The Hoolahan Connundrum - Wessi or IniWesta?

[The Great Mass Debater]

We've long labelled Hoolahan Wessi, but we dont use him like Messi. Wes has been and remains our most creative spark, but with him comes a problem, with little direct threat on goal from him, playing him behind a single striker places the goalscoring burden heavily on the striker. Play someone else to offer more direct threat and suddenly the team looks devoid of creativity so ultimately we have less threat.

Paul Lambert described Jonny Howson as 'our Iniesta'. Thinking of how Iniesta plays though, doesnt Wes resemble him a little more than Howson?

Could we go one further and use Wes the way Barca use Messi? Could the Hoolahan connundrum be resolved by playing Wes as a 'False 9'? We'd still get his creativity, but it would mean we could have an extra powerful centre-mid on the pitch, with goals designed to come from the Howsons (and dare I say it someone like BJ) driving on from midfield.

The way the False 9 is described in this article, it makes me wonder.

http://thefalse9.com/2013/09/football-tactics-for-beginnersthe-false-9.html

Im aware West Ham tried to play a False 9 once and it was laughed at. But could this be Wes' best position? Or should we be thinking of Wes as more of an Iniesta than a Messi? (Disclaimer to all the smart *rses I know he's not nearly as good!)

 

[Canaryboy]

Out of all the fancy labels given to players roles I think the one which most closely describes Hoolahan is the Trequarista. 

 

[Watling the Gnome]

In the modern game, it isn't only the striker who is responsible for goals.

If you consider most teams play a 4-2-3-1 these days, or at least seem to:

The front four are (for example)

                             Mbokani

      Brady              Hoolahan           Redmond

In reality, it should be more like

         ^^                Mbokani              ^^

      Brady                                     Redmond

                            Hoolahan

The left or right sided player joining the attack and the other holding off - see the Spurs team for a good example in practice and note the goals Chadli picks up.

It also suggests Mbokani's role is partly to drop deep, hold the ball and play in one of the "wider" players (you also need to imagine one of our full backs rampaging forward)

Now, if you have Wes in that role then you need to account for his physicality, or lack of.  He lacks the pace and physical presence to be an effective forward runner on the break.  He can however drop deeper and link play or feed the attacking three which is why a False 9 wouldn't suit him - in summary, I still maintain his best role is at the tip of the diamond, behind one or two strikers.  It plays to his strengths, while minimising the associated weaknesses.

 

[Din]

Whenever I watch David Silva play he always reminds me of an upgraded, long-haired Hoolahan. Think their styles are pretty similar, but one is obviously a world class player with incredible skill and a regular at international level, and the other is....

 

[broadsist]

Whenever I watch David Silva play he always reminds me of an upgraded, long-haired Hoolahan. Think their styles are pretty similar, but one is obviously a world class player with incredible skill and a regular at international level, and the other is....

..David Silva?

 

[eatonparkboy]

Wes has his better days when part of the famous diamond and two front men to ping the ball off for one twos. With most teams dropping two midfield players back in front of their back fours it does require perfectly timed and directed passes.

I watched him for ROI against Georgia and he repeatedly underhit his passes to Keane and co and left himself stranded at times after the ball was intercepted.

However, he remains our best opportunity for opening up defences through the middle.

 

[It's Character Forming]

I think how to use Wes was the problem Hughton never resolved after Holt left, mainly IMO due to the strikers he had at his disposal and not really grasping how that part of the game works.

In cases where we can play 2 up front with Wes just behind that gives us our best creative side.  The problem is that it leaves us light in midfield and in the Prem means we don't get much possession and are weak defensively (especially if your 2 up front are players like Elmander and Hooper who won't contribute defensively).  I can see this working for some games/parts of games this season.  The alternative of 2 up front and Wes left out, as has been said, makes us uncreative.

More often though we accommodate Wes by using 5 in midfield and one up front, which is effective with a player like Jerome or Holt (hopefully Mbokani) up front who can cause problems for a defence by himself.  I find it particularly satisfying to see Jerome putting pressure on a CB when a through ball is played (or the CB dwells in possession) followed by Jerome coming away with the ball and the CB left floundering, which often leads to a goal....

Plus with Jerome closing down defenders means in front of our back 4 we have 6 players pressing the ball and Wes can be effective as part of that 6 - he's not going to be winning many tackles on his own but he will press the ball with the support of others around him.

IMO these are the fundamental differences between our team from when AN arrived compared to our last season in the Prem under Hughton, when we would often concede possession until well into our own half and there were several outfield players who often didn't contribute much when the other side had the ball.  I remember especially the away game at Spurs when we put so little pressure on them, it was like a training exercise and one of the most embarrassing away performances by City I can remember (and I've been to a few...).