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Michael Hector - March 2025: signed for Dagenham and Redbridge til end of season (p31)
Comments
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General contribution is outweighed by consistent critical errors.Leuth said:Our fans' tendency to judge defenders solely based on obvious mistakes rather than on overall play is the single most frustrating thing about this entire website
Games are frequently decided by a single goal. We need players who win us points, not cost us points.
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True. But (playing devil's advocate somewhat) someone like Ness making that mistake is a bit more forgivable given his inexperience and relatively "robust" style - for Hector SPECIFICALLY to do it is particularly aggravating given he's shown and continues to show that he's got the class and the experience to do much better and normally does.Leuth said:Our fans' tendency to judge defenders solely based on obvious mistakes rather than on overall play is the single most frustrating thing about this entire website
Hector gets more stick or at least draws more attention when he makes mistakes because quite frankly he is the last defender who should be making those mistakes.2 -
But why create pressure at all when there's a much easier pass that kills the attack? It's getting a bit silly now. I get that saying Dobson has ever done something wrong is illegal and believing that more than one person might be involved in conceding a goal sets people's brains on fire but the idea that a four pass move is the perfectly logical end point to a situation that could have been closed off with a pass back to keeper or a sideways ball to the right back is hilarious. Hector made a mistake. Dobson made a mistake - a lesser one, but still a mistake - passing the ball onto him in the first place and we need to be smarter across our whole defensive phase if we're going to stop conceding.superclive98 said:
Players often receive the ball under pressure, which is where one-touch passing comes in and creates space and beats the press. Hector could have passed to Asiimwe, who in turn could have passed to Dobson. Hector's indecision is the only thing that created the problem.Garrymanilow said:
That's too simplistic a way of looking at it, you can still play the wrong pass while trying to play the right way. He could have just gone all the way back to the keeper if he didn't fancy turning, that would have created the space he needed. He also could have played it to Asiimwe himself at the point where Asiimwe was less covered than he was when Hector got the ball. If Hector had played it to Asiimwe he would have received it under a lot of pressure. Maybe he would have got out of it but it's a risky pass. Dawdling and getting tackled is also pretty risky so Hector hasn't helped himself but it's completely the wrong ball from Dobson. What Dobson doesn't realise is the Blackpool player starts sprinting into the press before he even receives the ball, so by the time he moves it too short a distance onto Hector the bloke is motoring and gives him very little time. It's still bad from Hector but there's no need for us to be in that situation either.superclive98 said:
Dobson did exactly what he should have done in that situation, which was to play the way he was facing. Hector could have passed it to the right to Asiimwe or he could have just cleared it, the choice was his. He did neither and we paid the price of his indecision.Garrymanilow said:
I don’t think it’s that simple. It was a bad pass from Dobson. Yes Hector dawdled and got caught but there’s really no need for Dobson to give him the ball there when they’re so close together. Moving the ball on there hasn’t created any real space or distance, it’s just passed on the responsibility of dealing with it. You play a pass like that when there’s an extra 5 yards between you to kill the immediate press and they’re too close together for that to happen. You can see what Hector is thinking when he gets it; he immediately looks up to see Asiimwe but he’s very narrow and has a player too close to him so doesn’t want to play the pass. He tries to push with the ball instead and gets it caught under his feet and hasn’t shielded it so he gets done. Ideally Assimwe would have been wider for a return pass but I don’t think he’s expecting Hector to get the ball there either. The biggest error is from Hector messing up with the ball, but he’s also not received much help before or after receiving it, just another example of our defensive shape regularly being all at sea. It’s easy to just blame Hector but there’s a wider issue to be addressed in that we look like we’re not particularly well set off the back of a long ball being played out from their defence, which is fairly troubling.superclive98 said:
I think that you need to watch it again because the ball was rolled to him not drilled at him. Hector was just caught on the ball because he, unnecessarily, dwelt on it.Callumcafc said:No excusing the error from Hector because he should’ve been able to recover it but it would’ve helped massively if Dobbo hadn’t hit a five yard pass at him like it was a 20 yarder.
