Hal-Robson Kanu

[paddy20]

Been threatening to be a good player for too long now. In reality apart from a very few games he has been pretty poor. Just hope Clarke realises it quicker than our previous managers.This idea that we have a strong squad is pretty false. We have no stars at all, Probably half a dozen decent players and the rest making up the numbers. Long way to go to be threatening promotion now, just hope the money is there to re-invest in about half a team.

[wingnut]

At the end of our last season in the prem, he really looked like he was ready to kick on and would be a key player for us ( and consequently earned a lucrative new contract). Ever since, he's been heading backwards faster than an Italian army brigade. He always had an odd running style where it looks like he's blowing out of his arse after just a short sprint so I don't think his fitness is an issue but something is clearly wrong.

[SCIAG]

Is Hal-Robson Kanu a cousin of Hal Robson-Kanu?

He's a very good impact substitute and a decent starter. He can really bully tired full backs, he's refreshingly direct, and he creates more goalscoring opportunities than most of our forwards. His major flaw is that he's quite poor defensively, but he's improved a lot in that regard over the last few years. Either that or he just looks better with Blackman for comparison (who is possibly the laziest winger we've had since... Rougier?).

Just for my own fun (though feel free to tear it apart), here's how I'd rank our senior wingers as starting players:
McCleary, Mackie, HRK, Taylor, Blackman, Edwards
When chasing a goal:
McCleary, HRK, Taylor, Mackie, Blackman, Edwards
When clinging on:
McCleary, Taylor, Mackie, Edwards, HRK, Blackman

I wasn't expecting Blackman to be so low across the board but his record for setting up and scoring goals is worse than I expected. If you take his penalty out, it's one every 600 minutes! Compare that to the fairly ordinary Taylor (344 minutes), who also takes half as many shots per game.

[Basingstoke Royal]

HRK is really frustrating.

95% of the time he is out of position and out of the game. The ball seems to move around him and he seems to be running at half speed . It's like playing with 10 men at times.

Then 5% of the time he shows he has pace, power and skill. Second half on Saturday I remember him chasing back and he was so fast. I thought it was Blackman and couldnt believe it when I realised it was kanu.

I don't know whether he doesn't want to be here or what but he doesn't give 100% and most of the time and that in itself makes most fans happy. Not giving that as a minimum is going to piss fans off. Seems to be able to do this for wales though.

A few years ago in the prem he took evra apart but now he just can't (possibly be arsed) get to that level for Reading.

[harry]

HRK has a lot of promise but has rarely delivered on it. Last season in Prem seems to have been last time he showed any consistently decent performances. I preferred Michael Antonio a few years ago and would have preferred to have kept him.
The case for HRK: he is a left footer, he set up our winner v Huddersfield and had a few decent moments on Saturday. So after looking dreadful for most of the season he's at least making a case for inclusion all of a sudden.

Personally if both were fit I'd go with McCleary (skill) & Mackie (effort). If one of those was out it would be a toss up between HRK and Blackman after HRK's recent performances. I'd have Taylor on the bench as he has a weird knack of being in the right place at the right time for a goal, despite not appearing to be that effective.

[Royal Ginger]

I just think he needs slightly bigger shorts.

[Sanguine]

He's got all thw physical attributes to be very good. I just don't thin he's got what he needs emotionally or mentally to put it together.

Physical attributes maybe, but not footballing attributes.

I posted a while back that every club has a Hal Robson-Kanu. Doesn't do anything particularly brilliantly, might show flashes of a higher level of ability than he normally shows, often disappoints, yet successive managers pick him as the 'least worst' option. Just seems to do enough to avoid being replaced, without ever threatening to help take the club forward.

[tee peg]

Or a smaller arse......

[Ian Royal]

He's got all thw physical attributes to be very good. I just don't thin he's got what he needs emotionally or mentally to put it together.

Physical attributes maybe, but not footballing attributes.

I posted a while back that every club has a Hal Robson-Kanu. Doesn't do anything particularly brilliantly, might show flashes of a higher level of ability than he normally shows, often disappoints, yet successive managers pick him as the 'least worst' option. Just seems to do enough to avoid being replaced, without ever threatening to help take the club forward.

