Kevin Mcdonald

[I should coco]

Plus he said nice things about us in the end so I won't bear a grudge.

Foxy !!!!!

Emergency!!!!!

Some soft git has hacked Tyler Durden's account !!!!!

 

[Bath Blade]

Palmer was the best midfielder ever. His single England cap was a travesty and he should have beaten Bobby Moore's 106 caps.

Although a single England cap for Palmer would indeed have been a travesty, he actually managed to get 18 England caps, significantly more of a travesty.

 

[Smirth]

I would take Coutts over him.

He was a good player for us, but he came in at a time when we hadn't had a good ball playing midfielder in years so was so nice to finally see one. But the way he acted in contract negotiations made it clear he just saw us as a stepping stone. Compare that to Coutts who clearly loves being here and the style of football we play, makes Coutts over McDonald an easy choice to make.

 

[snootyfenooty]

Foxy !!!!!

Emergency!!!!!

Some soft git has hacked Tyler Durden's account !!!!!

He's starting to worry me!

 

[Harry's Game]

Wouldn't swap him for any of Coutts, Fleck, Or Duffy.

Would be on the bench at best if here now.

 

[bornablade]

why??
because a lad who has no affiliation to our club moved on to a club who at the time had better prospects and offered him more money?
he was our best player, and decided the best thing for himself to do was move on.. Didn't go on strike, didn't slag us off, just took an improved contract.
anyone out there who wouldn't do the same?
I'm Sheffield born and bred, work for Stafford county council. If Manchester council offered me double ya money to do the same job id be off as quick as a hookers knickers

Don't think I mentioned anything about not liking McDonald because he left us for the money.

You thought he was our best player. That's your opinion which I will respect.

I thought he was crap.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

I'm watching QPR v Fulham.

Can't wait to play QPR - they look very average. A lot goes through Freeman

Fulham have pace up top,but defence looks shakey.

Treat them both with respect, nothing to fear here..........bring em one.

UTB

 

[Woodwardfan]

I'm watching QPR v Fulham.

Can't wait to play QPR - they look very average. A lot goes through Freeman

Fulham have pace up top,but defence looks shakey.

Treat them both with respect, nothing to fear here..........bring em one.

UTB

All pails into oblivion compared to how we play the game. I agree.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Foxy !!!!!

Emergency!!!!!

Some soft git has hacked Tyler Durden's account !!!!!

Hey.

I'm not just here for the aggro!

Although I am monumetally inebrieated.

 

[Woodwardfan]

I'm watching QPR v Fulham.

Can't wait to play QPR - they look very average. A lot goes through Freeman

Fulham have pace up top,but defence looks shakey.

Treat them both with respect, nothing to fear here..........bring em one.

UTB

The biggest surprise to me is the lack of challenge from anyone we have played to date with the exception of Cardiff who played us with L1 aggression, nothing we have ever encountered before. We earned an extra point that we were cheated there at Middesbrough.

Having watched QPR v Fulham tonight I am so disappointed by the standards. I am starting to believe we are comfortable at this level because Wilder/Knill would never settle for the standards we have seen so far this season in the Championship v us and on T.V.

 

[super_pig]

Don't think I mentioned anything about not liking McDonald because he left us for the money.

You thought he was our best player. That's your opinion which I will respect.

I thought he was crap.

.. which is laughable

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

McDonald, along with Ched, in the 11/12 season made the team tick (similar to how Coutts-Fleck-Duffy do now), this was proven when either were out of the team that season. McDonald was equally as influential to our team in 11/12, as Coutts and Fleck (and Duffy) are now.

 

[Bladepicker]

McDonald was/is a great footballer and a pleasure to watch. I wouldn't start with him at the moment if we had him though which is testament to how well Coutts and Fleck have done - however he would be the perfect replacement if Coutts ever got injured.

Obviously don't mean he should be brought in or that's a realistic option - but that's where I see him from a footballing perspective in regards our current line up. Quality baller though.

 

[RealMcCoy]

Think he'd be a great addition as back up to Coutts. Under Wilder he'd become the player he really wants to be.

 

[NotFallowfieldBlade]

Why is everyone slating McDonald ? Best player we had through the dark days , absolute rolls Royce of a player

 

[Fulwood Blade]

The biggest surprise to me is the lack of challenge from anyone we have played to date with the exception of Cardiff who played us with L1 aggression, nothing we have ever encountered before. We earned an extra point that we were cheated there at Middesbrough.

Having watched QPR v Fulham tonight I am so disappointed by the standards. I am starting to believe we are comfortable at this level because Wilder/Knill would never settle for the standards we have seen so far this season in the Championship v us and on T.V.

Agreed - we have been conned as to what the Championship is all about. It isn't all it's cracked up to be - or is it REALLY that we are more than half decent?

We might get a few more answers today - forest have a record of P10 W4 L6, so on form we should go and get something. Watched them v the S6 lot a few weeks ago and Forest "look" pretty on the ball - but then so did Wolves.

