Second Season Syndrome Part Four: Cian Hayes

The area of focus for this series of articles is the players entering their second season at the club- namely Chris Conn-Clarke, Abraham Odoh, Oscar Wallin, and Cian Hayes. Gustav Lindgren and Carl Johnston are not included - with less than a full season under their belt, their circumstances are different to the others. George Nevett did not make enough appearances to qualify.

What can they do to kick on in their second season at Peterborough United?

Photo Credit : Joe Dent / Peterborough United

Next up: Cian Hayes

It is important to note that unlike the three other players covered in this series, Cian Hayes was not brought in to make the starting XI in his first season. The plan was clearly to have him sit behind Kwame Poku for a year. The Ghanaian only had one year left on his contract, and so Posh hoped to have his ready-made replacement in the building for the 25/26 season.

Slight, fleet-footed and with a low centre of gravity, there were times last season when Posh fans probably thought the club had succeeded. The statistical similarities between the two players back up this sense that Posh may have uncovered yet another lower-league gem:

Hayes per 90

Poku per 90

‘Volume dribblers’

Both Poku and Hayes are ‘volume dribblers’, taking an immense number of touches for a forward player per game. They are both often dispossessed, but if the end product is there enough of the time, then this doesn’t matter.

Both act like battering rams on their wing, terrorising their opposition full backs until something breaks, and an opportunity arises.

And yet, Hayes was not even in the conversation for League One Player of the Season, nor has there been Championship interest, as there was Poku, culminating in his move to QPR. 

The reason for this is Hayes’ relative goal and assist production, putting him in a middling spot in the league:

Small improvements after the dribble could have a massive impact

How Hayes can improve 

Hayes, if he hopes to cross the threshold into the elite tier of League One wingers, must work on what comes after the dribble. 

Like Chris Conn-Clarke, covered in the first article of this series, the tunnel vision can set in and often you can tell he is going to shoot three or four touches before he gets to it.

His eyes transfix on the ball, and he loses sense of the options around him. The single biggest difference that he could make would be training himself to look up more while dribbling.

Thankfully, we have seen many glimpses this pre-season that he is working hard in this area. His performances against MK Dons and Grimsby were excellent, resulting in a goal in the latter game.

When he finds variation in his dribbling rhythm, he can create significant space for himself. This was no more obvious than his excellent goal at Stevenage away last season, dragging the ball on to his weaker right foot and blasting the ball past the helpless keeper.

It was surprising that he hardly tried this again last season, with left footed shots remaining heavily favoured. And in games like Bristol Rovers away, Crawley away, and Northampton at home, this single-mindedness to cut inside and shoot at near-sprint while evading defenders meant he was bottled up by teams who were wise to it and capable of working together to stop him, block him, or put him off.

Hayes’ shot map last season

Change in expectations

Hayes should be aware that he may face a significant change in expectations this year. He could find much more responsibility on his shoulders should Declan Frith be played somewhere other than right wing or not make the starting lineup. 

With Poku gone, those moments of magic need to come from somewhere else. Hayes is within touching distance of being the one to deliver them, but half the battle will be psychological. 

Poku had the ability to snatch goals out of nowhere having made several errors earlier in the same game. 

When the crowd is getting on Hayes’ back after he has been dispossessed for the 4th time in a game, will he trust himself to continue using his best asset, his dribbling, and go for it for a 5th time when he has the chance? 

All top players must have this stubborn confidence in themselves, and in this respect Hayes remains an unknown entity, given the lack of expectations on him up till now.

If he rises to the challenge, and digs in when the going gets tough, a diamond could emerge from the pressure.

The verdict

If Cian Hayes can maintain his dribbling acumen while looking up, and leveraging that to make better passing and shooting decisions, as well as handle the increased pressure that is likely to fall on him this season, Posh could well be looking at their next multi-million asset come the end of the season.