Number9 272 Posted June 21, 2020 Bed warmer for Herr FarkeĀ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Number9 272 Posted June 21, 2020 I'd be charging him for a season ticket, he runs around alot, then stops, watches and points. Occasional toepoke from 25 yards. He's channeling the spirit of Mr Pointy Man. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clint 221 Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) Ged, youād have a valid point if any of our players had performed well this season. Cantwell (who is very inconsistent and already pointed out, regularly loses possession) and Krul are really the only two who have even remotely stepped up. Possibly Pukki as well but he has not looked the same player since late 2019. Marco, along with the players you mention, havenāt been great so far but who in midfieldĀ has? If he improves others around him, then itās worth playing him. It would be worth having a look at the results with/without Marco in the team? I know most of Pukkiās goals from open play have come when heās been playing. Besides, itās just my opinion (and possibly fact).... Ā Ā Ā Edited June 21, 2020 by Clint Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Terminally Yellow 2,448 Posted June 21, 2020 I think he's a reasonable player. I think his problem is he is an attacking midfielder in a team full of similar players and doesn't stand out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
king canary 7,577 Posted June 21, 2020 McLean is a neat summary of the weakness of our squad though- he's probably a bench warmer at best for 19 other clubs in this division, he's a key starter for us. Similarly I don't think players like Trybull or Tettey make many other teams 25 man squads at this point. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Number9 272 Posted June 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Terminally Yellow said: I think he's a reasonable player. I think his problem is he is an attacking midfielder in a team full of similar players and doesn't stand out. Reasonable in Scots league 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Terminally Yellow 2,448 Posted June 21, 2020 7 minutes ago, Number9 said: Reasonable in Scots league 3 I would say he's a good championship level midfielder.Ā Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Number9 272 Posted June 21, 2020 2 minutes ago, Terminally Yellow said: I would say he's a good championship level midfielder.Ā In my opinion, he would survive in the championship but a long way from being good. He's a passenger most of the time.Ā Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Terminally Yellow 2,448 Posted June 21, 2020 4 minutes ago, Number9 said: In my opinion, he would survive in the championship but a long way from being good. He's a passenger most of the time.Ā I think you're being harsh, but each to their own. I think we can both agree he's not a player either of us are entirely massive fans of! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BroadstairsR 2,138 Posted June 21, 2020 I never particularly like it when an individualĀ player is singled out after a bad defeat. He's had some super moments, especially last season. It was however clearĀ even then that he was a PL back up player at best. Ditto: Trybull and one or two others who I won't mention as they have their fans and there's little need to cause controversy. Needless to say, but Nathan Redmond ran rings around our defence on occasions on friday evening. He looked a class above our entire midfield and he got his fair amount of stick from the support whilst he was here.Ā 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,777 Posted June 21, 2020 37 minutes ago, Number9 said: In my opinion, he would survive in the championship but a long way from being good. He's a passenger most of the time.Ā He started all of our last 14 games last season, of which we won 10 and drew four. He scored three goals and contributed five assists. He's certainly a (very) good Championship midfielder. Is he a Premier League midfielder, however? Not for me. You can copy and paste that previous paragraph for all of our central midfield options, I feel. . 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jersey Canary 143 Posted June 21, 2020 McLean canāt pass, tackle, mark, assistĀ or score. He was not good enough in the Championship and heās certainly not good enough for the PL. best bet is to sell him to Rangers and let someone else have a go. Mario was good at the back end of last season so why not play him. Heās creative, he scores goals, heās dangerous at free kicks. It canāt be any worse than playing Kenny.Ā Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Number9 272 Posted June 21, 2020 16 minutes ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said: He started all of our last 14 games last season, of which we won 10 and drew four. He scored three goals and contributed five assists. He's certainly a (very) good Championship midfielder. Is he a Premier League midfielder, however? Not for me. You can copy and paste that previous paragraph for all of our central midfield options, I feel. . You're probably clever enough to watch and formulate your own opinion rather than just throw up stats which can be used to prove multiple differing arguments.Ā Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Number9 272 Posted June 21, 2020 46 minutes ago, Terminally Yellow said: I think you're being harsh, but each to their own. I think we can both agree he's not a player either of us are entirely massive fans of! In the championship he wasn't played in his best position, but I got the impression he was just glad to get a game.Ā He has been tried in his best position in the Premier league and he wasn't good enough.Ā Too often he's a spectator pointing fingers at everyone else.Ā Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ged in the onion bag 854 Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) 5 hours ago, Clint said: Ged, youād have a valid point if any of our players had performed well this season. Cantwell (who is very inconsistent and already pointed out, regularly loses possession) and Krul are really the only two who have even remotely stepped up. Possibly Pukki as well but he has not looked the same player since late 2019. Marco, along with the players you mention, havenāt been great so far but who in midfieldĀ has? If he improves others around him, then itās worth playing him. It would be worth having a look at the results with/without Marco in the team? I know most of Pukkiās goals from open play have come when heās been playing. Besides, itās just my opinion (and possibly fact).... Ā Ā Ā The general problem isnāt the front three, yes they have missed some chances but the problem is the overall team dynamic that prevents the front players getting on the ball in the right areas and at the right time. Ā Buendia and CantwellĀ for example spendĀ far too much time and energy helping out the full backs so when we recover possession they are far too deep to have impact. Ā Consequently we struggle to keep possession. Ā Ā Ā Separately the central midfielders