O'Hare is a Burden on the Team (3 Viewers)

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

I'm sure this will initially attract a barrage of insults, but as much as I really want the lad to succeed, he's not offering anywhere near enough for a championship attacking midfielder that plays every game.

I've heard comments that he is the best player we've had since relegation from the Premier League. Personally I don't see it at all.

I think we could sell him and whilst I'm not exactly confident the owners would reinvest it, should he go for the touted 5 million, even 20% of that would find someone who could score or assist more than what he is offering at the moment. Playing for territory is something wasps should be proud of, not us, and it feels like that and work rate are about his only major attributes. It's becoming a cult in itself though, and match after match there are people that leap to his defence in what in my view seems irrationally obsessive.

His stats in the league (last 3 seasons):

105 appearances
7 goals
16 assists

I've been at times really excited by him, and when we signed him from Villa permanently I was estatic, but that euphoria has seriously plateaued over time.

I'm not looking for emotive rage, just someone please, kindly and respectfully change my mind.

 

---

[SkyblueDad]

He needs better players around him

 

[Liquid Gold]

Take him out of the team and we play like shite because everything goes through him. His finishing is shite but he would have had a load more assists if our strikers' finishing wasn't also shite.

When he gets taken off we look fucking terrible. Take him out of the team and replace with someone that chips in a few more goals but offers less all-round then we're going to be an even worse team than we are now.

Without him we'd be proper relegation fodder next year.

 

[usskyblue]

Granted there’s room for improvement (especially with composure and technique in front of goal) but he’s absolutely integral to the way we play. As @Liquid Gold rightly said, everything goes through O’Hare and his assist stats would be a lot higher if the strikers took the chances he creates (most recently Vic’s point blank header v’s Cardiff). No one puts in a harder shift either…. His work ethic is second to none.

 

[better days]

If COH scored goals he'd be in the PL already
We're lucky to have him

 

[AStonesThrow]

If COH scored goals he'd be in the PL already
We're lucky to have him

Completely agree. At such a young age he’s already a fundamental part of the way we play, albeit through movement and creation as opposed to a lot of goal scoring AMCs at this level. Add a few goals alongside more clinical finishing from our strikers, and O’Hare is top quality

 

[SkyblueTexan]

To construct a team, you need some basic building blocks - first to survive (last season), then to improve upon it and challenge for playoffs and ultimately autos. It seems playoffs are a step too far this season, but I think O’Hare is one of those building blocks. He was fantastic in League 1 with Walsh pulling the strings. Hamer (hope he stays) is that guy for us pulling the strings now and another of those building blocks. But both he and O’Hare don’t score enough and have regressed in that dept since last season. Sheaf hasn’t scored at all, but has improved markedly and is a piece worth keeping. But we need more complementary pieces in midfield to ease the burden on them and will need to offload Kelly, Jones, Shipley, possibly Allen (not sure why his contract was extended) in the summer to make that happen. Moore has made us infinitely better at the back compared to last season and is another building block. Fadz may need to be offloaded to get a younger, capable replacement (JCS?) to partner Hyam and Rose (if he’s here). Up front Gyokeres is another building block along with Godden (if he can stay injury free). I think the recent recruitment failings (aka Da Costa, Hillsner, Kasta, Jobello) have made us ever more conservative in terms of recruitment and severely impacted our ability to bring in young talent. Instead we’ve opted for older experienced heads (ie. Waghorn and Bidwell), but this plan seems to have also backfired although the jury might still be out on Bidwell. We’ve already cleared out a lot of deadwood in Jan and need to continue the culling by getting rid of Walker. Dabo is likely worth keeping although he’s not been as effective as before. Of the recent additions, Kane has been decent. Hope we can tempt Maatsen to sign for us in the summer.

I was looking at last season’s highlights and we were really awful in terms of making mistakes and conceding goals. We’ve made great strides this season, but we still have quite a ways to go.

it will be an interesting summer and hope we emerge stronger from it.

 

[Wyken Sky Blue]

I think we could sell him and whilst I'm not exactly confident the owners would reinvest it, should he go for the touted 5 million, even 20% of that would find someone who could score or assist more than what he is offering at the moment.

Like who for example?

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

 

[Wyken Sky Blue]

I think we could sell him and whilst I'm not exactly confident the owners would reinvest it, should he go for the touted 5 million, even 20% of that would find someone who could score or assist more than what he is offering at the moment.

