Jeff Hendrick M Sheffield Wednesday (loan from Newcastle) b.1992

[geysir]

On the bright side, the Owls have moved in and made themselves at home in the top 6, as if they're comfortably entitled to be there.

[DeLorean]

Perhaps you were really were on the ball with sensing that the grim reaper was hovering around Derby fc's promotion hopes and ready to swoop.
Clement terminated, maybe Derby are just offering Clement up as the sacrificial lamb to put a stay on the execution order, get in a manager who can keep them in the top 6.

I definitely wasn't sensing a sacking to be honest, it never even entered my head. I would have thought their excellent form from September through December would have been more than enough to buy him some time, not that it even occurred to me that time needed to be bought! The chairman only commented a month or so ago that he felt Clement could be Derby's Sir Alex Ferguson and build a dynasty at Derby, yet the reason he gave for the sacking was that Clement was thinking too much in the short-term. Bizarre really, maybe there's more to it that hasn't been documented.

Middlesbrough are doing their best to keep things interesting also, going four without a win last night, although Rhode's last minute equaliser at MK Dons was enough to take them top. It's strange because they had almost flawless results through a very tough run of fixtures before the 'slump', and the fixtures they've dropped points in recently looked far more favourable. That's just the nature of the division though I suppose. I wouldn't think Karanka's job in on the line! That point last night was a big enough result psychologically anyway, the way it came about.

Wonder who they'll get. Nigel Pearson perhaps? They had a terminal slump last year as well.

Hard to know. If they're serious about leaving Wassall at it until the end of the season, which they seem to be, then a lot might depend on his performance. If he did manage to get them promoted he'd surely be favourite to lead them into the PL. Pearson is the bookies favourite, followed by Moyes and Rowett.

Wassall has been involved with the Derby academy since 2009. Mark O'Brien and Hendrick himself broke into their senior team under his watch as well as the likes of Will Hughes. Hopefully he favours Jeff over some of the newbies!

[DeLorean]

Hopefully he favours Jeff over some of the newbies!

Well two games in this seems to be the case. When he equalised in the 80th minute the other day I couldn't help wondering if he'd have been still on the pitch under Clement, even if he had started the game. He was Derby's motm quite comfortably in a supporters poll, with Christie and Keogh also making the 'podium'.

[Charlie Darwin]

Another 90 minutes for Hendrick and another win. Keogh and Christie also started and kept a clean sheet. Duffy started for Blackburn, ominously enough. I don't think Marty will need to wait for Paul O'Shea's verdict this time.

[DeLorean]

Independent.ie - Hendrick's court case

[geysir]

That's very serious stuff for our Jeff. Stokes is only up an alleged assault charge and he's being treated mildly in the courts, perhaps it's different when the target is an alleged Elvis.

[seanfhear]

Independent.ie - Hendrick's court case

Jeff dropped from 24 to 23 in a few sentences there.

If the prosecution presents its case like this then...........who knows.

[geysir]

Nicely spotted old man.
But I think Jeff is in a spot of bother with this charge.
Slopping out in Mountjoy for a spell will be the making of him.

[Eminence Grise]

Jeff dropped from 24 to 23 in a few sentences there.

If the prosecution presents its case like this then...........who knows.

You're reading too much into it - no need for suspicious minds.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Has supposedly picked up a fresh injury in training and could be set to miss the rest of the season, according to the natives.

[DeLorean]

He'll be back before the end of the season thankfully, according to this.

[DeLorean]

So do you think that about Hendrick, out of interest ? As I am starting to wonder if this is the case, as earlier on when he broke in their side, he was linked with fast moves a division up but we are some time later now and not only is he still a Derby player, he is still in and out there. Maybe he is as Giles called them, an 'on their day' player but isnt week in week out at that standard ?

It is exactly what I think about Hendrick. But with him its more fits and bursts. I don't think he has the consistency to be a top midfielder. Again its difficult to tell from the first game or two. He will give his all, and perhaps in those games its the ones where he will show a higher level than normal. I never got the thing about him moving up myself I didn't see anyone coming in for him unless he managed to get promoted with a team from Division 1.

