Isaac Hayden

[Hanshithispantz]

Given his passes actually try to influence the play and move the team forward on occasion it should come as no great surprise less find their man.

Still got an 80% pass rate over the season too according to WhoScored, fairly decent. I really like him and actually thought he looked good yesterday, he just cannot replace Shelvey.

[Aiston]

Very good defensively but ask any more of him and he's shit. Perfect player to have next to someone creative.

[joeyt]

He made a great run into the channel and then subsequently into the box, which he then crossed the ball with his weaker foot to set up a chance for Clark that was tipped over yesterday. You'd not see Colback do that.  He regularly gets into the box and uses his athleticism to cross or shoot. His assist against Reading was one example and there was another game at SJP where he got into the box, cut back and smashed a left footed shot against the post. His sliding tackles are often excellent too. His shooting isn't the best.

 

He's not the perfect player at all but there's more than enough to suggest he isn't 'utter s***' especially in his first proper season as a regular.

[The College Dropout]

Hayden won several tackles in important positions leading to attacks yesterday and usually does, which is why Rafa likes him so much. The problem is that he's extremely limited on the ball and when asked to play a little bit out of the realms of his comfort zone in lieu of Shelvey he was always going to be found wanting.

 

Aye. But I do like how he see's the need to influence a game. Colback and Anita's will never attempt to do so,

[Hanshithispantz]

He made a great run into the channel and then subsequently into the box, which he then crossed the ball with his weaker foot to set up a chance for Clark that was tipped over. yesterday  He regularly gets into the box and uses his athleticism to cross or shoot. His assist against Reading was one example and there was another game at SJP where he got into the box, cut back and smashed a left footed shot against the post. His sliding tackles are often excellent too. His shooting isn't the best.

 

He's not the perfect player at all but there's more than enough to suggest he isn't 'utter s***' especially in his first proper season as a regular.

Post against Preston in the cup too was good play. He's obviously not a young Yaya Toure but I think he has a lot more to him than just playing the enforcer - just still nowhere near enough that we can afford to have him in a partnership with Colback.

[Disco]

Given his passes actually try to influence the play and move the team forward on occasion it should come as no great surprise less find their man.

Still got an 80% pass rate over the season too according to WhoScored, fairly decent. I really like him and actually thought he looked good yesterday, he just cannot replace Shelvey.

 

Higher than I thought tbh, his short passing game is improving despite having a solid Arsenal basis. Hopefully he's been working on longer game in training. Seems to be the sort that would be looking to improve.

 

I really like him though so I'm a tad bias. 

[Gallowgate Toon]

Hayden won several tackles in important positions leading to attacks yesterday and usually does, which is why Rafa likes him so much. The problem is that he's extremely limited on the ball and when asked to play a little bit out of the realms of his comfort zone in lieu of Shelvey he was always going to be found wanting.

I don't think he's limited on the ball at all. I think that he's got a decent range of passing on him, he's just not somebody to rely on to create things for you.

 

Yeah, he's certainly not limited - that's a weird conclusion to come to. He's displayed some really good passing (cute short passes, as well as more expansive stuff) and has made some really impressive driving runs. He shouldn't be your main creative central force in midfield but he's a very capable partner for someone of that ilk.

[Gottlob]

He put in some promising performances earlier in the season, but I think he's on a poor run. His inclination seems to be to drop deep and pick up the ball from the centre backs, but even when Shelvey's playing we are desperate for a more progressive midfielder, who can carry the ball and play short passes higher up the pitch. Perhaps Rafa's system comes into it too, and Hayden can sometimes look less comfortable in more attacking areas, but I think he's much more effective when he does push further forward.

 

As it is he's hitting far too many long passes, and his all-round game has become sloppy. He's certainly someone to persist with in the long term, but I'd have gone with Diame and Anita in the middle yesterday, and if they're generally needed elsewhere a new central midfielder is a must.

[Slim]

Very impressed with how many tackles he wins that sets attacks up. 

[Ronaldo]

Hayden won several tackles in important positions leading to attacks yesterday and usually does, which is why Rafa likes him so much. The problem is that he's extremely limited on the ball and when asked to play a little bit out of the realms of his comfort zone in lieu of Shelvey he was always going to be found wanting.

I don't think he's limited on the ball at all. I think that he's got a decent range of passing on him, he's just not somebody to rely on to create things for you.

 

Yeah, he's certainly not limited - that's a weird conclusion to come to. He's displayed some really good passing (cute short passes, as well as more expansive stuff) and has made some really impressive driving runs. He shouldn't be your main creative central force in midfield but he's a very capable partner for someone of that ilk.

