The Thames Barrier

[Chutney]

Surely Hangeland and Hughes have showed Jol they should be the first choice centre backs now. I don't see any need to split them up if they continue to play like that, they were immense!

[Bassey the warrior]

Not necessarily. Amorebieta is a superb player and offers more going forward than Hughes, he's also stronger and better in the air. Ultimately it's one game.
Still, very pleasing to see the old Hughes again.

[Captain Fulhamerica]

Hangeland and Hughes have an almost telepathic partnership at the back.  Amore might be a better player individually than Hughes, but I think the team is better off with this partnership.

[Ordar]

Well I think the H-H partnership will struggle against pace, as we saw against Parma. Sunderland never looked to play the ball over the top, which is where we usually get caught

[God The Mechanic]

He was pretty awful last season most of the time.  One game doesn't mean he's back to his best.  It's like Torres and Chelsea fans ;)

[epsomraver]

He was pretty awful last season most of the time.  One game doesn't mean he's back to his best.  It's like Torres and Chelsea fans ;)

What a stupid sweeping  statement. fp.gif

[epsomraver]

Well I think the H-H partnership will struggle against pace, as we saw against Parma. Sunderland never looked to play the ball over the top, which is where we usually get caught 

You slagged Hughes off before the game had started, cannot beat informed criticism fp.gif

[God The Mechanic]

He was pretty awful last season most of the time.  One game doesn't mean he's back to his best.  It's like Torres and Chelsea fans ;)

What a stupid sweeping  statement. fp.gif

How so?  He wasn't very good last year, looked very shaky and off the pace a lot.  He's played well in one game this year.  I'd say the most sweeping statement is that H&H are back to being "immense".

I'd be more than happy for them to be back to their best, that partnership a few years ago is as good as I've seen outside the top clubs.  But I think it's way too premature to claim that they are currently that good again, on the back of one game when last year they were anything but solid.

[epsomraver]

Hughes is one unsung player for Fulham and he was solid and had a lot of good games,he struggled at right back because he had no support from Frei and Alex who are both light weight in defence and tackling back. I sit in the JH and had a good view of Hughes last season, where do you sit? Because it seems to have an influence as to where the game is viewed from. Also  remember he was injured for a while and then the thames barrier wobbled badly, I won't blame Senderos with all the problems but I know who I would start in my team

[ffc73]

I think you will find that the components of the Thames Barriernh are not the original part. They have been updated and replaced by newer versions that still do the job v
I am grateful for the H&H partnership but I am looking forward to seeing the Spaniard & one day Bur

[epsomraver]

does not make sense? who is Bur?

[TWFL]

Hughes is one unsung player for Fulham and he was solid and had a lot of good games,he struggled at right back because he had no support from Frei and Alex who are both light weight in defence and tackling back. I sit in the JH and had a good view of Hughes last season, where do you sit? Because it seems to have an influence as to where the game is viewed from. Also  remember he was injured for a while and then the thames barrier wobbled badly, I won't blame Senderos with all the problems but I know who I would start in my team

fp.gif

Hughes is slow, has the poorest distribution I've ever seen (not as bad as Schwarz) and is losing his concentration which means that he is making more mistakes. I think he may have played once at RB last season and yet even when he played at CB he was still dreadful. Amorebieta is a much better player and the only reason him and Hangeland aren't a barrier at the moment is because they've barely played together. He should be put straight into the team when he gets back, Hughes does not cut it.

Oh and good god, don't try and make your point because you "sit in the JH". You have no idea where someone sits, I sit in the Riverside and I have a completely different opinion to you. Are you suggesting that if I sat on your side of the Cottage my opinion of Hughes would be different?

[epsomraver]

Yes it does matter where you sit, first half in Jh player has good game playing directly in front of the stand, second half he plays poorly in front of the Riverside, so opinions will  differ as to his game, How do you know Amorebieta is going to be so good?We hope so but  I watched him from the Riverside last Monday and he was not at all impressive, on the other hand when he came on against the same team Hughes was.

[Ruiz11]

Very unsure about Hughes still, there was one point where Altidore completely skinned him on the sideline and was tearing into the box for a one-on-one, luckily the ref pulled it back for a throw.

[Sammyffc]

Don't see how you can judge untill you've seen amor and hangeland agaisnt prem opposition

[MJG]

does not make sense? who is Bur?

think he meant Burn

[Enter the Frei]

Yes it does matter where you sit, first half in Jh player has good game playing directly in front of the stand, second half he plays poorly in front of the Riverside, so opinions will  differ as to his game, How do you know Amorebieta is going to be so good?We hope so but  I watched him from the Riverside last Monday and he was not at all impressive, on the other hand when he came on against the same team Hughes was.

What was he playing in last monday?

[TWFL]

Yes it does matter where you sit, first half in Jh player has good game playing directly in front of the stand, second half he plays poorly in front of the Riverside, so opinions will  differ as to his game, How do you know Amorebieta is going to be so good?We hope so but  I watched him from the Riverside last Monday and he was not at all impressive, on the other hand when he came on against the same team Hughes was.

Well, personally, I can see both sides of the pitch no matter where I'm sitting so I don't buy into that theory. Amorebieta dominated United when they played Bilbao and he was still a good player when he was going up against good if not better players in La Liga for most of his career.

[God The Mechanic]

Hughes is one unsung player for Fulham and he was solid and had a lot of good games,he struggled at right back because he had no support from Frei and Alex who are both light weight in defence and tackling back. I sit in the JH and had a good view of Hughes last season, where do you sit? Because it seems to have an influence as to where the game is viewed from. Also  remember he was injured for a while and then the thames barrier wobbled badly, I won't blame Senderos with all the problems but I know who I would start in my team

Riether played 35 games last year, all at right back.  As a result Hughes could only have played a maximum of 3 games at right back (Manolev at least played 2 taking that down to 1).  Frei barely played last year and Kaca played left wing for the vast majority of his games.  Last year Hughes had by far his worst in a Fulham shirt, he was shaky, easily beaten and often positionally poor.

I''m not gonna suggest that Hughes as always been a poor player, but last year he certainly wasn't worthy of any real praise.  The number of times he'd make a mistake and it be ignored or papered over on here, when a similar mistake made by Senderos resulted in him being crucified was insane.  Does he deserve more leeway because of past performances; from a fan probably, but I'd hope the club aren't always as sentimental as fans are.

[twang]

Hughes isn't the same defender he was 2 or 3 years ago but he's great to have in squad - today he showed why. I'll be worried if he's first choice next to Brede the whole season, because he's not as quick as he used to be and he still struggles against big target players, but as long as he plays like he did against Sunderland I won't complain.