donāt have the control of the pitch like we had last seasonĀ and canāt find the front players when they do have possession. Ā The dynamic hasnāt worked and disappointingly, weāve not had enough options, due to injury and players failing to step up to try something different. Ā Ā The central midfield has been our problem both defensively and offensively all season. Ā McLean and Tettey are the only ones left that can offer a bit of both when starting games. Ā Ā Ā MarcoĀ is a different matter. Ā Unfortunately, he has found this level so difficult that he rarely makes the squad now. Ā Ā Given our difficulty playing out, we definitely could do with someone big and strong to offer us an out ball but Stieps hasnāt been able to do that either. He hasnāt improved anyone around him, Buendia is Pukkiās supply. Ā Ā Edited June 21, 2020 by ged in the onion bag Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,777 Posted June 21, 2020 2 hours ago, Number9 said: You're probably clever enough to watch and formulate your own opinion rather than just throw up stats which can be used to prove multiple differing arguments.Ā Of course there's more to football than stats, but they're a very good indicator. McLean's Championship stats last season for a central midfielder were excellent, and a player who is "a long way from being good" in the division would never have attained them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rich T The Biscuit 562 Posted June 21, 2020 He's actually one of a few midfield players I'd he happy to see moved on, along with Leitner and of course Tettey who will be done. We have a lot of numbers in the middle of the park and none of them are dominant and that's what we need. Said it before but we are to lightweight in there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shefcanary 2,383 Posted June 21, 2020 As he's statistically our best header, why not try him as one of 3 Centre backs?Ā If he's facing up to attackers rather than racing around trying to chase them back, it might prove to be an interesting tactic.Ā Can then allow Aarons and Lewis to attack with less confusion.Ā I'll get my tin hat. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
keelansgrandad 6,679 Posted June 21, 2020 Our midfield, as a five, are not good enough as a group for the EPL. Most players can excel in a better team. That probably goes for many of our midfield players. The combination, whichever one it is, has weaknesses that get embarrassed at this level. Make no mistake, midfield is still the most important part of the team. How they defend after attacking is just as important as how they attack after defending. In the Championship last season, they managed to outweigh their defence frailties with some stunning attacking play. Kenny enjoyed success in that position last season but he and all the others have not managed to defend in front of our back four. We rely on the full backs getting forward and midfield must cover. But at this level, none have the pace or power to cope. I still don't understand why Godfrey, other injuries permitting, hasn't been tried in the role he got praise for at Shrewsbury. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mason 47 1,373 Posted June 21, 2020 12 minutes ago, keelansgrandad said: Ā I still don't understand why Godfrey, other injuries permitting, hasn't been tried in the role he got praise for at Shrewsbury. IMHO it's because the things he's good at make him stand out as a young English centre half whilst he would probably look more by-the-numbers if played in midfield. He's going to leave anyway. This way is the maximum earning potential. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Number9 272 Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said: Of course there's more to football than stats, but they're a very good indicator. McLean's Championship stats last season for a central midfielder were excellent, and a player who is "a long way from being good" in the division would never have attained them. Ok, he'll run up and down alot - stat 1 Head a ball more than our other players (who don't head the ball at all) stat 2 Stats can be misleadingĀ Edited June 21, 2020 by Number9 Explaining Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canary dwarf 221 Posted June 21, 2020 Kenny was shocking against Southampton but he's generally better than that,he's a good all round midfielder and think him and vrancic at cdm is well worth a try. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nuff Said 5,088 Posted June 21, 2020 13 hours ago, A Load of Squit said: https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/14/Norwich-City/stats Ā Yeah but apart from passes, interceptions and aerial wins, what does he bring to the team? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hogesar 9,615 Posted June 21, 2020 34 minutes ago, Number9 said: Ok, he'll run up and down alot - stat 1 Head a ball more than our other players (who don't head the ball at all) stat 2 Stats can be misleadingĀ He is certainly a very good championship midfielder and I have no idea how or why anyone would think otherwise unless he slept with your wife or similar, in which case his judgement might be able to be called into question but doesnt detract from his footballing ability. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nuff Said 5,088 Posted June 21, 2020 I give it two games if Vrancic starts before people turn on him. Ā Iād love to be proven wrong, but his flaws outweigh his advantages. Having said that, weāll always have Sheffield Wednesday. If we could wheel him on for free kicks and then offĀ again afterwards heās be onĀ every team sheet. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,777 Posted June 22, 2020 3 hours ago, Number9 said: Ok, he'll run up and down alot - stat 1 Head a ball more than our other players (who don't head the ball at all) stat 2 Stats can be misleadingĀ If McLean is "a long way from being good" at Championship level, who would you rate as a good Championship midfielder, and who would you say is a top Championship midfielder? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BroadstairsR 2,138 Posted June 22, 2020 He's an 'inbetweenie.' We've had dozens of those over theĀ last twenty years.Ā Good signing initially, but PL back up at present. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Starr 519 Posted June 22, 2020 What is it with us turning on our Scottish players... Martin, Whittaker, Naismith and now McClean. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hogesar 9,615 Posted June 22, 2020 16 hours ago, Jersey Canary said: McLean canāt pass, tackle, mark, assistĀ or score. He was not good enough in the Championship and heās certainly not good enough for the PL. best bet is to sell him to Rangers and let someone else have a go. Mario was good at the back end of last season so why not play him. Heās creative, he scores goals, heās dangerous at free kicks. It canāt be any worse than playing Kenny.Ā You're wrong about Mclean.Ā https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/14/Norwich-City/stats Share this post Link to post Share on other sites