UTB

 

[snootyfenooty]

Agreed - we have been conned as to what the Championship is all about. It isn't all it's cracked up to be - or is it REALLY that we are more than half decent?

We might get a few more answers today - forest have a record of P10 W4 L6, so on form we should go and get something. Watched them v the S6 lot a few weeks ago and Forest "look" pretty on the ball - but then so did Wolves.

UTB

Every team we've played this year, bar Norwich, have played the pretty passing game. They pass it along the back, along the middle but rarely has there been any end product. Whilst they pass it along the back it seems our guys are happy to let them and have a breather. The difference in our passing game is that the ball is moving forward, not sideways, and the tempo is much quicker. The defence isn't expecting it and when we break out, bang.

The opposition managers are mostly one and the same - premiership wannabees. Possession is the be all and end all and it seems they are afraid of being ridiculed by the purists if they try anything different. This is United's greatest advantage this season - they dare to be different. The only clubs who are going to turn us over this year are the ones who try to nullify our strengths, e.g. Norwich. I'm more concerned about these teams than the so called big boys.

The only wild card amongst the Championship teams is Cardiff. Warnock will do it his way irrespectively of how we or anyone else sets up, and good luck to him. I can't see beyond them for auto certs.

 

[Blade58]

Why is everyone slating McDonald ? Best player we had through the dark days , absolute rolls Royce of a player

Absolutely, but one who couldn't wait to fk off and leave us

Personally, I wouldn't give him the snot off my nose, but hey that's just a personal opinion

Entirely up to him what he chooses to do with his career, but I now have no time for him and have no interest in the whys and wherefores of him now

 

[Blade58]

The biggest surprise to me is the lack of challenge from anyone we have played to date with the exception of Cardiff who played us with L1 aggression, nothing we have ever encountered before. We earned an extra point that we were cheated there at Middesbrough.

Having watched QPR v Fulham tonight I am so disappointed by the standards. I am starting to believe we are comfortable at this level because Wilder/Knill would never settle for the standards we have seen so far this season in the Championship v us and on T.V.

Don't talk rhubarb woody!

Wendy fans insisted we are now in La Liga, we wouldn't recognise the standard of football from 6 years ago when last in this division and that we have no chance of competing with a pub league team, a pub league manager and have no money to spend.

Well, I repeat what I said pre season. The standard of football in the Championship is no different to what it was 6 years ago. The only difference is that players cost much more to bring in

 

[Pinchy]

Yes, I know he's lazy, I said that in my first post; lazy and nesh. I did think the same about Coutts although I thought it was down to his injuries, that he just wasn't able to work so hard, that he'd never get back to the player he was before he was injured. I was wrong. Credit to Prestridge for getting his body right and credit to Wilder for getting his head right.

It was.

 

[sitwell]

To be fair, he didn't have anything like the quality and movement around him that we have now, and he really was the only source of creativity in our team. When he didn't play, or had a bad game we were generally dire. I think he'd be very useful in our squad.

Having said that, I wouldn't do a swap for Coutts or Fleck in a million years.

No quality ? Lowton, Morgan ,Doyle Evans(then) Beattie ,Willliamson Flynn ,Maguire , Quinn and even Matt Phillips for a while. We had a quality side ,we weren't dire ,we scored for fun ,bit f re-writing history there. Macdonald had the tools and did well ,but I wouldn't swap him for Coutts any day of the week ,and twice on Sundays.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

He was class for us. Was out last night with my Fulham mate though, and they hardly rate him down there.

I'd take our current lot over any in the division. We play some of the best stuff in the division in the middle of the park. The main recruitment I'd do is for Coady so when Duffy finally winds down, Fleck pushes forward and Coady comes in to the side.

 

[sitwell]

Good but never took responsibility to make enough things happen.

I would accuse Coutts o.f this if I viewed him in isolation but his role is to keep feeding, feeding he ball to players who can take the ball upfield in control and into better places. The quid pro quo is whether to get the ball there quicker, something Coutts rarely does, nor did McDonald - it's all pretty safe stuff really. Not that it's wrong if that's what the manager wants, it's just that in itself it doesn't actually win games it slowly builds the springboards

What a ridiculous simplistic view of football that is. Computer football at its best.

 

[Pinchy]

Don't talk rhubarb woody!

Wendy fans insisted we are now in La Liga, we wouldn't recognise the standard of football from 6 years ago when last in this division and that we have no chance of competing with a pub league team, a pub league manager and have no money to spend.

Well, I repeat what I said pre season. The standard of football in the Championship is no different to what it was 6 years ago. The only difference is that players cost much more to bring in

One or two of us said from the outset we'd be fine at this level. "No titans", was an apposite phrase coined by someone who knew what he was talking about. I express no astonishment at all at how well we're doing, though I didn't expect to be in the top two. We're a very good team.

