Dean Hammond's Injury

[Saint Charlie]

Anyone know when he might be back? I think he is a massive player for us, and brings the best out of others too, like Morgan and Lallana.

 

Hopefully he will be back soon, we have really missed him.

[maysie]

Anyone know when he might be back? I think he is a massive player for us, and brings the best out of others too, like Morgan and Lallana.

 

Hopefully he will be back soon, we have really missed him.

 

Dean Hammond's calf injury has kept the captain on the sidelines since the draw at Millwall and he continues his rehabilitation in the hands of the medical staff.

 

That is what the OS states....

[Andy_Porter]

Should have enough about us to beat Exeter without him, hopefully he's back for the two cup games.

 

Same with Lloyd James, could do with getting one of the two in for Wotton.

[Nineteen Canteen]

Should have enough about us to beat Exeter without him, hopefully he's back for the two cup games.

 

Same with Lloyd James, could do with getting one of the two in for Wotton.

 

Hammond doesn't sound like he'll be ready for the cup games with that description. Perhaps they are just being cagey but Puncheon better be up to the task if not.

[Andy_Porter]

Hammond doesn't sound like he'll be ready for the cup games with that description. Perhaps they are just being cagey but Puncheon better be up to the task if not.

 

Doesn't sound like they're too optimistic. Hopefully for the cup games if James is still injured we just go with five in midfield. Lallana, Wotton, Puncheon, Schneiderlin and Antonio / Waigo.

 

It's only really when we play 4-4-2 that we miss Hammond so much imo and I don't think Pardew has bought Puncheon to play central midfield in a 4.

[Saint Charlie]

IMO we miss Hammond every game he misses because he is the only central midfielder we have who can do a bit of everything, pass, tackle, head, score, lead.

[Saint Dave]

Jason Puncheon is cup tied for both the MK Dons match and thr Poopet FA Cup match

[Nineteen Canteen]

IMO we miss Hammond every game he misses because he is the only central midfielder we have who can do a bit of everything, pass, tackle, head, score, lead.

 

I agree and despite the positive vibe regarding Puncheon we don't have a ready made replacement let alone anyone better than Hammond. As Saint Dave has informed us, Puncheon is cup-tied it does not augur well for our two cup games especially if we play like we did for the most part on Saturday.

 

Wotton is fine as a defensive midfield but not alongside Schneiderlin and IMO the jury is still out on James despite that great goal, afterall one swallow doesn't make a summer and all that.

 

I'm confident we can overcome MK Dons thanks to the slender lead but I worry for our chances against Pompey.

[Wes Tender]

I'm confident we can overcome MK Dons thanks to the slender lead but I worry for our chances against Pompey.

 

Especially as we have taken away MK Dons' best player, Puncheon. OK, he can't play for us, but at least he won't be a threat to us for them. How astute was that, eh? It is almost as if we might have been considering a choice between him and another player, but that this was a factor that swung it his way.

[scotty]

if Hammond isnt fit within 2 weeks, I say we should shoot him. Harsh but fair;)

[Crowds]

I think we really miss Hammond. You could see this from sneiderlin last week only prepared to go forward in the past 20mins whe. 2-0 up. As he clearly had no confidence in wotton. I thought spiderman was the best I've seen him In the last 10-15 this season.

[for_heaven's_Saint]

I really really hope he's back for the Pompey game, we'll need him.

[SamKimish]

I completely agree with the majority of the sentiments above, he acts like the puppet master on the pitch ... there's not a single attcking play that does not involve Hammond in one way or another, even if it is only a one touch pass.

 

The role he plays is often one that can easily go unnoticed but he really does cnage games for us.

[Nineteen Canteen]

Especially as we have taken away MK Dons' best player, Puncheon. OK, he can't play for us, but at least he won't be a threat to us for them. How astute was that, eh? It is almost as if we might have been considering a choice between him and another player, but that this was a factor that swung it his way.

 

Wes I don't suppose I need to remind you its the semi final 2nd leg of the JPT final and the rumoured £300k we have spent on Puncheon is unlikely to be recovered in a final appearance or at least not as much as an FA Cup final appearance or playoff final.

 

I would argue astute is stretching it and the money for Puncheon plus a little more spent on a player we actually needed - a specialist and recognised CM - may have been more astute. One good game against us does not make Puncheon a great player it just so happens we have seen him play once and that make us an authority on his career to date and potential. I am not convinced and certainly not for your flimsey reason.