I remember Hendrick being linked with Norwich when they were struggling in the PL a few seasons ago, and eventually relegated. I think there might have been some paper talk about Aston Villa as well at one point, but nothing concrete. There was never much more than that, what decent young Championship player hasn't had paper talk at some stage? Nobody was saying he's going to be the next Lampard or Scholes!

I've always got the impression that Hendrick is very happy at Derby, and they've been realistic promotion candidates three years running now, even favourites at times. He plays very regularly and is likely enough to gain promotion with them at some point, hopefully even this season. He is more than capable of playing in the Premier League, that doesn't mean he'll be considered a 'top midfielder' there. It's kind of difficult to know what standards your setting Paul?

This was his first qualification campaign of note for us, and he has developed to become an integral part of the side, in Martin O'Neill's mind at least. He contributed heavily to a successful campaign, is that not enough for now? Clear signs of progress and development.

At the risk of appearing like I'm going to great lengths to defend him, I think he's effective even when he's not contributing an awful lot in a creative sense. He's an intelligent team player. We've looked a lot more balanced and solid in midfield since he's nailed down a place. He keeps things simple for the most part but is capable of technically brilliant moments and adds some physicality to our side.

He rarely stays out of the Derby side for very long but, like most players, his form can dip from time to time. He always turns it around though. He has played over 200 games for them after all. They play a lot of matches in a season and have a very good squad for that level, and have been top heavy with central midfield players the past season or two as well. It's no big deal that he has the occasional spell on the bench I don't think.

[Olé Olé]

All of the above is very true. His development has surely been best-served playing so many games at Derby by 24. Hopefully, he gets the chance to test himself in the PL next season and we'll see what he's made of. Given that he's been fairly impressive over the course of the last campaign against decent international opposition then I'm hoping he can make a good impression.

[paul_oshea]

At the risk of appearing like I'm going to great lengths to defend him, I think he's effective even when he's not contributing an awful lot in a creative sense. He's an intelligent team player. We've looked a lot more balanced and solid in midfield since he's nailed down a place. He keeps things simple for the most part

And who was this said about down through the years on here? I can explicitly remember CD saying this about one particular individual a few times, possibly SVD too I take your point though he does that the creativity, but as i said its not very often. We see it here and there and when we don't see it, I don't really notice him.

It's like in gaelic football the player lifecycle there is that player who initially shows these great touches or scores in his few starting games, then its in an out, and then its subs apperances in the hope he does something. Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesnt. Then he disappears completely! Alan Freeman in Mayo is a perfect example of this for anyone who knows their GAA.

What i was saying, like what Giles was quoted as saying, is that he doesnt seem to have a consistency there to play like that all the time or at least when he is creating those odd moments of genius, strumming along nicely that he is effective enough to be noticed. And obviously thats why he is still at Derby.

[DeLorean]

I don't think he's in either team for those moments of genius though, it's a bonus when he recovers a ball like he did against Germany, or dribbles through a few players like against Georgia. If you're expecting him to produce those moments on a really consistent basis it's no wonder you're disappointed. Your final sentence is just a lazy analysis, he's still at Derby for a variety of reasons and what's wrong with it anyway? It doesn't mean he's incapable of playing in the Premier League, it just means he isn't playing in the Premier League.

They were a kick of a ball away from Premier League football two years ago, he could easily be an established PL midfielder by now but things haven't worked out that way. I accept PL clubs aren't breaking down the door trying to sign him, if that's what you're trying to say, but I don't think many Championship players are really that sought after, given the cash PL clubs are able to throw around now. PL clubs weren't overly interested in Harry Arter either, it didn't mean he wasn't capable or ready for the step up when it arrived through promotion.

