Kenny McLean is a liability

[Rich T The Biscuit 676]

Being a qualified coach I spend a lot of time watching players rather than games and the guy is a liability.

As a team we get so exposed to the fast counter because we have no solid defensive unit.

The guy jogs about looking busy but there is no pace to his work.

He tries to find little pockets but rather than bursting into the space and making himself an option he just jogs into it and then it's obvious.

It needs pace in movement.

Sara is no better but playing both together is a problem for the formation/shape that they try to play.

Of course it's not his fault alone but produces so little that actually makes a difference.

[The Real Buh 3,765]

He’s in good company

[cambridgeshire canary 7,800]

Ah, good to see McLean is back as the scapegoat. Takes me back to better times..

Edited November 5, 2023 by cambridgeshire canary

[hogesar 10,770]

McLean is making up for Sara dangling legs out and walking about the pitch whilst outnumbered. He's also the only player willing to drive with the ball inevitably leaving space behind when another player f*cks it up.

7 or 8 problems before you get to Kenny.

[rock bus 1,060]

I don’t blame McLean himself, It’s just another sign of how we’ve gone back as a club.

After the first promotion we should’ve replaced McLean with a better player and he should’ve been shipped out.

Weve now failed so badly he is still the first name on the team sheet…it’s scandalous 

[Dr Greenthumb 794]

There was two moments I was screaming at him to move. 
Hwang won the ball up the pitch and ran past McLean who was walking! 
Rowe and Stacey combined well on the right and if McLean had moved into the box, he had a great position, but no, he decided to walk.

He’s had his day and we need to replace him with a CDM so we can push Sara up the pitch. It’s embarrassing this coach thinks Sara is a defensive player.

[Ken Hairy 4,272]

At least McLean has been looking to move the ball forward. Sara has just given up definitely one of many who aren't playing for Wagner.

[Ian 1,212]

Not actually noticed Nunez or Sara make a tackle this half. At least Kenny actually puts a shift in.

[Wirecanary 34]

We needed a defensive mid 3 years ago nothing changed and criminal we never replaced tettey . Maclean and Sara mikes better pushed up they not holding mid ffs and never will be. Even pundits saying we wide open in front of back 4 . How can we all see it for 2-3 years and coaches and club are blind??? 

[Dr Greenthumb 794]

Just now, Ian said:

Not actually noticed Nunez or Sara make a tackle this half. At least Kenny actually puts a shift in.

They’ve been making passes, something Mclean hasn’t managed to do

[Monty13 2,736]

1 minute ago, hogesar said:

McLean is making up for Sara dangling legs out and walking about the pitch whilst outnumbered. He's also the only player willing to drive with the ball inevitably leaving space behind when another player f*cks it up.

7 or 8 problems before you get to Kenny.

Agree with this, Sara is an absolute liability without the ball. He’s a good player on the ball, our best probably, but playing as part of those central two just scares me. 

It’s no coincidence our best midfield was Kenny and Skipp with a 10. Kenny isn’t blameless but he’s outnumbered with a partner who offers little defensively.

[Ulfotto 800]

Watching the first half it’s not the players it’s the tactics. 

[Worthy Nigelton 1,306]

5 minutes ago, hogesar said:

McLean is making up for Sara dangling legs out and walking about the pitch whilst outnumbered. He's also the only player willing to drive with the ball inevitably leaving space behind when another player f*cks it up.

7 or 8 problems before you get to Kenny.

Will you ever admit that he's one of a few who is not good enough?

[Ken Hairy 4,272]

Just now, Ulfotto said:

Watching the first half it’s not the players it’s the tactics. 

It's both

[Dr Greenthumb 794]

6 minutes ago, hogesar said:

McLean is making up for Sara dangling legs out and walking about the pitch whilst outnumbered. He's also the only player willing to drive with the ball inevitably leaving space behind when another player f*cks it up.

7 or 8 problems before you get to Kenny.

Both driving runs where he over hit his pass? 

[Rich T The Biscuit 676]

8 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Ah, good to see McLean is back as the scapegoat. Takes me back to better times..

Not making him a scapegoat as they are all terrible but as skipper he should be leading.

So many people fall into the trap of loving Kenny because of a point here and a fist pump there and always jogging around.

Yes he's in great company as Sara and Nunez are no better but he gets away scott free from criticism.

[Ian 1,212]

6 minutes ago, Dr Greenthumb said:

They’ve been making passes, something Mclean hasn’t managed to do

Yeah they've been unbelievably productive this match. Definitely head and shoulders above McLean

[Dr Greenthumb 794]

Just now, Ian said:

Yeah they've been unbelievably productive this match. Definitely head and shoulders above McLean

Nice sarcastic twist, this whole team is awful and no productivity whatsoever

[dylanisabaddog 6,149]

I'm going home 

[king canary 8,758]

He is in no way shape or form a defensive midfielder. 

His best attributes are work rate and his ability to carry the ball forward.

His worst elements and his positional play and discipline. 

Ideally you want to emphasise a players strengths and hide their weaknesses. Kenny, in this role, is being put in the opposite position.

[Rich T The Biscuit 676]

8 minutes ago, Ian said:

Not actually noticed Nunez or Sara make a tackle this half. At least Kenny actually puts a shift in.

Running around lots is putting a shift in I agree but hardly any of it is productive. 

I bet he has the most amount distance covered in the team, means absolutely nothing though.

[Clever Farke 75]

The goals are rinse and repeat. Give ball away. No midfield. Goal. 
 

[Rich T The Biscuit 676]

1 minute ago, Clever Farke said:

The goals are rinse and repeat. Give ball away. No midfield. Goal. 
 

Yep but it's ok as Kenny was jogging back 👍

[Petriix 3,219]

The biggest deficiency is when out of possession. Tracking runs, knowing when to press the ball and when to back off or how to force a player wide and slow an attack down. Kenny is poor at all of these things. 

[GRB2 83]

Kenny is better playing as part of 2 in-front of someone marshalling the back four. The 1st goal would have been prevented if there was a man behind them. 

[Rich T The Biscuit 676]

4 minutes ago, Petriix said:

The biggest deficiency is when out of possession. Tracking runs, knowing when to press the ball and when to back off or how to force a player wide and slow an attack down. Kenny is poor at all of these things. 

Completey agree, but none of that matters when he makes one good run during the game then overhits the pass.

Him playing in that area of the pitch is what has caused problems week after week because it leaves the defence so exposed.

We've all said it a million times but getting a proper DM in this side would make such a difference.

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 2,035]

Sadly Wagner will lose his job because he believed he could go into this season playing him there instead of an actual CDM

[Worthy Nigelton 1,306]

He's a bad footballer. Whether he's at number 8, 10 or 6 (or centre half!). He is short of the required standard and would be the second out of the door behind Duffy if I was in charge.

[NWC 315]

He made the goal today by doing things the posters above were saying he wasn't doing!

[Don’t be Krul 452]

1 hour ago, Rich T The Biscuit said:

Being a qualified coach I spend a lot of time watching players rather than games and the guy is a liability.

As a team we get so exposed to the fast counter because we have no solid defensive unit.

The guy jogs about looking busy but there is no pace to his work.

He tries to find little pockets but rather than bursting into the space and making himself an option he just jogs into it and then it's obvious.

It needs pace in movement.

Sara is no better but playing both together is a problem for the formation/shape that they try to play.

Of course it's not his fault alone but produces so little that actually makes a difference.

Don't think you need to be a qualified coach to see this