Obua

[Allowayjambo1874]

I'm going against the grain, I think he is not good enough. Perhaps it's Scottish football he's not suited too but I just don't see anything there at all, whether he plays up front or midfield. The way I look at it is if every Hearts player was off the same standard as him do you think we would be 3rd in the league or not? There are plenty of guys who are 6 foot four who can knock on high balls being a professional football player should be about making intelligent runs, tackling well and seeing and making the right pass. He falls down on all those counts. Never booed the guy in my life but I see shades of Nade where people keep hoping for a decent player to emerge and gushing when he plays average (i.e. not making a mistake). And you shouldn't lose sight of the fact that this guy is probably (though I can't swear to this) one of our top earners.

 

Tin hat on.

[The Old Tolbooth]

I suppose it depends very much on what you are looking for in a game. The OP said he played better today, and if you are looking at it in terms of how sadly pathetic he was when brought on against St Johnstone in the cup tie, when he started against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park and when he came on against Celtic Wednesday then one cannot argue with the statement in terms of he wasn't as bad as that today. I would argue that anybody that witnessed those performances, especially against Kilmarnock, would never want him anywhere near the HMFC first team again.

 

Today I thought the team played much better all round when compared with Wednesday, but I thought the only area we failed in was in the target man used to replace Kyle (and I believe that was Obua). So ineffective was he up front that we had to revert to a 4-5-1 formation and leave Glen and Elliott alone up front.

 

If in the eyes of some fans a player being brought into the team to a job and failing to do the required job constitutes playing well then so be it. I think a better description would be he wasn't as bad as he has been of late. He is nowhere near good enough for our first eleven.

 

EDIT - What a fecking goal, Southampton 1 Manchester United 0

I agree with every word of this, Dave done the basics properly today for the first time this season, which is to be expected really. If doing the basics constitutes a "great" performance from some people then fair enough, I'd love to see the guy emptied too though as I think he's nowhere near the class of player we need to move forward, I just can't forget his last 3 games for us where he was a waste of a jersey! If he was to perform like that every week then he would be a decent sub when Kyle is fit, but nothing else as you just know that today was his one good game in 20.

[stevieboobs]

Obua is good at smiling, that's about it

[Carl Weathers]

Good first half but faded a bit in the 2nd.

 

He has ability, but doesn't produce it enough. He was outstanding against Hibs (2-1 game at Tynie)but that was far too long ago.

[Guest John Meurig Thomas]

I suppose it depends very much on what you are looking for in a game. The OP said he played better today, and if you are looking at it in terms of how sadly pathetic he was when brought on against St Johnstone in the cup tie, when he started against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park and when he came on against Celtic Wednesday then one cannot argue with the statement in terms of he wasn't as bad as that today. I would argue that anybody that witnessed those performances, especially against Kilmarnock, would never want him anywhere near the HMFC first team again.

 

Today I thought the team played much better all round when compared with Wednesday, but I thought the only area we failed in was in the target man used to replace Kyle (and I believe that was Obua). So ineffective was he up front that we had to revert to a 4-5-1 formation and leave Glen and Elliott alone up front.

 

I love how you dress up total nonsense with smatterings of common sense so that anyone who didn't really read your post properly will think you posted something worthwhile. Except you didn't, at least not this time.

 

For clarity, PJ1, the OP said Obua played quite well today (as in, on the merit of just this game) and that he'd like him to keep up that level of performance. He did not say:

one cannot argue with the statement in terms of he wasn't as bad as that today

 

You're absolutely right: one cannot argue with that and he wasn't that bad today but that's not the message of this thread. In fact he wasn't bad at all. He played well today regardless of how he played previously, and regardless of how utterly desperate you are to cling to the seemingly comfortable idea that he's really a terrible football player. As it happens, he's not. It's clear he has ability but it's not suited to the Scottish game.

 

If in the eyes of some fans a player being brought into the team to a job and failing to do the required job constitutes playing well then so be it. I think a better description would be he wasn't as bad as he has been of late. He is nowhere near good enough for our first eleven.