[Nineteen Canteen]

I think we really miss Hammond. You could see this from sneiderlin last week only prepared to go forward in the past 20mins whe. 2-0 up. As he clearly had no confidence in wotton. I thought spiderman was the best I've seen him In the last 10-15 this season.

 

For whatever reason the two clearly don't work well together but also Hammond before his injury was looking less effective than earlier in the season. Pardew has made some good signings and although the jury awaits the compelling evidence IMO is that our central midfield this season will be found wanting in our worst fixture pile up for a long time through lack of play makers as oppose to ball winners.

[Avenue Saint]

Wes I don't suppose I need to remind you its the semi final 2nd leg of the JPT final and the rumoured £300k we have spent on Puncheon is unlikely to be recovered in a final appearance or at least not as much as an FA Cup final appearance or playoff final.

 

I would argue astute is stretching it and the money for Puncheon plus a little more spent on a player we actually needed - a specialist and recognised CM - may have been more astute. One good game against us does not make Puncheon a great player it just so happens we have seen him play once and that make us an authority on his career to date and potential. I am not convinced and certainly not for your flimsey reason.

 

 

19, were u born an idiot? Its widely accepted withn this league that he is one of the better players. without breaking the bank, exactly type of player we should be going for. Why put a negative spin on? I think ask 500 ppl on here, happy or unhappy, at leasr 95% would say happy. What does that say about u and the value or worth of your opinion?

[Paul Chuckle]

Hopefully Lloyd James will be back on Saturday, never thought i'd say that but his corners and set pieces are very good and we defo missed that kind of quality being put in to the box on Saturday

[krissyboy31]

Hopefully Lloyd James will be back on Saturday, never thought i'd say that but his corners and set pieces are very good and we defo missed that kind of quality being put in to the box on Saturday

 

Remember we've got Puncheon now for set pieces.

[Nineteen Canteen]

I completely agree with the majority of the sentiments above, he acts like the puppet master on the pitch ... there's not a single attcking play that does not involve Hammond in one way or another, even if it is only a one touch pass.

 

The role he plays is often one that can easily go unnoticed but he really does cnage games for us.

 

I agree but even before his injury there were signs of few mistakes in his game and one or two easy but misdirected passes. Over played I reckon, appearing in 28 of 29 games in less than 25 weeks. The writing was on the wall during the Exeter game with some unforced errors and then subbed for the first time in the dire Luton game and Pardew clearly couldn't afford to drop him for Millwall.

 

I have advocated from day 1 that nice as it is to be contemplating a Wembley final it would be nicer if we had done it using our reserves and be a little closer to the play offs having converted some of those unlucky draws to more energetic wins.

 

The news about his injury is not encouraging unless they are being cagey and giving false optimism to the opposition who will no doubt be aware how important he has been to our season to date. Otherwise, it's serious and we can rule out any return until we have heard that tired phrase ' The player has started light training'. Working with physios is a long way off training.

[Nineteen Canteen]

Hopefully Lloyd James will be back on Saturday, never thought i'd say that but his corners and set pieces are very good and we defo missed that kind of quality being put in to the box on Saturday

 

Lloyd James corners and set pieces are very good? Corners have a success rate of beating the first man at a rate of about 1 in 5, I would suggest and Set Pieces are like his too early diagonal crosses, lofty and weak at best.

 

I'd never thought I'd hear any fan say that who has watched James all season, inconsistent at best is how I would describe his ability to strike a dead ball and as woeful as Kelvin's ability to kick a moving ball.

[Nineteen Canteen]

19, were u born an idiot? Its widely accepted withn this league that he is one of the better players. without breaking the bank, exactly type of player we should be going for. Why put a negative spin on? I think ask 500 ppl on here, happy or unhappy, at leasr 95% would say happy. What does that say about u and the value or worth of your opinion?

 

That I don't base my opinion on having watched him play one game against Saints recently? Some would say Jermain Beckford is the best striker in the league but I would'nt expect to bid for him because we need to spend money on another Hammond if not better. Puncheon for all his descriptions doesn't strike me as that type of player and you surmising that I was born an idiot, telling me that I am wrong as oppose to explaining why, doesn't change my mind, it in fact reinforces it, even allowing for laughable made up statistics.

