Dean Hammond

[david in sweden]

People are being quite quick to write Mr. Hammond off since the arrival of Steven Davis, and I'm curious to know why. He signed a new contract last season through to 2015, and if we were apparently gunning for promotion straight away (but were expected to do it within two or three years, someone will correct me I'm sure), why would he have been presented with such a deal? QUOTE]

 

 

I agree Crazy Diamond.

I do think he will find himself fighting for a place with A.N.OTHER (new signing), but expect him to feature a bit throughout the season.

[Sour Mash]

I think some are forgetting that Hammond was picked ahead of Cork as recently as the last game of the season against Coventry. We'll want a squad of 4 CMs and Hammond will be one of those even if not first choice.

[carljack]

He starts the season with a blank sheet just like every other player it is foolish to even try to predict who will bring their best form to the Prem or who will lose theirs,this is what makes this season so exciting,we have a blend of experience and youth who will all be trying flat out to "prove" themselves at the top level. Heroes rise up in adversity and we will need our fair share to stay up this season.

 

SAINT TILL I DIE!

[Give it to Ron]

I think some are forgetting that Hammond was picked ahead of Cork as recently as the last game of the season against Coventry. We'll want a squad of 4 CMs and Hammond will be one of those even if not first choice.

 

True and the game changed when he went off and Cork added the much needed running impetus we needed.

I cannot see how he will be first choice ahead of Morgan, Davis and Cork.

[James]

True and the game changed when he went off and Cork added the much needed running impetus we needed.

I cannot see how he will be first choice ahead of Morgan, Davis and Cork.

 

We were already 2-0 up when he went off so I'd hardly say that the substitution 'changed the game'. Cork is better for sure, but Hammond was doing a fine job on that day and at the time I was disappointed to see him have to go off.

[Give it to Ron]

We were already 2-0 up when he went off so I'd hardly say that the substitution 'changed the game'. Cork is better for sure, but Hammond was doing a fine job on that day and at the time I was disappointed to see him have to go off.

 

Cripes I was watching a different player then as I thought he looked slow, cumbersome and plodding.

Don't get me wrong I think he has been a great servant to us and had some fine games but its a different level now

and think he will struggle.

[Sour Mash]

True and the game changed when he went off and Cork added the much needed running impetus we needed.

I cannot see how he will be first choice ahead of Morgan, Davis and Cork.

I agree we were better when Cork came on and agree that Hammond will be 4th out of 4, I think he's ideal as that 4th choice and the fact that Adkins picked him ahead of Cork for such an important game shows he still rates him. With Cork missing most of our pre season I'd expect Hammond to get plenty of game time in the build up to the season.

[Supersubpuckett]

Just wonder how many people saying there is no room for sentiment/loyalty in football would be crying about a lack of loyalty/sentiment if Lambert or Lallana decided to leave us for another club tommorrow?

 

Having said that I would say it's pretty clear Dean was the weakesst of our CM last season....

 

You're twisting what some of us are saying - sentiment is no reason to keep someone who simply isn't good enough for the standard we are now playing. I'd be delighted if dean stepped up and held his own in the prem but based on his performances last season (against the better teams) i just can't see it.

[Thedelldays]

I will be surprised if we just got rid of the skipper all of a sudden...I think he will be here till january at least

[Dig Dig]

We were already 2-0 up when he went off so I'd hardly say that the substitution 'changed the game'. Cork is better for sure, but Hammond was doing a fine job on that day and at the time I was disappointed to see him have to go off.

 

Not that it matters but were we already 2-0 up? Thought he went off at 0-0?

[Lets B Avenue]

Not that it matters but were we already 2-0 up? Thought he went off at 0-0?

 

He was injured in winning the ball, from which we then won a coner and Fonte scored. He went off afew minutes later.

[Chez]

I will be surprised if we just got rid of the skipper all of a sudden...I think he will be here till january at least

 

its very tough to get rid of anyone, what with the huge pay rises promotion brings. Dickson is a case in point. I'd like to see Davis' quality before discarding our own 7/10 every game performer.

[doddisalegend]

You're twisting what some of us are saying - sentiment is no reason to keep someone who simply isn't good enough for the standard we are now playing. I'd be delighted if dean stepped up and held his own in the prem but based on his performances last season (against the better teams) i just can't see it.

 

It's not twisting I just find it ammussing that fans get upset when good players move on ("where's the loyalty "etc etc) yet in another breath demand that we ditch players for not being good enough with no thought on loyalty (or sentiment)....I'm not convinced Dean can make the step up FWIW

[farawaysaint]

It's not twisting I just find it ammussing that fans get upset when good players move on ("where's the loyalty "etc etc) yet in another breath demand that we ditch players for not being good enough with no thought on loyalty (or sentiment)....I'm not convinced Dean can make the step up FWIW

 

I agree wholeheartedly, treat your employees well and with loyalty and 9 times out of 10 they will do the same. We shouldn't just throw away the players who have taken us to where we are we should see give them time to adjust and prove their worth and if they can't quite perform then they after due discussion with the player they should be moved on.