 

Indeed, so be it. But again, that's not quite what happened this afternoon, was it? Like someone mentioned earlier, he was put in there to win headers, and he did that. It's not his fault Glen was always a second too slow to react. He even displayed some good passing and and some defensive nous. He didn't do a single thing wrong all afternoon and is worth a place on the bench until we find someone more suited to our game.

 

That part about him leaving Glen and Elliott isolated is nonsense as well, btw. If anything, Glen left Obua isolated.

[johnjl]

Obua is good at smiling, that's about it

 

He is certainly a much better smiler than he is a centre forward but I thought he done alright today. I would add that most spl centre forwards could have done just as alright as he did. As someone else said a big improvement on his recent performances but he has hardly set a high benchmark.

[Guest John Meurig Thomas]

David Obua was one of our best players today, won a lot of headers, almost always found a maroon shirt when he released the ball, held play up in the St Johnstone half extremely well, made some excellent plays on the wings and to my memory set things up nicely through a couple of slide-rule passes that he was doing well to provide, after sticking at his job and keeping the ball, while under heavy pressure from the oposition.

 

I think he had an excellent first half and was still potent in the second, despite some blatant man-handling from Duberry in the second.

 

Big thumbs up from me, I think if KK -who I love- had produced the exact same performance, he would have had his own thread praising him to the hilt also.

 

Spot on.

[Zibi]

Obua did well today. Refreshing to actually see someone challenge the opposition centre halves and win his fair share of headers, especially first half, compared to the ease at which Celtic won everything in the air midweek.

 

Also thought his workrate was much improved.

[portobellojambo1]

Thank you. Reading some of the previous posts made me wonder if I had been in a parallel universe this afternoon.

 

 

As I said in a previous post David Obua get a lot of slack from some Hearts fans for reasons only they know (although those that you ask keep bringing up a game against Hibs). There were people on here following the Scottish Cup tie praising him for passing the ball to another Hearts player, which sort of sums it up really. If you are willing to accept mediocre you have to accept the consequences.

 

I am in my mid 50's now and it's always surprised me how opinions on performances by players in a football match can differ quite so dramatically, especially if all you are taking into account is ability and contribution. And those that use terms like brilliant about Obua weren't actually witnessing brilliance by Obua (passing the ball from point A to B successfully, where the distance covered is around 5 yards isn't, and never has been, brilliant. There were young kids playing at half time who managed it, it is a basic requirement of the game).

 

Running past players as if they aren't there can be described as brilliant within context, scoring goals in certain manners or numbers can be described as brilliant, playing the game to a very high level and at a constant tempo can be described as brilliant. Leginten summed up David Obua's performance today very well, and it defies belief, even within the context of footballing opinions, that some saw that as brilliant. Ruben Palazuelos was our best player today by a mile, but his performance was nowhere near brilliant. He is one of the players who regularly gets slated for doing what Obua achieved on one occasion today, achieving a cross field pass which reached a Hearts player (how can it be poor for one player to do it but brilliant when another achieves it, or does it have more to do with the fact those that thought it was brilliant actually didn't expect it to come off).

 

Anyway, I'm away for a game of online golf somewhere sunny on the other side of the Atlantic.

[south morocco]

I thought the guy played quite well today,it dismayed me to find people around me willing him to make mistakes etc,and hound him at every opportunity,

[Le Chat]

I'm not a fan of his but I thought he played quite well today.

[benny]

Not a fan but he was okay today,nothing more though.At least he kept trying and that seems to make you have a good game on here.

[portobellojambo1]

I love how you dress up total nonsense with smatterings of common sense so that anyone who didn't really read your post properly will think you posted something worthwhile. Except you didn't, at least not this time.

 

For clarity, PJ1, the OP said Obua played quite well today (as in, on the merit of just this game) and that he'd like him to keep up that level of performance. He did not say:

 

I guess the total nonsense you refer to is my opinion of how the same person performed against the teams I mention, and how in the context of those performances I agreed he wasn't as bad today.

 

You're absolutely right: one cannot argue with that and he wasn't that bad today but that's not the message of this thread. In fact he wasn't bad at all. He played well today regardless of how he played previously, and regardless of how utterly desperate you are to cling to the seemingly comfortable idea that he's really a terrible football player. As it happens, he's not. It's clear he has ability but it's not suited to the Scottish game.