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Don't think that I've ever said that George Dobson doesn't make mistakes. In my opinion he made lots of mistakes yesterday. I just don't believe that his pass to Hector was one of them. If Hector can't be relied upon to deal with a simple pass, even if he just puts his foot through the ball, then we are going to continue to concede needless goals and our position in the table will, no doubt, suffer accordingly.Garrymanilow said:
But why create pressure at all when there's a much easier pass that kills the attack? It's getting a bit silly now. I get that saying Dobson has ever done something wrong is illegal and believing that more than one person might be involved in conceding a goal sets people's brains on fire but the idea that a four pass move is the perfectly logical end point to a situation that could have been closed off with a pass back to keeper or a sideways ball to the right back is hilarious. Hector made a mistake. Dobson made a mistake - a lesser one, but still a mistake - passing the ball onto him in the first place and we need to be smarter across our whole defensive phase if we're going to stop conceding.superclive98 said:
Players often receive the ball under pressure, which is where one-touch passing comes in and creates space and beats the press. Hector could have passed to Asiimwe, who in turn could have passed to Dobson. Hector's indecision is the only thing that created the problem.Garrymanilow said:
That's too simplistic a way of looking at it, you can still play the wrong pass while trying to play the right way. He could have just gone all the way back to the keeper if he didn't fancy turning, that would have created the space he needed. He also could have played it to Asiimwe himself at the point where Asiimwe was less covered than he was when Hector got the ball. If Hector had played it to Asiimwe he would have received it under a lot of pressure. Maybe he would have got out of it but it's a risky pass. Dawdling and getting tackled is also pretty risky so Hector hasn't helped himself but it's completely the wrong ball from Dobson. What Dobson doesn't realise is the Blackpool player starts sprinting into the press before he even receives the ball, so by the time he moves it too short a distance onto Hector the bloke is motoring and gives him very little time. It's still bad from Hector but there's no need for us to be in that situation either.superclive98 said:
Dobson did exactly what he should have done in that situation, which was to play the way he was facing. Hector could have passed it to the right to Asiimwe or he could have just cleared it, the choice was his. He did neither and we paid the price of his indecision.Garrymanilow said:
I don’t think it’s that simple. It was a bad pass from Dobson. Yes Hector dawdled and got caught but there’s really no need for Dobson to give him the ball there when they’re so close together. Moving the ball on there hasn’t created any real space or distance, it’s just passed on the responsibility of dealing with it. You play a pass like that when there’s an extra 5 yards between you to kill the immediate press and they’re too close together for that to happen. You can see what Hector is thinking when he gets it; he immediately looks up to see Asiimwe but he’s very narrow and has a player too close to him so doesn’t want to play the pass. He tries to push with the ball instead and gets it caught under his feet and hasn’t shielded it so he gets done. Ideally Assimwe would have been wider for a return pass but I don’t think he’s expecting Hector to get the ball there either. The biggest error is from Hector messing up with the ball, but he’s also not received much help before or after receiving it, just another example of our defensive shape regularly being all at sea. It’s easy to just blame Hector but there’s a wider issue to be addressed in that we look like we’re not particularly well set off the back of a long ball being played out from their defence, which is fairly troubling.superclive98 said:
I think that you need to watch it again because the ball was rolled to him not drilled at him. Hector was just caught on the ball because he, unnecessarily, dwelt on it.Callumcafc said:No excusing the error from Hector because he should’ve been able to recover it but it would’ve helped massively if Dobbo hadn’t hit a five yard pass at him like it was a 20 yarder.0 -
Yes, but i also remember Hector forgetting how a round ball bounces and letting Port Vale score. That's at least 2 goals this season already that are directly from his mistakes. Not a great return from what is supposed to be our senior, experienced CBLeuth said:He's SO good the rest of the time though, and does so much to help us play on the front foot. Does everyone not remember Ness senselessly losing possession for the entirety of the Orient game?
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as said, too prone to costly errors .. you can see why he has never settled anywhere for very long0
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This is the key for me. Players go through little spells of making mistakes, they sharpen their focus up and get back to basics. He is the footballing centre back this team needs and without who’m we will be seeing far more of the slow sideways across the back passing or hoofball we don’t want.Cafc43v3r said:We wouldn’t have scored our second goal if Hector hadn't been there, none of our other center backs would have played the pass that started the move.
