Is Hendo the new Montgomery? i.e. The Hate Figure?

[gregblade]

For several years Montgomery had to endure countless abuse from his own fans but it seems now hes winning his critics over, I for one have been impressed with every performance he has made this season and his footballing ability is constantly improving! (I believe Gary Speed coaching is the main reason for this).

So, now some of the fans cant slag Monty, it seems they need someone else. And it seems like Hendo is taking the flack. Can people not see that he has such an important role to play! I get frustrated with him at times, but his role is vital! Listen to other players for a start, Treacy has come out and supported him recently, and even Derby's defender said it was the toughest he's ever faced.

Players like Hendo are vital for any team in the Championship! Shipperley was hailed a hero for getting us promoted, playing the exact same as Hendo!

Give the lad a break! He's working his socks off! I think he's going to be vital on friday night, i cant wait to see Woods etc try and mark/challange him! The last few times we've played Wednesday with Beattie and Hulse playing the role it hasn't worked. Hendo is more suited to it, and will give their defence hell! Get behind the lad!

 

[Fiery Blade]

Henderson is a donkey Always has been always will be!
He is not the best striker in the league as Blackwell sdays He doesn't score He is not a striker,
He is a big donkey that can do knock downs occasionally
Stop building him up to be something he will never be ? A footballer

 

[Come from away]

Henderson is a donkey Always has been always will be!
He is not the best striker in the league as Blackwell sdays He doesn't score He is not a striker,
He is a big donkey that can do knock downs occasionally
Stop building him up to be something he will never be ? A footballer

I'm tempted to suggest you know your farm animals a lot better than football. I was also tempted to say that you're entitled to your opinion, but then abuse is not an opinion it's just abuse. Henderson is a very skilled player, good ball skills able to control and shield the ball while some other six foot 'Morgan' is trying to hack him down. If you are not prepared to recognise the talent he has, then I think I'll let your noise pass. Wind is wind, a poor man's version of wind-up.

 

[Revolution]

Shipperley was hailed a hero for getting us promoted, playing the exact same as Hendo!

With one vital difference: Shipperley scored goals.

Henderson is a very skilled player, good ball skills able to control and shield the ball while some other six foot 'Morgan' is trying to hack him down.

On a good day. On a usual day (all too often recently) he gives away free kick after free kick.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: we aren't going to be promoting playing a centre forward (often in a 4-5-1 formation) who is going to score half a dozen goals at best. There aren't enough goals in the rest of the team to compensate.

Henderson has now gone 14 games without scoring. I shudder to think what abuse Beattie would be getting for a similar run. Not everyone is happy with this output, though. The big cheer when he was substituted on Saturday is evidence of this.

 

[Sensiblade]

Hendo does a great job allowing other players in the team to get forward and attack and score goals.
He holds it up and lays it off
Has scored two goals this season but both have been ruled out incorrectly.
He is very hard done to when it comes to free kicks against him, I feel sorry for him about this because it must be so frustrating seing the exact same situation at the opposite end of the pitch go unseen/unpunished from every other teams front men.

In the end he's a Blade he plays in the mighty red & white stripes and I will back him for the positives he bings o the team and not pick fault where fault picking is not needed.

Anywho, now Quinn has starte playing well again that means peope can't slag him or Monty so they do need someone.
I vote for 'The ball boy in the bottom right corner of the John street stand' he's terrible!

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

Shipperley was hailed a hero for getting us promoted, playing the exact same as Hendo!

I've said it before and I'll say it again: we aren't going to be promoting playing a centre forward (often in a 4-5-1 formation) who is going to score half a dozen goals at best. There aren't enough goals in the rest of the team to compensate.

A surprising fact from 05/06 was that according to the stats, HMS didn't provide a single assist ! What he did though was make space for others and his movement and positional awareness was excellent.

I think Hendo does a job for us, suits the way KB wants to play but as I've said before, we have an easy option with him in the team, one we take far too many times. As you say, playing a striker who doesn't score means he has to provide for others and we have to get goals from elsewhere which is something we can't rely on. I'd much prefer Cotts on the right and a front two of Evans and Ward but I can't see it happening whilever Hendo's fit.

 

[dingledog]

Hendo is a fantastic player, a lot of people are concentrating on his percieved weaknesses, but he is strong, athletic and a constant 'pain in the arse' for oppossing defenders. Of course he has weaknessess, who doesn't and sometimes defenders are able to expose them, but for me he is a top rate player .

 

[Highbury_Blade]

The problem with playing a big man who doesn't score often is that you have to have goalscoring threats from elsewhere. If the support striker is having an off day then Plan A is useless.