 

And pray tell how are we meant to know if he would succeed in any other league, and how are we meant to offer opinion on anything other than what we witness in the Scottish game. Do you know for a fact he would succeed playing in a European league, be it Spain, Italy, Germany, wherever, or are you just guessing that because he is so poor in our game he'd have to be better elsewhere. As far as I'm aware he has only ever been judged by a poor manager on performances in the South African league, which is hardly comparable with any of the major European leagues. I don't know if he would succeed or not abroad, if pushed to offer an opinion I would be tempted to say not. I can only offer opinion on what I see in SPL matches, and he fails.

 

Indeed, so be it. But again, that's not quite what happened this afternoon, was it? Like someone mentioned earlier, he was put in there to win headers, and he did that. It's not his fault Glen was always a second too slow to react. He even displayed some good passing and and some defensive nous. He didn't do a single thing wrong all afternoon and is worth a place on the bench until we find someone more suited to our game.

That part about him leaving Glen and Elliott isolated is nonsense as well, btw. If anything, Glen left Obua isolated.

 

How can the player furthest forward (Glen & Elliott, per period of play), who is looking for a target man to be up beside him,/them be deemed to have left in isolation a player who was so ineffective he drifted back into midfield (second half) or into a wide left position (often in the first half). I'm assuming we are both using the word isolation in the same context, i.e. leave them to get on with it on their own.

 

This time I am away to play golf.

[JennyJambo]

Like someone mentioned earlier, he was put in there to win headers, and he did that. It's not his fault Glen was always a second too slow to react. He even displayed some good passing and and some defensive nous. He didn't do a single thing wrong all afternoon and is worth a place on the bench until we find someone more suited to our game.

 

That part about him leaving Glen and Elliott isolated is nonsense as well, btw. If anything, Glen left Obua isolated.

 

Agreed. Especially with the Glen part.

[dode41]

Agreed. Especially with the Glen part.

 

dont know if isolated is the correct term,but Glen today totally looked out of his depth,lost count number of times he failed to read/anticipate knock ons through balls etc,very very static at times,contributed absolutely nothing today an absolute waste of a jersey.

[Radioactive Mince]

...he was put in there to win headers, and he did that. It's not his fault Glen was always a second too slow to react.

Oh, he won plenty of headers, right enough. Pity he's got a noggin' like a 50p piece and cannot direct any of them!

 

Very harsh on Glen. No player in the world could second guess the complete randomness of Obua's 'knock-downs'. However, I just knew at the game that I'd be reading comments like that tonight.

 

Lashings of irony in your opening statement of that post, btw.

[davieholt]

Noy sure why Obua is being singled out for a thread here ?

He was neither the best (Ruben IMO) or the worst (Glen IMO) in the team. He did a fair job against Duberry and contributed as much as most on the park.

 

Big Dave is no world beater but, when pressed, can do a reasonable job up front. Until we get a proper deputy for KK, Obua is our only realistic option.

[arfurdaley]

I thought Obua played quite well today, held the ball up well and won more than his share in the air. If the ball is getting launched at him from 60 yards away all he can do is to compete and knock the ball down for his strike partner, who never looked like latching on to any of the flick ons/knock downs.

[Munch]

Waits for the slating thought he was much better today !!!

 

a lot better than colin nish

[Radioactive Mince]

I thought Obua played quite well today, held the ball up well and won more than his share in the air. If the ball is getting launched at him from 60 yards away all he can do is to compete and knock the ball down for his strike partner, who never looked like latching on to any of the flick ons/knock downs.

Well, barring the use of a jet pack or suchlike I didn't really see how it would've been possible? Please tell me that I'm not the only one who sees the incredible variation Obua manages in his header directing i.e bounce off his heid and go anywhere?

[robbodog]

Obua had a good game today and is generally no where near as bad as many Hearts fans seem to make out. I do think that Obua could discover a cure for cancer and solve world hunger but would still get treated as if he had just declared his love for hibs whilst scoring an own goal every time he misplaces a pass or fails to win a header against a strong centre half.

[netherleejambo]

Well, barring the use of a jet pack or suchlike I didn't really see how it would've been possible? Please tell me that I'm not the only one who sees the incredible variation Obua manages in his header directing i.e bounce off his heid and go anywhere?