Like who for example?

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

 

[clint van damme]

He's put 3 chances on a plate in the last 3 games, all missed, and had a stonewall penalty denied.

 

[Otis]

He's put 3 chances on a plate in the last 3 games, all missed, and had a stonewall penalty denied.

And he looks a threat every time he is on the ball.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

I get the point about a lack of ultimate product and yes, if offered £5mil I'd take it, but that's as much because the only way we're going to have a hope of improving is to sell the best players and replace them with 2-3 at a time who improve the team / squad as a whole. My other concern with O'Hare is he doesn't seem to have kicked on to the next level yet, which makes me wonder if this is as good as he gets- not that that's a bad level, but will he ever manage to get to be an 8-9-10 goal a season midfielder, which he surely should be really. It's also perfectly valid however, as mentioned, to accept his base stats would look a lot better if he had better players around him, and take him out the side atm then we look worse.

It's fair to say that part of the frustration is he shows for the ball far more than most of our team, so gets more opportunity to show errors too. He and Hamer are the midfielders who can pick the game up by the scruff of the neck and take it to the opposition. Sheaf, and to a lesser extent Allen, are tidy players who can pass the ball well, but they can't impose themselves in the same way.

 

[Torquay Sky Blue]

I think other teams have wised up to our tactics of keep the ball for long periods of time then give it to O’hare and hope he does something with it. If it fails do it again. Got quite tedious against Cardiff

 

[Garryb80]

Take him out of the team and we play like shite because everything goes through him. His finishing is shite but he would have had a load more assists if our strikers' finishing wasn't also shite.

When he gets taken off we look fucking terrible. Take him out of the team and replace with someone that chips in a few more goals but offers less all-round then we're going to be an even worse team than we are now.

Without him we'd be proper relegation fodder next year.

How many of the 24 goals by our strikers has he assisted then?

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

I think other teams have wised up to our tactics of keep the ball for long periods of time then give it to O’hare and hope he does something with it. If it fails do it again. Got quite tedious against Cardiff

Think that was exarcebated by the ineffectiveness of our wing backs to impact the game (attacking wise) as much as anything else.

 

[SkyblueDad]

How many of the 24 goals by our strikers has he assisted then?

I think the commentator on Tuesday said 10 and then let’s count the missed ones three in the last three games.

 

[SkyblueDad]

I get the point about a lack of ultimate product and yes, if offered £5mil I'd take it, but that's as much because the only way we're going to have a hope of improving is to sell the best players and replace them with 2-3 at a time who improve the team / squad as a whole. My other concern with O'Hare is he doesn't seem to have kicked on to the next level yet, which makes me wonder if this is as good as he gets- not that that's a bad level, but will he ever manage to get to be an 8-9-10 goal a season midfielder, which he surely should be really. It's also perfectly valid however, as mentioned, to accept his base stats would look a lot better if he had better players around him, and take him out the side atm then we look worse.

It's fair to say that part of the frustration is he shows for the ball far more than most of our team, so gets more opportunity to show errors too. He and Hamer are the midfielders who can pick the game up by the scruff of the neck and take it to the opposition. Sheaf, and to a lesser extent Allen, are tidy players who can pass the ball well, but they can't impose themselves in the same way.

It’s okay accepting a transfer fee for him even £5million but he needs replacing could cost as much as we got, would sisu allow us that money to do that, think we know the answer to that. Next season as a big one for us pushing the top slots of this division need our best player to be here and a couple of better players added.

 

[fatso]

And he looks a threat every time he is on the ball.

No he doesn't that's the whole point!
How can someone who has contributed 1 goal all season be described as "looking like a threat"?
He's a great player, and offers everything EXCEPT a threat.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

It’s okay accepting a transfer fee for him even £5million but he needs replacing could cost as much as we got, would sisu allow us that money to do that, think we know the answer to that.

the only way we're going to have a hope of improving is to sell the best players and replace them with 2-3 at a time who improve the team / squad as a whole.

 

[rob9872]

I don't think he's far away. Some bad luck and bad decisions haven't helped. I'd have a charity wager now that providing he remains fit he'll have a combinator 8 or more goals or direct assists between now and the end if the season. That's a hoal or am assist every other game. So far it's around 5 in 30 bur I'll back him upto 20 against the first to accept, hopefully the op. Charity of your choice.