 

For the record if you read my posts I am not unhappy we have signed Puncheon, same as I wouldn't be if we signed 10 of the best players in the league but unless one was the midfield general that we are crying out for the gap in or squad would remain and it isn't going to be fulifilled by a skillful but lightweight midfield utility player. My opinion and perhaps you can live with that, without the insults - afterall, no one is born an idiot, as you can testify.

[shurlock]

That I don't base my opinion on having watched him play one game against Saints recently? Some would say Jermain Beckford is the best striker in the league but I would'nt expect to bid for him because we need to spend money on another Hammond if not better. Puncheon for all his descriptions doesn't strike me as that type of player and you surmising that I was born an idiot, telling me that I am wrong as oppose to explaining why, doesn't change my mind, it in fact reinforces it, even allowing for laughable made up statistics.

 

For the record if you read my posts I am not unhappy we have signed Puncheon, same as I wouldn't be if we signed 10 of the best players in the league but unless one was the midfield general that we are crying out for the gap in or squad would remain and it isn't going to be fulifilled by a skillful but lightweight midfield utility player. My opinion and perhaps you can live with that, without the insults - afterall, no one is born an idiot, as you can testify.

 

Spot on - calling for another Hammond-esque player in no way is a criticism of or takes away from Puncheon, just that they are two very different players. Wait till we are over-run in the middle again...

[Avenue Saint]

That I don't base my opinion on having watched him play one game against Saints recently? Some would say Jermain Beckford is the best striker in the league but I would'nt expect to bid for him because we need to spend money on another Hammond if not better. Puncheon for all his descriptions doesn't strike me as that type of player and you surmising that I was born an idiot, telling me that I am wrong as oppose to explaining why, doesn't change my mind, it in fact reinforces it, even allowing for laughable made up statistics.

 

For the record if you read my posts I am not unhappy we have signed Puncheon, same as I wouldn't be if we signed 10 of the best players in the league but unless one was the midfield general that we are crying out for the gap in or squad would remain and it isn't going to be fulifilled by a skillful but lightweight midfield utility player. My opinion and perhaps you can live with that, without the insults - afterall, no one is born an idiot, as you can testify.

 

shhhhhhh...

[Wes Tender]

Wes I don't suppose I need to remind you its the semi final 2nd leg of the JPT final and the rumoured £300k we have spent on Puncheon is unlikely to be recovered in a final appearance or at least not as much as an FA Cup final appearance or playoff final.

 

I would argue astute is stretching it and the money for Puncheon plus a little more spent on a player we actually needed - a specialist and recognised CM - may have been more astute. One good game against us does not make Puncheon a great player it just so happens we have seen him play once and that make us an authority on his career to date and potential. I am not convinced and certainly not for your flimsey reason.

 

Your post is mainly conjecture. I will rely on Pardew's judgement as to what we actually need as a team rather than yours. Puncheon had scored seven goals for MK Dons thus far and as a midfielder, that is pretty good and might go some way to contributing to their high position in the league. It will be interesting to see how they fare without him. But when they last played us, he was a major threat and hard for us to handle, so I for one am happy that he will not be playing agianst us next week.

 

I have already stated that I was in the camp that wanted a midfield general, but also acknowledged that they were difficult to find even in the Premiership, let alone at this level. Who is to say that Pardew doesn't consider that we have a decent enough central midfield with Schneiderlin and Hammond and that with a fast running winger like Puncheon, who can also apparently play inside the middle too, that he wasn't the part of the jigsaw that satisfies Pardew?

 

It could be that Pardew was contemplating a different formation for some games and some circumstances where key players were absent through injury, or unavailable through suspensions and a player like Pucheon gives him increased scope for changes.

 

So I will reserve judgment until we have seen what Pardew has in mind and where and when he plays him. In the meantime, I still think that MK Dons not having him available to play us next week gives us a distinct edge and if we win the JPT Cup, it will give us a confidence boost.

[SAR Boy Saint]

Should have enough about us to beat Exeter .......

 

I thought they looked pretty handy in the highlights I saw after the games with Leeds and MKD!

[The Godfather]

I thought they looked pretty handy in the highlights I saw after the games with Leeds and MKD!

 

Its a big game for them just like when they played Leeds recently, we will have play far better than we did on Saturday and last tuesday at Brentford if we are to win this match.