To be honest I don't think Kyle is any better - he wins a lot in the air but the majority of the time there is no one on the end of it. Whether that is his fault or his 'strike partner' is hard to tell. I think tha Obua has the potentil to be a good player for Hearts but as JJ said post match these guys get no competitive match experience if they don't feature regularly in the first team and it will take a few games to get up to speed with the pace of the SPL/Scottish game. Bring back the reserve league!

[johnjl]

Obua had a good game today and is generally no where near as bad as many Hearts fans seem to make out. I do think that Obua could discover a cure for cancer and solve world hunger but would still get treated as if he had just declared his love for hibs whilst scoring an own goal every time he misplaces a pass or fails to win a header against a strong centre half.

 

As regards the jkb responses to obua I think it's quite an even split. He has had some poor performances and taken more stick than he was due. He has had some average performances and taken totally unfair stick but an altogether average performance today and he seems to be attracting quite a lot of praise.

 

It's difficult to think of an spl centre forward who is not at least as good as David obua. I know obua is not a natural centre forward but that is the position we play him in and that is what he should be compared against IMO.

[cookieboy]

Eh?

 

Won the majority of his headers today despite the pressure of the two players on him.

no he didny

[johnjl]

To be honest I don't think Kyle is any better - he wins a lot in the air but the majority of the time there is no one on the end of it. Whether that is his fault or his 'strike partner' is hard to tell. I think tha Obua has the potentil to be a good player for Hearts but as JJ said post match these guys get no competitive match experience if they don't feature regularly in the first team and it will take a few games to get up to speed with the pace of the SPL/Scottish game. Bring back the reserve league!

 

You don't think Kyle is better than obua? I dont know where to begin...so I won't bother.

[netherleejambo]

You don't think Kyle is better than obua? I dont know where to begin...so I won't bother.

No, just pointing out that Kyle wins a lot of headers that don't go to a maroon jersey either.

[fabienleclerq]

I thought Obua played quite well today, held the ball up well and won more than his share in the air. If the ball is getting launched at him from 60 yards away all he can do is to compete and knock the ball down for his strike partner, who never looked like latching on to any of the flick ons/knock downs.

I agree, also not played many games this year so pleased with him today.

 

He's a bit unorthadox and worth a spot on t bench

 

Not the answer up front but did a job.

[Jambof3tornado]

cool mate respect your opinion

, thing is feel he has no respect for Hearts.

 

Doug

Hmm I kind of know what you mean,but the same could be said for many of our players!

[MelonFarmer]

Meh

 

He was alright, don't think he'll ever really shine in the SPL.

 

There is a natural touch there but I wouldn't miss him were we to let him go, how long is his contract?

[janie jones]

Wasn't there today so couldn't comment on his performance but have seen enough to know he doesn't excel in any position and as someone else has said I think he will be one of our top earners and if so I am sure we could get far better for a lot less.

[Socrates]

Unsurprising that he's starting to do better having had a bit more regular game time.

[CavySlaveJambo]

there are 2 old chaps who sit in Wheatfield who kept slagging him off throughout the whole match - no need!

 

Oh I think i sit infront of them - section D lower by any chances.

[blairdin]

I thought he had a fairly decent game today - I actually think his relaxed running style makes him look lazier than he really is.

 

Today, he put in a good shift, linked up well with Lee Wallace and won the majority that came his way in the air (unfortunately, Gary Glen didn't read any of them).

 

To me, he earned the right the keep his place on Wednesday at Ibronx.

[I.J]

Thought he was fairly poor today.

 

Every header he did hit was mistimed. When he didn't get one, it wasn't because Duberry constantly, incessantly and ridiculously held him down, it was because IT'S OBUA. HE IS BLACK, AND THEREFORE IT'S HIS FAULT.

 

Nice to see the average Hearts fan has totally forgotten how Spanish that Suso is though.

 

If it wasn't for that, he'd still be getting booed for playing the exact same game that he did last season.

 

 

 

[Guest John Meurig Thomas]

Well, barring the use of a jet pack or suchlike I didn't really see how it would've been possible? Please tell me that I'm not the only one who sees the incredible variation Obua manages in his header directing i.e bounce off his heid and go anywhere?