Hector is a really class footballer but I think he genuinely thought of himself as too good for the level and the mistakes are proving to him that you’re nothing with hard work and focus.
He stays in the team for me as he’s started two moves that have lead to goals in the last two games and defended really well in the last game other than the howler.2 -
As frustrating as his mistakes can be, his capability to intercept or come away from tight situations (with the ball) edge him remaining in the side imho. League One footballers are playing at this level for a reason, even if they played at a higher level some time previous.The problem for defenders is, make a gaff in trying to clear it or a poor defensive moment could cost you a goal. A striker blazing over however significant to the overall result doesn’t seem to hold as much weight. Each end of the pitch is trained, skilled and capable of doing their respective jobs, it just so happens the defenders get the ‘microscope’ treatment. Hector vs Chuks head to head re what they are paid to contribute would prove an interesting read, but I like others see Hector’s contribution as less than Chucks’ this season…0
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Hector undoubtedly has considerable quality but has made some poor mistakes and we can't afford to gift goals.1
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Hector has casual moments, but is hardly unusual. These days across the leagues you see defenders and keepers miscontrolling or dallying on the ball around the penalty box and losing the ball as a result.
It's modern football where hoofing it straight away is frowned upon...3 - Sponsored links:
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He doesn't even make me nervous when he's on the ball, certainly not in the way Inniss did. It's just the general lack of concentration. You don't know when the gaff is coming because it could come in any phase of play when he switches off at that critical moment.killerandflash said:Hector has casual moments, but is hardly unusual. These days across the leagues you see defenders and keepers miscontrolling or dallying on the ball around the penalty box and losing the ball as a result.
It's modern football where hoofing it straight away is frowned upon...0 -
Think some of the mistakes come from a bit of a lack of organisation in the defence. Sometimes feels like his mind is on making sure the line is right (always tricky when you’ve got someone playing out of position at LB) and keeping an eye on where L Watson and Dobson are as they move around a lot. Think the organisation will come after more time with Appleton and hopefully Hector can concentrate on his own game a bit more0
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Good footballer.
Not a very good central defender.0 -
He played a key role in Fulham’s promotion to the Premier League, at which point he sat on the bench for a season.Lincsaddick said:as said, too prone to costly errors .. you can see why he has never settled anywhere for very long
Had a very good game yesterday apart from the feck up. I still think he’ll come good, but when the next mistake comes, even if it’s after ten good games the old pitchforks will come out again.He just needs to learn to go long when under pressure.0 -
can we sell him to Wrexham in January?2
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Perhaps you would think Hector as an experienced player would know when to hold the ball or to move it 1st time?
IMO Dobbo's pass was hit too hard for the short distance and Hector was immediately hit by the their instant press.
Hector himself will know it cost us a goal and he could have just cleared his lines - but I'm still not sure why some fans must focus on his 1 mistake in 100 minutes yet seem oblivious to his otherwise accomplished performance?
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Just because he didn't make any other monumental goal-costing errors doesn't make the rest of his performance accomplished.Oggy Red said:Perhaps you would think Hector as an experienced player would know when to hold the ball or to move it 1st time?
IMO Dobbo's pass was hit too hard for the short distance and Hector was immediately hit by the their instant press.
Hector himself will know it cost us a goal and he could have just cleared his lines - but I'm still not sure why some fans must focus on his 1 mistake in 100 minutes yet seem oblivious to his otherwise accomplished performance?
For what it's worth I thought that he was having a better game on Saturday but that shows how bad his performances have been so far this season He doesn't help to organise the defence, as he is continually getting pulled out of position. I have previously mentioned the free header that Blackpool had late on. Look at Hector's positioning, it was terrible and that happens time and time again during games.0 -
I'm puzzled by this perspective. If a centre-back gifts a goal to the opposition, it negates much of their previous good work. Their primary responsibility is to prevent goals, not facilitate them.Oggy Red said:Perhaps you would think Hector as an experienced player would know when to hold the ball or to move it 1st time?
IMO Dobbo's pass was hit too hard for the short distance and Hector was immediately hit by the their instant press.
Hector himself will know it cost us a goal and he could have just cleared his lines - but I'm still not sure why some fans must focus on his 1 mistake in 100 minutes yet seem oblivious to his otherwise accomplished performance?