 

Are you both on glue? You both concede he has limitations on the ball.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I watched him closely last night for the first time and he's a good player like. If he can improve his shooting and selects his passing a bit better he can be a very handy player in the top flight. He's deceptively quick, strong, reads play well off the ball and likes to get involved on and off the ball. I like him and he has a good future.

[mighty__mag]

Hayden won several tackles in important positions leading to attacks yesterday and usually does, which is why Rafa likes him so much. The problem is that he's extremely limited on the ball and when asked to play a little bit out of the realms of his comfort zone in lieu of Shelvey he was always going to be found wanting.

I don't think he's limited on the ball at all. I think that he's got a decent range of passing on him, he's just not somebody to rely on to create things for you.

 

Yeah, he's certainly not limited - that's a weird conclusion to come to. He's displayed some really good passing (cute short passes, as well as more expansive stuff) and has made some really impressive driving runs. He shouldn't be your main creative central force in midfield but he's a very capable partner for someone of that ilk.

 

Are you both on glue? You both concede he has limitations on the ball.

 

Both on man glue

[Guest alijmitchell]

From the highlights, he looked decent

[bowlingcrofty]

https://twitter.com/caulkinthetimes/status/821122378596044803

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I watched him closely last night for the first time and he's a good player like. If he can improve his shooting and selects his passing a bit better he can be a very handy player in the top flight. He's deceptively quick, strong, reads play well off the ball and likes to get involved on and off the ball. I like him and he has a good future.

 

Been impressed with him since pre-season, has genuine quality. Possibly needs to sharpen up in some situations but he'll only get better.

[madras]

I watched him closely last night for the first time and he's a good player like. If he can improve his shooting and selects his passing a bit better he can be a very handy player in the top flight. He's deceptively quick, strong, reads play well off the ball and likes to get involved on and off the ball. I like him and he has a good future.

 

Been impressed with him since pre-season, has genuine quality. Possibly needs to sharpen up in some situations but he'll only get better.

Still think he's being played out of position. Should be a box to boxer in a 4 or 5 as opposed to a DM in a 2 IMO

[joeyt]

He doesn't play as a traditional DM and does play box to box though

 

He often breaks up play and drives us forward with the ball. He also gets quite a lot of touches in the penalty area from driving with the ball or good runs.

 

In my mind a defensive midfielder for us is like Tiote who I can barely remember ever touching the ball in the opposition penalty area. He rarely got forward whereas Hayden does quite frequently for a centre mid

 

[madras]

He doesn't play as a traditional DM and does play box to box though

 

He often breaks up play and drives us forward with the ball. He also gets quite a lot of touches in the penalty area from driving with the ball or good runs.

 

In my mind a defensive midfielder for us is like Tiote who I can barely remember ever touching the ball in the opposition penalty area. He rarely got forward whereas Hayden does quite frequently for a centre mid

 

Your watching different games to me, I remember him gettting forward V Birmingham and Reading. Outside of that he's been Shelveys side kick....in fact he needs to grow up and take charge a bit.

[joeyt]

He drove us forward a lot in the Blackburn game when Shelvey was out. There was another game where he drove forward cut inside and hit the post. He won the ball back and drove forward and got into the box when Diame scored against Wigan.  There's other examples too.

 

I really don't think he's being played just as a typical DM that aggressively breaks up play and recycles position like Romeu at Southampton for example or Tiote. He drives forward a lot

 

[Scoot]

Hayden is definitely more of a box to box midfielder, not so much when Shelvey is playing beside him but certainly when he's been paired with Colback this past month. He certainly pops up in the opposition box a lot more than your traditional defensive midfielder would.

[The College Dropout]

Box to box is misleading.  Kante doesn't sit in front of the defence at all but i wouldn't call him box to box.  Can't think of many genuine box to box players anymore. You've got good overall players that influence in attack and defence.  Think kroos and Modric but they rarely seem to be in the box and score few goals.

[Twinport53]

TBH Hayden has had more good games in 6 months than Colback has had in his entire worthless career. The fact people can criticise aspects of Haydens game instead of posting "f*** off Colback" should be evidence enough to give a 21 year old abit more slack. Especially when Shelvey is out.

 

He improves our midfield, I always expect him to come out of a 50/50 with the ball. He's quick, positions himself well and can pass and get forward, albeit not with much end product. But then again he cost about 2 million and this is his first run of full competitive games in his career.

 

I like him. Alot

[The College Dropout]

Basic things like trying to pass forward, the ability to move at some kind of pace, the ability to win a header makes him look a beast compared to Colback. Colback makes the game look very hard. I could play like Jack.

[Paully]

Newcastle midfielder Hayden reveals he almost played for Arsenal

 

http://dailym.ai/2iLkLBI

[Newcastle Fan]

Proper display today, dominated the midfield.