 

 

Like a few other people have mentioned in the thread, Kyle's headers are basically the same. If anyone could be bothered, I'd be interested in seeing percentages of headers won, and knock downs taken advantage of by Hearts players from KK and Obua. I honestly don't think they'd be that different.

 

 

I agree Kyle offers more to the team, though.

 

Edit - I'm typing out loud here, but I wonder if Glen's complete lack of anticipation was down to mistrusting Obua? As in he might have gambled more, or bothered to anticipate anything (which he didn't this afternoon tbh) if he trusted Obua to win more headers for him? Most Hearts fans don't trust Obua. Maybe if he was paired with Kyle he might be more willing to run because he see's seen to win more headers (I'm not arguing he does btw, if anything I think Kyle and Obua are about equal with regards to how many they win in the air).

 

Just a thought.

[Thunderstruck]

Thought he did OK today. He put himself about, chased and harried, won his fair share of headers and did his bit in defence.

 

True, he is no KK; he didn't get caught offside every other attack!

[JamboAberdeen]

Yes he did good holding play, won a few header,

 

but showed little threat on goal. slow to react loose ball, rarely going forward etc...

 

Though his performance was much better than past few games, still not good enough to play at this level.

 

I rather spend his wage on different purpose.

[JamboJay]

Like a few other people have mentioned in the thread, Kyle's headers are basically the same. If anyone could be bothered, I'd be interested in seeing percentages of headers won, and knock downs taken advantage of by Hearts players from KK and Obua. I honestly don't think they'd be that different.

 

 

I agree Kyle offers more to the team, though.

 

Edit - I'm typing out loud here, but I wonder if Glen's complete lack of anticipation was down to mistrusting Obua? As in he might have gambled more, or bothered to anticipate anything (which he didn't this afternoon tbh) if he trusted Obua to win more headers for him? Most Hearts fans don't trust Obua. Maybe if he was paired with Kyle he might be more willing to run because he see's seen to win more headers (I'm not arguing he does btw, if anything I think Kyle and Obua are about equal with regards to how many they win in the air).

 

Just a thought.

 

JMT

 

I might have mentioned this previously but one difference between K K and D O is that challenging for a ball in the air KK will be given to have fouled the defender D O was NOT fouling the opponent in that kind of challenge.

 

With regard to Glen performance I'm not convinced, did he do anything positive, to threaten the St. Johnstone defence. Personally I don't think he can cut it at this level.

[Sraman]

JMT

 

I might have mentioned this previously but one difference between K K and D O is that challenging for a ball in the air KK will be given to have fouled the defender D O was NOT fouling the opponent in that kind of challenge.

 

With regard to Glen performance I'm not convinced, did he do anything positive, to threaten the St. Johnstone defence. Personally I don't think he can cut it at this level.

 

Glen needs sprint training, same as Robbo got when he was a kid. He needs to be the fastest man in Scottish football over 5 yards. He's got the bulk and the strength, he just needs the speed of body, and mind, to go with it. let him get a taste for the big time this season with filling in and cameo appearances then ship him out for his sprint training over the close season. If he believes it, he will do it!

[JamboJay]

Glen needs sprint training, same as Robbo got when he was a kid. He needs to be the fastest man in Scottish football over 5 yards. He's got the bulk and the strength, he just needs the speed of body, and mind, to go with it. let him get a taste for the big time this season with filling in and cameo appearances then ship him out for his sprint training over the close season. If he believes it, he will do it!

 

I agree to an extent about Glen, but for me it's the anticipatiry (sp) aspect of his game that I see, he plays his position with his weight on his back foot, instead of committing to a move. So when the ball breaks, whether it's off K K or D O or anybody he is not ready to take the chance that falls.

 

Robbo's great, well amongst his many attributes, talent was the ability to 'read' the game, that instinctive knowledge of where I need to be to knock the ball in the net with whatever part of me I that legally counts.

 

If Glen can pick something of that up, then I might think better of him.

[Swanyl]

As someone said earlier there is a player in there somewherebut he is not suited to Scottish football and if he hasn't adapted after two yearsthen he isn't going to.

