Conor Hourihane

Yep. McClean's prone to the odd skyer, but was a big improvement when switched in for Cullen.  I've been impressed, overall. 

Cullen set-pieces have just been like The Big Lebowski of crosses -  big, high, slow and loopy. 

Loads of time for defenders to see them and head away.  Even if Duffy or Egan get on the end of it, there's no power.  Cullen's got so poor that he was replaced by Coleman for corners in one game, who I'd never seen take one. 

Not sure what the answer is:

 - I suspect maybe Parrott has that in his game if he focussed on it. 

- Ronan is getting better every season and hit some great free-kicks in his time with the U21s.  

- Ryan Manning? - always gets great reviews at Championship level, but we've not seen him get a run for us.  Maybe he's that player. 

But he's been very average to below average for a couple of years now. Based on footballing evidence, I don't see why there would be such clamour.

Unless you literally set your team up so that Hourihane is in acres of space for balls whipped in from the wings, I haven't seen much else he's useful at. 

Unfortunately, he's a passenger for vast majority of most games .

Good move for him. I suspect gametime & location were big factors in picking Derby. He would have been a squad player for Huddersfield & Luton.

The O'Shea wrote: Banjaxed wrote: Hotlips_Hoolahan wrote: Would he not have been better off waiting another three or four weeks to see what offers came in. I'd be surprised if a player with his kind of profile didn't have more exotic options than Derby. But he's been very average to below average for a couple of years now. Based on footballing evidence, I don't see why there would be such clamour. Unless you literally set your team up so that Hourihane is in acres of space for balls whipped in from the wings, I haven't seen much else he's useful at.  Unfortunately, he's a passenger for vast majority of most games . Not sure that stands up to scrutiny tbh. He scored a shedload of goals on loan at Swansea for the 2nd half of the season in 2020/21; and also played a lot for a Sheffield Utd side that came close to promotion this year. He hasn't hit the heights he did 4/5 years ago, but he's been far from bad as well.

5 goals & 2 assists in 19 games is a good return for a half-season loanee. But Swansea fans were saying he was too often anonymous is open play, which matches what we have seen of him for years.

At Sheff Utd he started 15 league games (13 sub apps), but 11 or 12 of those starts came when John Fleck was out with his medical issues/other injuries. Only got 1 goal & 4 assists in 31 games there.

During all that he didn't start a competitive game for Ireland (last time was vs Bulgaria, Nov 2020).

Dropping down to League 1 will guarantee him a lot of gametime to maybe keep his name in & around the Ireland squad, but it's a level too low now, (most players we've been calling up from L1 are moving up) and with the midfielders coming through - Kilkenny, Smallbone, Coventry - & hopefully McGrath getting back in the frame, & possibly Byrne if he's playing well in Europe - and he's pushing 32. Given all that,  I think we've probably seen the last of him in an Ireland shirt.

They're making some good signings with not just the Irish lads but players like Chester and Barkhuizen. They could romp that division next season.

Championship was a difficult adjustment for Collins but he could have a similar impact to Will Keane if he does sign.

Portsmouth also interested in him.

This seems a good move for Hourihane personally buy I really don't think he is international standard.