[Dig Dig]

He was injured in winning the ball, from which we then won a coner and Fonte scored. He went off afew minutes later.

 

Cheers,memory of that that day is shot to pieces!

[Guan 2.0]

Hammond is fourth out of four for me, and so probably still a squad player.

 

Which means we need to sign another CM to make up the 4th spot/squad player role.

[Supersubpuckett]

It's not twisting I just find it ammussing that fans get upset when good players move on ("where's the loyalty "etc etc) yet in another breath demand that we ditch players for not being good enough with no thought on loyalty (or sentiment)....I'm not convinced Dean can make the step up FWIW

 

As i said a team shouldn't keep players on simply out of a sense of loyalty/sentiment/whatever. A debate what makes players choose to move clubs is quite different.

[Clifford Nelson]

There seem to be some general agreement that we have got 4 CMs, whilst I can count 5 in DH, MS, JC, RC, and now SD. I don't know anything about SD, but hope he will bring something we haven't got already. But you can't go and compare Deano and Morgan with Cork or Chaplow. Surely we must agree that there are at least two types of midfielders. For one thing I couldn't imagine Cork and Chaplow appearing together in the middle of the park. Any midfield needs an anchor, which means Deano or Morgan. We tended also to have a problem playing those two together because they like to occupy the same space in front of the back four. Who Davis competes with I don't really know, but it looks a bit like one to many for me.

 

It is also not at all clear to me that it would be Deano to give way. Apart from a brief purple patch playing on the right and into the box Chaplow was, injury accepted, a disappointment to me last season. I also got my doubts about Morgan for his tackling which more often draws a free kick and/or a yellow card. We can't really afford that many opportunities for the opposition from dead balls centrally in our third of the pitch.

 

Finally I can't help to mention whoever it was who suggested that we gave Deano a new contract because of what he can do for us after we have been relegated!!! That must be the strangest suggestion of perversted thinking by NC that I've ever heard.

 

By the way has anybody got fears in playing Wigan, West Brom, Swansea, Fulham, Stoke, Norwich, QPR, Radking, etc? That is the main of our opposition the coming season, which should make the PL look more like normality and less like the "promised land" which is how the PL is often described around here.

 

In summary: Deano will play, so will Morgan, Cork and certainly Davis. Chaplow will as well if he's here when the season starts, and don't be surprised to see Guly at the top of the diamond.

[disintegration87]

er if Deano's reading the above posts from 'fans'---- don't worry Deano.. i think you're amazing and you'll continue to be amazing in the EPL.

[ottery st mary]

Deano , Deano , Deano ...............World Class

[BlakeySFC]

Deano's just had a new baby 2 weeks ago

[latter day saint]

Deano's just had a new baby 2 weeks ago

he will crab around even more now he's popped out a sprog !

hope he recovers in time

[melmacian_saint]

I don't think Adkins will change the team's style of play and changes to the formation will be minimal. In fact the way we played last season was closer to the style that is found in most of the Premier clubs ( and we all saw how risky that approach was in certain moments in the Championship). Truth is the gap between the Prem and the FL is the biggest one in English football, which is why some clubs find it hard to adapt to changes in either direction (especially those out of it).

 

The only change I can see Adkins make is changing to a 4-3-3 formation, with Cork and Davis with a more free role in the middle of the park and then Morgan with a defensive role. Last season we showed much more depth with Cork moving around and Schneiderlin being a more cautious midfielder than with Hammond on the field. Upfront it would be 3 of Jay Rod, Lambert, Sharp, Lallana and possibly Buttner if he's in fact signing. The amount of times that our midfield was incapable of stopping the opposition's attack build-up was worrying, and it was the long-ball, brush aside football-supporting Championship. Not blocking creative or attacking midfielders in the Prem will kill us, and I doubt Hammond has the game for that.

 

Having said this, he guided us through the journey, and he puts a lot of effort into his performances, and you need these kind of players in your squad. He is clearly an important guy in the changing room and it's clear that in the Prem there will be more and longer windy parts on the road, and the more tight-knit the group is, the better we will cope, especially since most of the squad aren't experts in the big time. It's also important to consider that, like anything in life, things can go wrong. And we know how we struggled to get a group of players together to compete for the long-term after 2005, so keeping these players who you know can be good at a lower level can ensure that any setbacks are covered without bringing more troubles, at least until we level off in the Prem.

 

I think that he should stay at least until the end of next season, he would do as a cover for our midfield options and it's important to keep a group united when you have a big change. Plus it's not like he would be a big burden financially.