Tea Light in the Dark Universe: Bobby Wood at Hamburg

What a difference one win in five games - as opposed to one draw in five - makes

Snarking apart, if it was three draws out of five games we could say they're in better form and there's a non-random plausibility to them finding a way out of it.

And there still is. They're only one point behind, with a better GD, better goals for and better goals against. If they overtake Stuttgart they're in the playoff place, and the BL1 team has beaten the BL2 side in seven out of the last eight playoff ties.

 

The thread title really makes me think of anime.

 

On the bench:

Zunächst auf der #H96-Bank:

Sahin-#Radlinger#Albornoz#Korb#Jonathas#Wood#Fossum#Muslija#H96SGE #NiemalsAllein ⚫️⚪️💚

— Hannover 96 (@Hannover96) February 24, 2019

 

65‘ Doppelwechsel bei unseren Jungs 🔁: #Bakalorz und #Müller gehen vom Feld, #Muslija und #Wood sind nun im Spiel. #H96 #NiemalsAllein ⚫️⚪️💚 | #H96SGE 0:2

— Hannover 96 (@Hannover96) February 24, 2019

 

It's time to add the word "flickering" to the title.

 

And just as you say it; he scores next match. Mark it.

 

I watched today's match (don't ask why) and H96 are just terrible in midfield. They have so few threatening moves and only came up with a few chances to score right after HT when they had been told, or decided, to just bypass midfield altogether and go direct to the box. It resulted in their best chances of the day.

Wood was not playing a CF role of any kind - occupying the space of a withdrawn/AM, as well as popping up wide-left.

He did not play badly, made some simple passes that kept possession and allowed H96 to get forward, but Eintracts D was solid and H96's attack had no creativity or luck. This is a poor team and I don't see how they escape the drain unless their play changes considerably.

 

Massive game today that puts the six in "6-pointer." Hannover are away to Stuttgart and a win will jump them into the playoff place.

Let's hope Bobby gets the winner!


OK, OK. let's hope he gets PT. Any PT at all.

 

It has to be mentally and emotionally draining to play year after year on such dire teams just trying to avoid the drop. Maybe dropping down to BL2 and playing for a good team (at that level) would be good for Bobby. Reinvigorate him a bit.

 

Starts.

 

Um 15.30 Uhr gilt‘s! Und mit diesen elf #H96-Spielern starten wir gegen den @VfB! 🙌 #VFBH96 #NiemalsAllein ⚫️⚪️💚 pic.twitter.com/MQWlRrGhSN

— Hannover 96 (@Hannover96) March 3, 2019

 

I agree. This has to be terrible for his confidence.

 

It's definitely a disappointing outcome today for Wood and Hannover. The prior match between the clubs in October was the one match - maybe in the last 2 years - where Wood played like a Bundesliga level striker.

 

Then he looks at his bank account....

 

Do recall that (I believe) he had to slash his wages for the loan.

 

where did it all go wrong? 2016-17 Bobby really performed beyond just goals. He was lively and alert to score or press defenders.

 

And then he looks at his scoring stats, his performance analysis videos, the quality of the players around him . . .

He did. No way Hannover could afford 50% of what Hamburg were flashing - fading BL1 superpower that's looking to placate fans - when he extended his contract.

 

He's a prime candidate for a Jozy-like MLS move. I could see him doing really well for a team like the Red Bulls as they transition to a 2-forward setup.

 

As I said,

It's got to affect a guy's confidence, motivation, maybe even self-respect.

 

he won't be getting 4 million. Maybe 2 million tops if he scores 8 goals in the Gold Cup and wins it for us.

 

Mind you, to channel my inner @Suyuntuy , the alternative scenario is that he's a good but limited BL2-equivalent striker who was snapped up for much more than he was worth and has been worked out by opposition match analysts. He's good at what he's good at, but not much else, and is too easily nullified without decent service.

 

I think Wood's number in MLS would be towards the higher end of that salary range. He's one of the higher profile US players and a proven enough striker for MLS, and his marketing value is unlikely to be damaged too much compared to some of his other U.S. teammates from the 2018 campaign.

 

I meant in the sense of "guy who can't score in Europe but is a relatively important part of the national team who would be desirable in MLS," more than in the salary sense.

 

Roger Roger