As for the Glenn Whelan reference, I knew while I was typing it would come across that way. The major difference though - I'm not saying Hendrick does invisible work that only great managers and people that understand the game would notice or understand. It's very obvious what he does, he runs, links things up, tracks back, makes tackles, offers support in both defence and attack and, most of all for us, adds an proper extra body in midfield which makes life less comfortable for the opposition.

I think he's the most versatile player we have for the role he's been given, the likes of Meyler can play centrally but not really out wide, the likes of McClean can play out wide but not really centrally. Hendrick covers both bases. He knows when to add width and knows when to crowd the middle. I think that''s where we've improved most significantly over the course of the campaign.

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't think he's in either team for those moments of genius though, it's a bonus when he recovers a ball like he did against Germany, or dribbles through a few players like against Georgia. If you're expecting him to produce those moments on a really consistent basis it's no wonder you're disappointed. Your final sentence is just a lazy analysis, he's still at Derby for a variety of reasons and what's wrong with it anyway? It doesn't mean he's incapable of playing in the Premier League, it just means he isn't playing in the Premier League.

It's just standard Paul O'Sheaing. He makes out like you rate a player far higher than you actually do, then lays down some cold hard facts he knows you can't disagree with because you've stated them yourself already, and in his mind this means he's proven your (non-existant) over-estimation of his value wrong. I mean, you know full well he's done nothing of the sort, but people who haven't paid much attention might not.

It's like, late at night, Paul O'Shea gathers the wife and kids and the nieces and the nephews around the one computer screen, because Paul had to sell all the furniture to bring all 23 of them to Zelnica to learn how to analyse from the stands, and shows them what straight-talking lessons Uncle Paul has dished out to SwanVDalton on Aiden McGeady or Shane Duffy or another one of his paper idols. "Look at Uncle Paul expose his shallow reasoning with wit, restraint and questionable grammar," he beams.

Then young Timmy pipes up: "Uncle Paul, do they even go to away matches?"

"No, Timmy, no they don't. They're not even in the YBIG whatsapp group."

End Scene.

[Stuttgart88]

That's actually quite funny.

[DeLorean]

I wouldn't bother debating when it comes to the likes of Duffy because I haven't seen a huge amount of him overall, not that Paul has or anything but he only needs to see a few minutes of an FA Cup game against a much better team to draw conclusions. I've seen a lot of Hendrick though, probably 20 or 30 games more than Paul I'd imagine (conservative estimate), and I still wouldn't claim to be in a position to know if he'd definitely make it or not in the PL. He easily could, I can't see any obvious reason why he wouldn't. I think he just plays the percentages and his 'predictions' are fairly vague anyway. If he never plays in the PL he's right, if he plays in the PL but is only a squad player he's right, if he starts most games in the PL but doesn't go on to become a "top midfielder" he's right.

[geysir]

That's actually quite funny.

Yep, except that bit where Charlie over eggs Paul's wit, my credulity limits got a good stretching there.

[Olé Olé]

Meyler is more defensive, Hendrick does not contribute as much there but is better on the offensive.

I wouldn't be surprised if Hendrick moved into a more defensive role over time. The one thing I find about Hendrick is that he is very good when pressing forward and is only playing one or two touches before a pass. His link-up is very good when pressing. He's less comfortable when he has more time on the ball and isn't pressing or contributing to forward momentum. If that ease in possession came then I think he could translate the rest of his skillset into being a more defensive midfielder.

At is stands, in a lot of sides, he'd fall between two stools. I don't think he's as suited to formations which require more specialist midfield roles such as 4-2-3-1 because he's not attacking enough to fall into the 3 and not defensive enough to fall into the 2. Not many teams accommodate a box-to-box-type midfielder anymore. Yaya Toure and Frank Lampard are/were accommodated because of the goals they contributed (and because they're, arguably, world-class players) but someone like Ander Herrera is struggling to be a regular at Manchester United.

Some might not agree with the above assertions which is fair enough. I do think, though, that he needs to develop his game another bit and then I reckon he has enough to be a PL midfielder.