Agree on the flattering to deceive and least worst option. But he's got control, skill and finishing for sure. He just uses his talent so badly.

[Augem]

Or a smaller arse......

This is something they need to check when signing new players.

He would make a good Kingsley

[teignmouth hoops]

Or a smaller arse......

This is something they need to check when signing new players.

He would make a good Kingsley

I don't think he's fit enough to be Kingsley, you need a lot of stamina and running for that role

[gazzer, loyal royal]

i think his performance got a lot of unjustified stick.

he's far more aware of his duties defensively than what he was, which might be impinging his attacking game a little bit. He definately does a lot more dirty work than he used to, like tracking his full back and making tackles. Think back to the Man Utd 3-4 game where he was at fauly for three of the Man Utd goals for not tracking Evra, he has improved a lot there.

IMO Mackie was worse of Saturday than Kanu, constantly letting Friend run past him and only produced one through ball to an overlapping Gunter all game. I guess everyone likes a tryer though

[teignmouth hoops]

i think his performance got a lot of unjustified stick.

he's far more aware of his duties defensively than what he was, which might be impinging his attacking game a little bit. He definately does a lot more dirty work than he used to, like tracking his full back and making tackles. Think back to the Man Utd 3-4 game where he was at fauly for three of the Man Utd goals for not tracking Evra, he has improved a lot there.

IMO Mackie was worse of Saturday than Kanu, constantly letting Friend run past him and only produced one through ball to an overlapping Gunter all game. I guess everyone likes a tryer though

It's one thing being aware of your defensive responsibilities, it's another thing doing something about it. My original point was the fact he seems so unfit that he doesn't have the ability to mount an attack then track back with his full back, against Boro he was bypassed on numerous occasions

[Isaac Hunt]

At the end of our last season in the prem, he really looked like he was ready to kick on and would be a key player for us ( and consequently earned a lucrative new contract). Ever since, he's been heading backwards faster than an Italian army brigade. He always had an odd running style where it looks like he's blowing out of his arse after just a short sprint so I don't think his fitness is an issue but something is clearly wrong.

There seem to have been a HRK threads every season for the past 3 or 4. They all appear to mirror each other.

I agree with all of the above, plus i'd add that he has a heart the size of a pea. Watch him bottle almost every single opportunity to make a challenge. Does anyone recall the moment in the second half recently against Bolton? Whilst running on to a great pass down the right hand side, it was his ball all the way, until he caught a glimpse of an opponent. Then he pulled up so fast without even making a challenge. It was embarrassing.

I don't think i could ever say i've seen the guy have a good 20 minute, let alone a decent game.

[Gilksy]

I just think he needs slightly bigger shorts.

and a much smaller arse.

[SCIAG]

I don't think i could ever say i've seen the guy have a good 20 minute, let alone a decent game.

Do you not go to matches then?

For starters:
http://www.royals.org/matdoc/250910.html
http://www.royals.org/matdoc/130511.html
http://www.royals.org/matdoc/291111.html
http://www.royals.org/matdoc/040513.html

[tee peg]

I don't think i could ever say i've seen the guy have a good 20 minute, let alone a decent game.

Do you not go to matches then?

For starters:
http://www.royals.org/matdoc/250910.html
http://www.royals.org/matdoc/130511.html
http://www.royals.org/matdoc/291111.html
http://www.royals.org/matdoc/040513.html

Any more?

[Pepe the Horseman]

The complete list can be found at http://www.lemonparty.org/

[Old Biscuitman]

My opinions are speculative, based mostly on what I read and see from streamed pictures, because I don't get to games these days. But FWIW I suspect that this player lacks courage, both physical and mental. He does not seem to go in for a brave tackle, nor commit to beating a defender when it looks 50/50 or less.

[Ian Royal]

There were actualy two occasions in the bolton game... both with mills the defender. I wouldn't say hrk was favourite to get to the ball first, but he had a high probability of winning a free kick at least. And probably a yellow for mills. He bottled both.