 

His lack of ability to jump frustrates me greatly.

 

Thanks for the derby goal david but your wages could be used much more effectively.

 

Could it be his knees that prevent him from jumping? he may be 32 after all....

[Napoleon Wilson]

David Obua was one of our best players today, won a lot of headers, almost always found a maroon shirt when he released the ball, held play up in the St Johnstone half extremely well, made some excellent plays on the wings and to my memory set things up nicely through a couple of slide-rule passes that he was doing well to provide, after sticking at his job and keeping the ball, while under heavy pressure from the oposition.

 

I think he had an excellent first half and was still potent in the second, despite some blatant man-handling from Duberry in the second.

 

Big thumbs up from me, I think if KK -who I love- had produced the exact same performance, he would have had his own thread praising him to the hilt also.

 

 

Good point mothy

[bighusref]

A few nice touches (further enhancing my view that there is a talented football player in there) but not a lot to shout about yesterday.

 

Having said that, I will never forgive David Obua for climate change and the recession.

[steven100]

The old folk who slag Obua off are nothing but rascists and should be ejected but Hearts. Obua did have a good game yesterday but i still think scottish footie is to hurly burly for him and a move at the end of the season would be sensible for him.

[A Boy Named Crow]

Can't stand the fans who give him dogs abuse consistently for 90mins. Making him the scapegoat time after time.

 

Okay, he is no superstar, but FFS, get behind him and the team.

 

Your booing and abuse is offering zero help to a player lacking match practice and confidence.

 

Erseholes.

 

The guy behind me yesterday was giving Dave pelters throughout the match. Personally I thought he had a pretty decent game today, especially the first half and right at the end. That's not to say I wouldn't rather see Kyle playing, but he's injured, Dave's not and he did a shift...

[johnjl]

The old folk who slag Obua off are nothing but rascists and should be ejected but Hearts. Obua did have a good game yesterday but i still think scottish footie is to hurly burly for him and a move at the end of the season would be sensible for him.

 

Calling old people racist because they slag of obua is out of order IMO. Maybe they don't like him because he's bone idle at times.

[HelloSunshine]

Can't stand the fans who give him dogs abuse consistently for 90mins. Making him the scapegoat time after time.

 

Okay, he is no superstar, but FFS, get behind him and the team.

 

Your booing and abuse is offering zero help to a player lacking match practice and confidence.

 

Erseholes.

 

Agree - I sit a few rows in front of a pair of 'supporters' who did nothing but slate him from the first minute to the last. I don't think Obua is the best player in the world, but I can asolutely see why JJ plays him when Kyle is out. Shame Glen is too lazy to get on the end of some of the flick ons.

Funniest bits about the two morons behind me, was that they slated Obua for his head down in the box in the first half, when it was clearly Glen that should have been looking for that. They also found it appropriate to moan at Obua for not going down the line, when he played that lovely 1-2 with Wallace in front of the Wheatfield....seems some people have made their mind up about him and are too blinkered to give him credit where its due.

[Drylaw Hearts]

Obua put in more yesterday than he has in the previous 2 years.

 

Still.....

 

Get rid.

[The Comedian]

The old folk who slag Obua off are nothing but rascists and should be ejected but Hearts. Obua did have a good game yesterday but i still think scottish footie is to hurly burly for him and a move at the end of the season would be sensible for him.

 

Yet another post from you accusing people of being racist when they slate your hero Obua. Perhaps people just don't rate him as a football player, sentiments you clearly agree with as you reckon he isn't good enough to make it at HMFC either.

 

[billco98]

David Obua has been used as a utility player since he was signed. Whatever his preferred/best position is I for one don't know - I seem to remember he was brought in as a defender. He has been asked to play as a target man, wide player on both left and right, centre back on occasion and as a defensive midfielder.

Some will say he is lazy ? maybe at times he is, but he can get himself round the park as well as anybody.

I have noticed an unhealthy pre-occupation with David Obua. Whilst some criticism is justified much is of a more sinister nature.

One thing is certain for me - as long as the guy is pulling a Hearts shirt over his head and he is obviously proud of playing for our club I?m he will get my encouragement. The constant booing of him says more about the so called fans who do this than it does about him.