It's worked for England thus far due to a combination of poor opposition, and a midfield who are all a threat, but it remains to be seen whether this line up can mix it with the likes of Brazil and Germany.

As for us, well our midfield for me doesn't have enough goals in it for us to be playing this way.

 

[mattbianco1]

Every defender that gets interviewed after the games say its a nightmare to play against Henderson.

He does a lot for the team and we would score a lot more goals and he probably would if the referees in this league would take off their tinted glasses and realise that most of the time its Henderson been fouled and not the other way around.

 

[Fiery Blade]

I'm tempted to suggest you know your farm animals a lot better than football. I was also tempted to say that you're entitled to your opinion, but then abuse is not an opinion it's just abuse. Henderson is a very skilled player, good ball skills able to control and shield the ball while some other six foot 'Morgan' is trying to hack him down. If you are not prepared to recognise the talent he has, then I think I'll let your noise pass. Wind is wind, a poor man's version of wind-up.

This was not abuse it is my opinion
I was stating that in my opinion Henderson is not the best striker in the division as Blackwell states - he doesn't score - how can he be the best striker. His touch is poor and he isn't very subtle when challenging for the ball - it is coincidence that every referee week in week out constantly give free kicks against Henderson when he challenges for the ball.
PS A donkey is not a common or garden 'Farm Animal' usually found in mountainous regions of the world carrying packs of goods for tribesmen and the like or can be found on Blackpool beach giving kids a ride up and down the sands either way there as useful as Henderson playing lone striker up front for the Blades!:hello:

 

[Houso]

Here's the deal. We play the way we do and that won't change while Blackwell is in charge. With that in mind, Henderson HAS to play as we have no one else to carry through such a role. He may give away a number of fouls, but the alternative in such a situation would be the ball going to the opposition anyway. It is rare that when the ball does come to him and a foul isn't given, he loses the ball. Like someone says, opposition defenders hate playing against him and he's going to be a very very important player for us this season.

 

[gregblade]

Henderson has now gone 14 games without scoring. I shudder to think what abuse Beattie would be getting for a similar run. Not everyone is happy with this output, though. The big cheer when he was substituted on Saturday is evidence of this.

Firstly, I like that fact he's gone 14 games without a goal, it means hes due one, and hopefully that will come on friday!

Secondly, if Beattie had gone 14 games without a goal United fans would have been going mad, because unlike Henderson he brought nothing else to the squad. Didn't create space, didn't cause problems for defenders.

I dare say, had we gone 14 games without a win with Beattie in the squad we would have been on a poor run of form, but with Henderson not scoring we still seem to be getting the results.


My point behind the artcile was simple. Everyone used to slate Monty, he got good and people became aware of the job he does. So the boo boys moved to Quinn, for a short period anyway because he then came on against Leciester and silenced them all! So now they've moved onto Henderson. In the week of our first derby of the season, it would be nice to see every "fan" support the players. Henderson will score goals! He is too much of a threat not too!

 

[Revolution]

Secondly, if Beattie had gone 14 games without a goal United fans would have been going mad, because unlike Henderson he brought nothing else to the squad. Didn't create space, didn't cause problems for defenders.

ah, this old chestnut.

I know this is a commonly held view on here. Of course, what you end up with if you prefer the likes of Henderson to Beattie is a series of low scoring games as players who (allegedly) bring loads of things to the side except goalscoring ability fail to score enough goals between them to achieve anything useful.

If you doubt this, I would refer you to the last 8 games of last season.

"he's going to be a very very important player for us this season."

Heaven preserve us.

 

[SBSP]

Every defender that gets interviewed after the games say its a nightmare to play against Henderson.

I have seen the interviews but as a defender I would happily play every week against someone who causes me hassle but is never going to score.

My point behind the artcile was simple. Everyone used to slate Monty, he got good and people became aware of the job he does. So the boo boys moved to Quinn, for a short period anyway because he then came on against Leciester and silenced them all! So now they've moved onto Henderson. In the week of our first derby of the season, it would be nice to see every "fan" support the players. Henderson will score goals! He is too much of a threat not too!

I disagree about hendo being the new Monty - I still think Monty is technically the worst footballer I have ever seen play at this level, and no amount of guts and love for the club will make him any better.

It's just that Hendo is now showing himself to be just as much of a problem for us. I just wish for one match (hopefully Friday) he will try to win the ball rather than just trying to fight with their centre half and crying to the ref. Then he might be a half decent player.

With regard to Quinn I think he just needed a kick up the arse - he has got footballing ability unlike the other 2 being discussed.

I know most of you all love Monty & Hendo and your come back will just be that I should support whoever is playing, but they are simply not good enough for a team that is pushing promotion.

