yourself for a return. Too often he hits a pass and stays static or covered. And his movement which lead to the second goal wasn't a risky lung bursting sprint dragging him out of position, although he was up there again in the box for potential involvement. His movement was short but highly effective in allowing a fairly simple return pass each time. More please.

[Fergus52]

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It wasn't clever. It's rarity might make you think so but it was pretty straightforward. Pass and move straight away to offer yourself for a return. Too often he hits a pass and stays static or covered. And his movement which lead to the second goal wasn't a risky lung bursting sprint dragging him out of position, although he was up there again in the box for potential involvement. His movement was short but highly effective in allowing a fairly simple return pass each time. More please.

How many sides in our league come up against us and pack the midfield, closing off easy options for runs into space or passes forward to Nisbet and Boyle. Just about every team apart from the old firm did that against us last season.

Most of the time when the space is there for an effective line breaking pass, or a dribble into space, he does take it IMO. Teams like to clog the midfield against us, which means that often he does just have to cycle the ball through the centre backs and fullbacks, waiting for the opportunity to present itself. Coming deep and staying relatively static in front of the centre backs means the other team has to press high if they want the ball back, which in turn creates space further up the pitch for our more attacking midfielders and wingers to cause trouble.

That goal I'm talking about came from him doing what I've just described. When he first gives the ball to Hanlon, if he had immediately turned and ran forward to look for it again there would have been about three Motherwell players immediately on him, with no easy ball for Hanlon forcing him to go long. Instead he stays deep slowly recycling the ball while they commit more men forward to press, then when enough space had opened up he took the opportunity to drive forward, leading to the goal.