 

[skyblueeyesrevisited]

No he doesn't that's the whole point!
How can someone who has contributed 1 goal all season be described as "looking like a threat"?
He's a great player, and offers everything EXCEPT a threat.

Opposition double up on him because he is a threat. This provides space for the other attacking players. It’s not all about goals and assists.

 

[napolimp]

Apparently he's won more balls in the final third than any other player in the championship.

 

[oldskyblue58]

COH played 30 games 1 goal 4 assists

Hamer, kane and Gyokeres all have as many assists in less games

Gyokeres and godden have 21 goals between them. Cant argue based on stats alone that those have been largely provided by COH.

He is a good player, at times frustrating and MR has built our play around him. For me thats the problem. If he isnt effective then there is no adequate replacement or alternative to push him on to better. Yes he makes us play good football but he also contributes to not winning. Puts some good balls in at times but decision making is inconsistent creating frustration. Easy on the eye but needs to push on if he has ambition to be a top player

seems to be unless Godden or Gyokeres do it in terms of goals then we falter because no one else including COH does.

not anti COH but for us and him to push on he needs to be more effective, to match his indoubted talent

Coventry City Stats, Championship | FBref.com

Check out Coventry City's latest scores, goals, shooting, passing, defense, possession stats and more for the 2023-2024 Championship.

fbref.com

 

[skybluereeve]

I think the sky hit the nail on the head when he tops much charts in stats in the championship ( other than goals) thought he looked lively first half but lost his way about second half.

 

[fatso]

Opposition double up on him because he is a threat. This provides space for the other attacking players. It’s not all about goals and assists.

They double up on him because he's the only ball carrier we have, but he is literally the last person you would want a chance to fall to. Tuesday was a classic example, he had 2 great chances to score, he completely missed the target with the first, and picked the keeper out when it was easier to score with the second.

I'm not knocking his all round contribution, in fact I gave him m.o.m. against Cardiff, but fuck me is he useless in front of goal.

 

[Hutch11]

C o H is definitely a burden on the team , I 100% agree.
He's a burden because the others are just not on his level , the amount of goals is the only accusation you can throw his way. The all round work rate, occupying opposition defenders , the skill he has on the ball and his quick thinking provides openings for others neigh on every game
We are not anywhere near as effective when he's out

 

[larry_david]

Simon Moore with the same amount of assists as Allen and more than Dabo. Love random shit stats like that.

 

[oldskyblue58]

As for our strikers not being up to it. Only one club has two players in the top 14 strikers so far this season. CCFC

Yes they miss chances but would rather that than have no chances at all

 

[the rumpo kid]

There are twats and there are TWATS

 

[Frostie]

Apparently he's won more balls in the final third than any other player in the championship.

And most chances created from open play in the league too.

 

[Mcbean]

It took McNulty some time to make his mark - there is no one who chases like OHare - I agree with above needs better players around him manly faster wing backs - struggling with Bidwell at the moment

 

[Lord_Nampil]

Singing Bright in the summer was ment to be the number 10 competition wanted to challenge him. But as that’s failed he is the one player with little competition for places and as a result is normally starting by default.

what he needs to improve on his game is his positioning especially when we have the ball in the final third and it’s not at his feet and his composure when in front of goal, he over thinks what he does and doesn’t execute the correct decision (pass or shot), maybe it’s over thinking and less natural than others such as Godden and Vic.

The other thing is, is he a number 10 or his he more of a number 8 like box to box midfielder? His defensive ability to win the ball back can not go unnoticed. It would be interesting if a different manager would try him in that position and get more out of him…

 

[Ccfcisparks]

If we insist with 1 upfront, an CAM that complements O'Hare, granted he doesn't leave, is crucial in the summer.

 

[jimmyhillsfanclub]

We've got O'Hare....super Cal O'Hare....I just don't think you understand....

 

[CovBrummie94]

He has created more chances from open play than any other player in the Championship this season (a stat that flashed up during the Cardiff game on Sky Sports).

If Gyok buries that header against Cardiff and Hamer finishes his last minute effort against Blackpool he has another 2 assists this season. Both chances that should've been finished.

His own finishing is poor there's no doubt about it but he creates chances galore and it's not his fault they're not finished off by others. He is constantly picking up the ball in dangerous positions and making things happen. We are a much worse team without him.