(27-12-2015, 16:43)Statesideowl Wrote: I don't have any problems with Hooper. my only concern about him was that CC might not have wanted him personally, and we're paying 32k a week for a striker CC didn't particularly want.

As a professional his record speaks for itself, he scored screamers aplenty for Celtic and played along side some quality footballers. I expected Hooper to come good one way or another, either by scoring or using his muscle and footballing brain to create room for others.

I think the window opens next week?

(27-12-2015, 15:18)Maddix Wrote: We also need to hang onto Nuhiu  


Just to keep winding PEI up  

(27-12-2015, 20:39)St Charles Owl Wrote: Madsteve, those goal numbers with and without Hooper are as stark as you can get!!!  I have no problem with Hooper or his wages but some of the stories surrounding him coming to us at the start of the season obviously stick in some fans throat!!  A lot of this attitude towards some of our loanees, particularly the strikers I think was set when the bothroyd loan deal went so badly.  

As regards transfers I disagree that we should stick with what we have.  I think our starting 11 is good enough but we are still thin on cover in some areas.  Up front we need to improve on Nuhiu, get a big guy in who has more mobility to his game, maybe someone like Chris Wood at L**ds??  I also think we need more over on the wings, particularly for Wallace down the right side.  But players we bring in need to be good enough to challenge for a starting spot from the first day with us.

(29-12-2015, 05:55)St Charles Owl Wrote: Should we now go after this guy again??

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/35191686

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Is this another case of Cellino being crazy or does he in fact have a point??

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/35191715

(27-12-2015, 14:05)madsteve Wrote: Gary Hooper - Super Hooper?

There is still a lot of ill feeling towards our loanee striker from Norwich despite much improvement on the pitch when he is involved. He wasn't fit at first but over the last month he has been much improved and while FF has rightly grabbed the headlines, it can't have escaped the attention of many that Hooper's running off the ball has created so much space for FF.

Actually, that isn't true judging from some of the comments I heard yesterday. I heard some fans calling him "lazy" "big time charlie" and "only half the player Nuhiu is."

Wednesday fans have a reputation for attacking their own players going back years. I can remember the abuse given to Phil Henson, Ian Porterfield & John Sheridan before he became a hero by scoring that goal.

Usually this abuse is set early & fans refuse to accept what is happening on the pitch and continue to go with their preconceived idea that a player is rubbish, lazy or clumsy.

I had already noticed that we struggled to score in matches until we brought on Hooper then we seemed to score. While he wasn't prolific himself, his running seemed to create opportunities for others so I thought I would look at the facts since the last International break.
Here are the minutes without Hooper on the pitch & the goals scored:

Huddersfield - 72 minutes 0 goals
Blackburn - 45 (1)
Derby - 76 (0)
Cardiff - 45 (0)
MK Dons - 56 (0)

That is one goal in 294 minutes without Hooper on the pitch.
Here are the minutes with Hooper on the pitch & the goals scored:

Huddersfield - 18 (3)
Blackburn - 45 (1)
Derby 14 (0)
Cardiff - 45 (2)
MK Dons - 34 (1)
Wolves - 90 (4)
Birmingham - 90 (3)

That is 14 goals in 336 minutes with Hooper on the pitch.

So we score every 294 minutes without Hooper on the pitch yet score every 24 minutes with Hooper on the pitch. That is quite staggering & maybe explains why we have suddenly started scoring for fun. Whilst we won't continue to score at that rate, it does show what an important role that Hooper has played in our recent results.

I understand that some fans don't like players who are alleged to be on big wages but it really is irrelevant to us. It is all about getting to the PL and paying whatever it costs to get there.

We don't need any new signings in January. We need to keep everyone that we currently have and look to secure longer contracts for players like Hutchinson & Bannan. Equally important in my eyes is extending Hooper's loan until the end of the season because his improvement in form is very much coinciding with the team's improvement in form and his two home starts have brought our two biggest home wins in two years.

Let's get behind the fellow. He might just get us back to the PL!