 

[Houso]

Yep, it's going shocking with Henderson in the side so far.

Hendo/Blackwell/McCabe out.

 

[Revolution]

Yep, it's going shocking with Henderson in the side so far.

Small
Sample
Size

 

[Houso]

Meet back here in another six games then?

 

[Houso]

I know most of you all love Monty & Hendo and your come back will just be that I should support whoever is playing, but they are simply not good enough for a team that is pushing promotion.

Have they ever played in promotion sides before?

 

[Sensiblade]

I know most of you all love Monty & Hendo and your come back will just be that I should support whoever is playing, but they are simply not good enough for a team that is pushing promotion.

They were both terrible last season weren't they

 

[Revolution]

They were both terrible last season weren't they

Henderson was certainly pretty poor.

 

[Ollessendro]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: we aren't going to be promoting playing a centre forward (often in a 4-5-1 formation) who is going to score half a dozen goals at best. There aren't enough goals in the rest of the team to compensate.

Revolution, are you talking about the same 4-5-1 formation that got us the best away record in the league last year? The 4-5-1 formation that set a new record of 14 away games in a row undeafeated?? The same 4-5-1 formation that drew at relegated Boro and beat Derby on Saturday??? :thumbup:

On top of this Blackwell has played 4-4-2 at home and against a weaker team (Reading away).

It will be the home games that decided out fate this year. We will keep our very good away record away by playing 4-5-1, nullyfying teams and sneaking the odd goal. Providing we play positive attacking football at home, take the game to the opposition and play to our strengths then we have every chance of a top 2 finish!

As for Henderson. People are entitled to their opinion. Personally I rate him. He is a real presence and a real danger. He should be joint top scorer this season had it not be for 2 poor decisions!? He is limited and a little frustrating at times, but he has a lot to offer for the team. I'm not going out on a limb and saying he is the best in the division, but he's a decent CF. He is strong, good in the air and gives defenders a hard time.

Something that I don't understand is why this is an issue. If we hadn't taken 7 points from our first 3 away games and had not made an impressive start then maybe I could understand. Henderson scores on Saturday (albeit to be disallowed unfairly), we beat a decent team away from home, we are scoring goals home and away and people are still getting on players backs. It makes me laugh!?

 

[SBSP]

They were both terrible last season weren't they

Yes!

And not just last year for Monty.

 

[Revolution]

Revolution, are you talking about the same 4-5-1 formation that got us the best away record in the league last year? The 4-5-1 formation that set a new record of 14 away games in a row undeafeated?? The same 4-5-1 formation that drew at relegated Boro and beat Derby on Saturday???

Yes, that 4-5-1 formation that couldn't get us over the line in the last few games when we dropped 7 points out of 12, and the one that left us incapable of competing after going down to an early goal in the playoff final.

You're right about the home games though. That's the key.

 

[Houso]

Yes!

And not just last year for Monty.

Waiting for an answer to my question on the previous page

 

[Bladesman]

Have they ever played in promotion sides before?

They have and both have been in the teams relegated the following season.

 

[Revolution]

Plus Henderson was promoted via the playoffs, which is irrelevant from our point of view because we couldn't win a playoff final if our lives depended on it...

 

[themaninblack]

Isnt the debate about Henderson the same as the one about Heskey playing for England? They are strong athletes who dont score goals and arent very easy on the eye; against that their team mates and respective managers seem to rate them...

 

[Houso]

They have and both have been in the teams relegated the following season.

From what division?

I'm guessing relevance may not be a key element in this argument.

 

[Revolution]

Isnt the debate about Henderson the same as the one about Heskey playing for England?

No, because England have goalscoring midfielders to compensate. Oh, and Wayne Rooney.

 

[Ollessendro]

Revolution, are you talking about the same 4-5-1 formation that got us the best away record in the league last year? The 4-5-1 formation that set a new record of 14 away games in a row undeafeated?? The same 4-5-1 formation that drew at relegated Boro and beat Derby on Saturday???

Yes, that 4-5-1 formation that couldn't get us over the line in the last few games when we dropped 7 points out of 12, and the one that left us incapable of competing after going down to an early goal in the playoff final.

You're right about the home games though. That's the key.

Was it not you who quoted small smaple size in one of your earlier postsl???

I seem to remember us playing 4-4-2 against Forrest, Swansea and (possibly) Palace.

And it wasn't the formation that left is uncapable of scoring in the play off final; it was our attacking options. Ward not fit and Henderson injured left only Craig Beattie up front. We never looked like scoring, but do you think we would have scored if we had have played 4-4-2? I think not!