What is wrong with Hooper?

Were only two games in to the season.

Look at Commons yesterday, one of the worst performances ive seen, he was just utterly wasteful with everything he did, but we all know that won't continue, need to give the team a chance to get a few games behind them before we slate individual performances.

 

nothing wrong with him, just give him time

 

Stokes has made the better start to the season, scoring 2 in 2. Once Hooper gets into his stride, i'm sure the goals will come. Quite positive he'll open his account on Saturday..

 

still early days, he will be back to his scoring ways soon enough.

 

The tactics dont suit him. Plus playibg with sammy at the end of last season never helped him.

 

I dont think he is any different really, all hes done is not score in the first two games, his link-up play and movement has still been the exact same as it always was. I dont think hes lost the ball in any of the first two games, and his link-up play at Wilson's goal in the Hibs game and a few yesterday was still the same.

He'll probably score in the next few games and then people will say he's in form again even though he'll just be playing the same as he has.

I would say he was off form if he was shooting wildly and losing the ball a lot but he's hardly hit a shot or lost the ball in two games.

Actually looked there he's only hit 1 shot in the two games.

 

Yesterday he played basically alone upfront because Stokes played constantly on the wing. He needs a partner up front to link up.

 

I am a bit baffled by people who think his link up play is excellent? His touch for me is a bit like mcdonalds, sometimes good sometimes pretty bad, he comes deep for a ball and has to travel even further to collect it after a bad touch. He is going through a bit of a rough patch for me and i don't like the fact because he isn't getting service is the reason he is constantly complaining on the field just get on with it and try harder.

Stokes has definitely started the season far stronger and he wasn't even playing as an actual striker but far left!

 

Some people just dont see the basics.

How did Stokes get space to score the goal yesterday have a look again and see whos run to the back post dragged the defenders away

Again last week, Ki's goal, none other than Gary Hoopers run down the right wing and pass pulled back to Stokes, who gave it to Ki... shot goal. Mark Wilsons goal in the same game = Hooper.

When someone is off form, I think they are losing the ball all the time, playing with their head down, hitting shots from everywhere, hesitating when presented a chance. Ive seen NONE of this.

 

He'll get going if he gets played in a 442 with him and stokes up front, i think the problem yesterday was that the formation just didnt suit him. When Lenny brought Forrest on and changed to a 442 Hooper looked much better. Once he gets a couple of goals under his belt and his confidence levels up im sure he'll start banging them in.

 

He's never had a chance to be hesitant with ILoveTheCeltic apart from a penalty against hibs which he fluffed.

I am a fan of hooper make no mistake about that but if people don't think he is off form right now then they are looking though tinted specs.

 

He's scored in friendlies. They count, surely. Also, we've only played twice in the league, hardly a goal drought. Mountains are being made out of molehills here.

 

bhoys good its only the second game he needs competition we have to get a striker thats physical and good in the air as we cant score any cross balls in to box

 

We are like the Arsenal of Scotland, we always need to score goals from creating chances. We never score from corners, crosses or long balls. A striker who is tall/good in the air and obviously a decent player too is definetly needed.

 

He needs support in the box for some reason Stokesy is always out in the wing and nobody is supporting Hooperman in the box .

 

Talk about giving credit for anything. You should have just written that iyo he can do no wrong.

Who would you expect to run to the back post yesterday,eg? Taking up a position in the box as a striker does not really say a lot. Its where he should be. The goal was entirely down to Commons and Stokes.

 

best strike rate in britain last season, a one in two strikerate since 2007.

To say Hooper is a bad striker or any less of a striker is silly talk bhoys.

It's clear that Lenny is experimenting with his European set up and trying to get the players used to playing a bit more conservatively with the team playing more 4-5-1 this season.
Yesterday it was stokes playing almost as a left winger and commons as aright winger with ledley, ki and kayal bossing midfield, ki pushing in attack imo. It will take them a while to get used to this style just like it took them a while to get used to the formation Lenny played last season.

I'm glad this is the way Lenny appears to be going about it, preparing so early and getting the results in Scotland the European way. And there is only one more game to prepare for two legs that will shape our season.

So try not to get on any of the players backs since they are clearly going out of their comfort zone for the good of the team. It might not work first time and it might make them look like they are unhappy but at least we are expanding our game. Hooper needs to become a complete striker as does hooper. Not just target men or poachers or deep lying striker. Strikers that can go anywhere in the world and play whichever style is required.

Hail Hail

 

He's a wee bit rusty and the gears are grinding for him but he's class and he'll do the business again this season no doubt about it!!

 

Still off the pace give him time and he will soon be banging in the goals plus our service to the strikers has been dire.

 

Agree with others, he's been a bit slow getting off the mark this season for me, but i reckon he'll be back to his usual goal scoring self another few games in.