[Archived] David Hoilett

[Majiball]

When I saw him play for the reserves he should have scored at least two, alas he did not. I'm not convinced he has the guile or the finishing ability to make it in the middle. I also doubt he'll get much time as a striker due to the way and formation we in the main play as Topman said.

[Kelbo]

I for one was very happy when Junior extended his stay at Ewood and signed a new contract. I do however still feel that BFS doesn't know where is best position is just yet

I have a friend who used to play at roevrs with him in same team for over a year and he inticates junior sees himself as a striker and does any1 else feel he could be the same as Defoe? I now its very early but same sort of size and style both are very direct - The only problem with junior does seem to be his decision making???However if he can improve on this I feel 2010 will be a massive season for him and within a year or so could be 1 of our main strikers.

Thanks.

Decision making comes with experience, he is 19 years old, give the lad some chance, I agree to some extent with Majiball that as a striker one would have expected hime to take more of the chances he has had, however his movement in the final game against Villa, showed he is getting into better positions.

A for decision making, that will come the more games he plays.

[ManicRover]

I dont think its more a choice, but more a rationale decision, cause he wouldnt be good enough for England.

Its a key season for him as he needs to improve his decicion making drastically if he is going to progress.

It wasn't so much a choice between Canada and England as it was between Canada and Jamiaca. He qualifies for both...born in Canada but Jamaica roots. Still hopefully he will end up playing for Canada. After losing Begovic to Bosnia, Hargreaves to England and possibly De Duzman to the Netherlands it would be nice to see someone want to play for us (typical Canadian inferiority complex coming through!)

he has had a lot of pressure to make an international decision but I think focusing on club football certainly makes sense right now. I agree he has a long way to go to progress and wasting time playing pointless friendlies against Belize won't help....

[Jackson]

How about the fella strings two good games together before worrying which country to play for.

[Exiled_Rover]

He's not a good enough finisher to play as a striker.

[bluebruce]

I for one was very happy when Junior extended his stay at Ewood and signed a new contract. I do however still feel that BFS doesn't know where is best position is just yet

I have a friend who used to play at roevrs with him in same team for over a year and he inticates junior sees himself as a striker and does any1 else feel he could be the same as Defoe? I now its very early but same sort of size and style both are very direct - The only problem with junior does seem to be his decision making???

However if he can improve on this I feel 2010 will be a massive season for him and within a year or so could be 1 of our main strikers.

Not at all. I don't care what Junior sees himself as (other than perhaps a marker of some kind of delusion), he can't finish anywhere near well enough to be a striker. He needs, really really needs to accept his role as a right midfielder/winger for now, and learn how to play that position. If his finishing improves drastically some time in the future (possible, but I'm sceptical), we can re-evaluate whether he can become a striker for us. But in the meantime he needs to work on his decision-making and link-up play, and get himself out wide spreading the opposition defence out.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Time to bump this thread up?

I thought Hoilett was showing some glimpses of his talent with a few sub performances this season, but since Sam's departure and Steve Kean beginning to start him he has looked really good.

Still early days but it's great to have a player with pace and the ability to run with the ball in the side. His decision making seems to have improved quite a bit as well- one of the areas that many thought he needed to work on.

[Miker]

Good to see him score, he isn't a brilliant finisher by any means, but hopefully he can improve on that. We've all seen him to be a brilliant flair player with great pace and skill, but to be a truly class act he needs to add goals to his performances. Hopefully, this can be a start.

[joey_big_nose]

Good to see him score, he isn't a brilliant finisher by any means, but hopefully he can improve on that. We've all seen him to be a brilliant flair player with great pace and skill, but to be a truly class act he needs to add goals to his performances. Hopefully, this can be a start.

He has already hugely improved the physical side of his game - for a small guy he is very very strong now. If he can add finishing and crossing to his game then he will be a massive talent. To my eye he is in the Lennon mould but has better close control, but poorer finishing and crossing.

Exciting player.

[ben_the_beast]

He has already hugely improved the physical side of his game - for a small guy he is very very strong now. If he can add finishing and crossing to his game then he will be a massive talent. To my eye he is in the Lennon mould but has better close control, but poorer finishing and crossing.

Exciting player.

I wasn't aware you could get poorer finishing and crossing than lennon lol

[LeChuck]

Lennon is a good player to compare to him, his final ball was awful when he was young but he's improved it immensely over the last 18-24 months. Hopefully Hoilett can do the same.

[pwaw_whipp]

hoilett.... im so happy we have a player improving leaps and bounds and who runs at defences! pedersen has always frustrated me with pulling up infront of fullbacks.... i think duff was our last winger who ran at defences.

i remember when i was younger and i went to anfield, steve mcmanaman everytime he got the ball scared me, same with the likes of joe cole they cause panic and fear!... however... HOILETT is attacking and i love it! he and olsson with the pace are terrorizing that left flank!! long may it continue!!!

[den]

Lennon is a good player to compare to him, his final ball was awful when he was young but he's improved it immensely over the last 18-24 months. Hopefully Hoilett can do the same.

[Tom]

I said at half time that if we were to score it would be through Hoilett, every time the ball was played to him you could feel the crowd lift. I would have liked him to stay on the right as the left back was on a booking and terrified of him.

[Hughesy]

Best player on the pitch today - just a shame Gamst & Diouf where not as interested as him..... Made lots of runs today, some out of frustration due to non movement of others.

Deserved his goal & has done well in both this game & Liverpool at home.

[The Rover of Finland]

New deal for this lad right asap.

[artemorethanlabore]

A year and a half left on the current one?

[joey_big_nose]

A year and a half left on the current one?

Not long enough. The vultures will already be circling.

Guaranteed that he will get a new first team deal by the end of the season, just like Olsson and Jones did last year. His dad sounds like a bit of a hard ass though so it might take a bit of negotiating.

[bluebruce]

I remember saying at the time I wasn't happy with how short his deal was and we should have pushed for a long-term one. But we don't know whether he was insisting on a shorter one. We should move now though...the longer he keeps playing like this, the more money he is going to want.

[Bobby G]

For the first time he has shown he has the end product too. It took a long time and I was going to write him off. Offer him a deal now.

[bluebruce]

For the first time he has shown he has the end product too. It took a long time and I was going to write him off. Offer him a deal now.

Personally I never wrote him off because I could see an Aaron Lennon kind of development was always possible. He just needed to understand that he was a winger not a striker, and work hard on his delivery. Thankfully he seems to have done those things and could become a truly cracking player.

[The Rover of Finland]

It was a huge fear he won´t sign deal at all. Short deal was his choice and must do for Rovers.

[Pedderz0912]

I have always rated Junior and one of my friends played with him during his progressionin the academy and said he was head and shoulders above everyone.. So glad he signed the new deal in the summer, we now need to get him down to a 3-4 year deal and really give him a run of games

Thsi guy is a star in the making reminds me of a young Damian Duff/Aaron Lennon.

[Amo]

Quickly becoming a fan's favourite. I've been saying for ages that the guy needs gametime to develop his career. Sam used to chuck him on late into the match when we're already chasing the game. It obviously didn't work for him.

Hoilett has to be one of the first names on the team-sheet. His pace cannot be underestimated and he's finally starting to develop an end-product. Sure, he'll still continue to frustrate fans at times, but I'd overlook that for what he brings to our side.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Hopefully a long run in the team will encourage him to sign a long term deal and remain with us which will allow him to grow as a player. Seeing other people his age breaking into the squad and holding their own is surely very encouraging for him and other youngsters out there.