Imagine hiring a painter to paint a wall in your house. They do a good job on the wall, but spill a ton of paint on your floor and furniture. You complain, but they say, "Why would you focus on my one mistake rather than my accomplished performance with the wall?"6 -
Completely agree with this, apart from the painter using the word 'accomplished' perhaps 😉Chunes said:
I'm puzzled by this perspective. If a centre-back gifts a goal to the opposition, it negates much of their previous good work. Their primary responsibility is to prevent goals, not facilitate them.Oggy Red said:Perhaps you would think Hector as an experienced player would know when to hold the ball or to move it 1st time?
IMO Dobbo's pass was hit too hard for the short distance and Hector was immediately hit by the their instant press.
Hector himself will know it cost us a goal and he could have just cleared his lines - but I'm still not sure why some fans must focus on his 1 mistake in 100 minutes yet seem oblivious to his otherwise accomplished performance?
Imagine hiring a painter to paint a wall in your house. They do a good job on the wall, but spill a ton of paint on your floor and furniture. You complain, but they say, "Why would you focus on my one mistake rather than my accomplished performance with the wall?"3 - Sponsored links:
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Yes, he has made a few errors, but people also forget a lot of the good work he does as well, starts a lot of our play, he brings a bit of calmness to the defence.. The goal that Exeter that scored, that could have been a number of players error, but that was down to communication.
To be honest, I would rather him in the side, trying to get us to play, and start our attacks, rather than hopeful lumps up the pitch. When Hector goes long, it is normally well directed, and normally finds the man.
I certainly wouldn't change him just yet!4 -
Is he really what we need in L1? It looks like he struggles to motivate himself. Seeing him and Thomas in the same defence for anybody who knows how to run in behind is a dream.0
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Made error after error last night. Gave the ball away constantly, caught out of position. Can't imagine he's on a cheap wage either2
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I thought he played really well against Reading , last night along with Thomas , just looked awful, goodness knows what Bolton will make of him.1
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So calm they all fall asleep,!DubaiCAFC said:Yes, he has made a few errors, but people also forget a lot of the good work he does as well, starts a lot of our play, he brings a bit of calmness to the defence.. The goal that Exeter that scored, that could have been a number of players error, but that was down to communication.
To be honest, I would rather him in the side, trying to get us to play, and start our attacks, rather than hopeful lumps up the pitch. When Hector goes long, it is normally well directed, and normally finds the man.
I certainly wouldn't change him just yet!2 -
Mincemeat.Mendonca In Asdas said:I thought he played really well against Reading , last night along with Thomas , just looked awful, goodness knows what Bolton will make of him.1 -
Shocking liability last night. Nelson Abbey in January please.5
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Appleton needs to bring his box of fireworks to the training ground, select the two largest rockets and shove them up Hector’s and Thomas’ arses. If he doesn’t we’ll concede 4-6 goals come Saturday as Bolton’s front line is one of the best in this division.1
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Hector may have looked better against Reading, but he was never really put under any great pressure.
He was truly dreadful last night and has been in most of the games this season. I don't know how any defence, with him at the centre, can be solid, as he is forever going walkabouts. He may be able to pass a ball but he also has a knack of passing it straight to the opposition, as he did last night. In League One you need defenders who can do the basics, but do them well. Anything else is a bonus.
I would have him out of the side immediately and with Thomas (who I have never rated either) not being a left back, I would switch to a back three, with Ness coming in to make up the three. Dobson, Louie Watson and Camara in the middle; CBT on the left and either of the Campbells or Asiimwe on the right, depending on who is playing well. Then we can have Leaburn and May up front.
Some instructions to not just lump the ball forward from the back would be nice too.0 -
Worth pointing out that no criticism of mine is personal, but it's hard to take your CB strolling around at their own pace, giving up on things that look tough and wanting to just play soft/cute passes out.
When we sign players like Hector, we make out as if we got him under the nose of competitors. He has been a real liability this season. In hindsight, I'd have preferred Innis to have remained here, but at the time thought Hector was the better, fitter and classier option.
Another welcome to the Watson,Gunter,Arterton club it is looking like sadly unless he pulls his socks up.4
