John Halls

[M Brook]

This should probably be in UR&G but I overheard a chap at the game last night who was saying he'd heard a rumour that John Halls used to be a professional footballer.

[Basingstoke Royal]

Shocking display yet again.

Waste of money.

Still got a receipt?

[Spirit of Elm Park]

I can't believe how a player who wants to get into the first team can fail to take every opportunity given to him to impress.

Unless...he doesn't actually want to break into the first team and is quite happy picking up his £8-10k a week>?.

I'm actually starting to feel a bit begrudging that 50p of my ticket money every week is paying his wage.

[Rob-Royal]

Ability aside, he totally lacked any energy, desire or enthusiasm. What's more he obviously isn't fit...certainly match fit. Against Feyenoord he was outpaced time & again and same last night. Failed to join up with attacking play and just looked totally disinterested.

De La Cruz on the other hand I thought had a very good game. Bombing forward and good on the ball, you could see the hunger and he really impressed, despite playing out of position at left back instead of on the right.

[3 veesinarow]

When Halls first joined us, I thought it was a decent move. His reputation preceded him and he looked a good investment for the future...then he put a kit on and started "playing".
I have never been one to pick out players and criticise them individually, but I am sorry to have to say that I will have to change the habit of a lifetime. Having seen him play poorly against Swedish park players, I didn't think he could get any worse, but he proved me wrong last night.

Comments from others on the match thread about him "having a decent game" are sadly misplaced and frankly astonishing. I defy anyone to watch back a tape of the game, focusing on him specifically and tell me one good thing he did all night long.

Beaten in the tackle, beaten for pace down the wing, poor in the air, shockingly inaccurate passing, mostly straight out of play, and devoid of ideas when running into space in the opposition penalty area with the ball at his feet...and all against Division Four opponents.

Sorry, John, but that's how it was.

[Spirit of Elm Park]

When Halls first joined us, I thought it was a decent move. His reputation preceded him and he looked a good investment for the future...then he put a kit on and started "playing".
I have never been one to pick out players and criticise them individually, but I am sorry to have to say that I will have to change the habit of a lifetime. Having seen him play poorly against Swedish park players, I didn't think he could get any worse, but he proved me wrong last night.

Comments from others on the match thread about him "having a decent game" are sadly misplaced and frankly astonishing. I defy anyone to watch back a tape of the game, focusing on him specifically and tell me one good thing he did all night long.

Beaten in the tackle, beaten for pace down the wing, poor in the air, shockingly inaccurate passing, mostly straight out of play, and devoid of ideas when running into space in the opposition penalty area with the ball at his feet...and all against Division Four opponents.

Sorry, John, but that's how it was.

Its not you that should be apologising.

[Evening Post]

Shoulda stayed in rehab IMO

Awful performance last night.

[Royal Rother]

Have we had Spacey's verdict yet?

[M Brook]

Have we had Spacey's verdict yet?

He's probably not got home yet.

[royal goof]

He did make some cracking attempts at heading though!!

[I was there at Elm Park]

I don't often criticise players and have defended some bad players in the past (Brooker, Bas Savage) but Halls was poor last night. Physically he just doesn't look like a pro. He's slow, caught out of position and he was beaten every time by their winger. One thing I would say in his defence was that his improvement was the catalyst for our equalizer. Before then we struggling to create chances but with the extra space after they went down to 10 men he started to link up well with Little. He started to look good on the ball, showing good skill but was still looking woeful defensively and you've got to remember that Darlo were down to 10 men and were shattered. If he's still at the club in February I'd be surprised.

[Y25]

I got quite upset that he was more concerned with his appearance than playing football

how many times did he run his fingers through hs hair like a girl must have been 50+

He's even doing it on the bac page of the post!

What a Colin

[Basingstoke Royal]

We should also bear in mind that the guy that was skipping past him everytime, like he wasnt there, was an ageing Julian Joachim.

Be fair to Joachim though, we is still quick. Or perhaps he just looked quick against what was a pretty slow defence (apart from De La Cruz - he is awesome).

[jimmy_jive]

[quote="

De La Cruz on the other hand I thought had a very good game. Bombing forward and good on the ball, you could see the hunger and he really impressed, despite playing out of position at left back instead of on the right.[/quote]

Agree with this.

He seemed to go past players without even trying, no silky skills, just went past them, good stuff!

[AbovetheI]

To put it bluntly....


JOHN HALLS IS SHIT

[royal.badger]

To put it bluntly....


JOHN HALLS IS SHIT

[Zammo]

It's almost as if Tommy Burns had signed him.

[Spotters Badge]

John Halls Professional Footballer

[Stranded]

John Halls Professional Footballer

Yep he is, all the way to the bank.

[Philly Flyer]

...but will anybody take him in January??

Watching last night I kept thinking about how we let Makin move on (yes I know S'ton offered him a 2 yr deal and apparently he had a deal with Coppell that he would be released if another club offered regular first team action and more than a 1 yr deal)...we'll just have to hope that Capt Murts and Shorey don't get injured at the same time!!