Those suffering from chronic B.I.C, however, had us on a par with Burton, Barnsley and Bolton and not fit to play on the same pitch as Brentford. Fucking Brentford.

 

[Pinchy]

What a ridiculous simplistic view of football that is. Computer football at its best.

It's also wholly inaccurate. Couttsy is often to be found in and around the opposition penalty area. As well as keeping the team "ticking over" superbly, he plays as many incisive key passes as anyone in the team.

 

[Ricky]

I really rated McDonald but I wouldn't swap him for Coutts now.

 

[larkymasher]

We gave him a chance to resurrect a failing career and as soon as a decent offer came in he was off as quick as the bouncing stopped !!!!

Poor player, poor attitude, poor everything as far as I am concerned.

 

[diplomat]

KMac looked great in the Wolves team that came to the lane and beat us at a canter because he had a good team around him that knew what they were doing and he had zero responsibility for trying to win the ball.

I lost track of the number of teams who ran straight through us in a 4-4-2 with him in the centre though.

Overall he was a great passer. someone who could weight a pass has been sadly few and far between over the years. However, he rarely scored, rarely assisted and never grabbed a game and helped dictate the pace the way that I adore our midfield three for doing now. Part of the current midfield's strength is how much they compliment each other. Couple that with a sense of purpose that is probably seeing them all playing the best footy of their careers.

 

[Woodwardfan]

What a ridiculous simplistic view of football that is. Computer football at its best.

It's also wholly inaccurate. Couttsy is often to be found in and around the opposition penalty area. As well as keeping the team "ticking over" superbly, he plays as many incisive key passes as anyone in the team.

View attachment 31656

Sorry lads, too simpistic by far.

Bit more flesh on the bones.

I have always said Coutts has quality and have at least 3 times repeated what both Collins and Doyle said about Coutts having outstanding skills which they enjoyed seeing day in day out in training. I also went on record soon after he arrived at the club and defended his lack of mobility and pointed to his obvious ability. I don't say that to score points but merely to point out I do appreciate his skills and his contribution to the team, since Wilder arrived anyway. I have also quoted Wilder in interview after an away game say" at half time I told Couttsy not to disappear second half like he usually does". I believe he is one of the first names on the team sheet and deserves his vice capataincy as he is an obvious leader.

Even for home games a chart of his touches on the ball would be heavily loaded outside the final third of the pitch apart from free kicks and corners and despite being involved in all free kicks and 50% of corners Coutts goal record and assists record is modest since he joined us in 2013. Even last season if free kick and corner assists were excluded his record would have been low.

I quote statistics from the club website with Fleck's comparative figures and think the stats show exactly what I was commenting on and it makes it a little less 'simplistic'. Stats have limitations but I think there's enough there to illustrate the simple point I made. Fleck plays right alongside Coutts but their roles are different, particularly in the final third.

Coutts
Appearances 11 (11)
Passes forward 12% (37%) Sideways 60% (52%) Back 28% (11%)
Shots7 on target 2 (10 and 7)
Goals 0 (1)
Assists 0 (0)
Crosses 13 (19) Successful crosses 1 (3)
Key passes 12 (18)

 

[sitwell]

Sorry lads, too simpistic by far.

Bit more flesh on the bones.

I have always said Coutts has quality and have at least 3 times repeated what both Collins and Doyle said about Coutts having outstanding skills which they enjoyed seeing day in day out in training. I also went on record soon after he arrived at the club and defended his lack of mobility and pointed to his obvious ability. I don't say that to score points but merely to point out I do appreciate his skills and his contribution to the team, since Wilder arrived anyway. I have also quoted Wilder in interview after an away game say" at half time I told Couttsy not to disappear second half like he usually does". I believe he is one of the first names on the team sheet and deserves his vice capataincy as he is an obvious leader.

Even for home games a chart of his touches on the ball would be heavily loaded outside the final third of the pitch apart from free kicks and corners and despite being involved in all free kicks and 50% of corners Coutts goal record and assists record is modest since he joined us in 2013. Even last season if free kick and corner assists were excluded his record would have been low.

I quote statistics from the club website with Fleck's comparative figures and think the stats show exactly what I was commenting on and it makes it a little less 'simplistic'. Stats have limitations but I think there's enough there to illustrate the simple point I made. Fleck plays right alongside Coutts but their roles are different, particularly in the final third.

Coutts
Appearances 11 (11)
Passes forward 12% (37%) Sideways 60% (52%) Back 28% (11%)
Shots7 on target 2 (10 and 7)
Goals 0 (1)
Assists 0 (0)
Crosses 13 (19) Successful crosses 1 (3)
Key passes 12 (18)

Sheffield United 3rd in the league, captain paul coutts. Why not try stats like that instead? You know the ones that actually mean something. Or try and find out who has most assists to the assistors assistor. Even better go to the games and just revel in the football that coutts and the rest of the team play.