Scougall/Off the ball running

[Lane Ender]

Agree mate ...... if Baxter had any pace he would be in the premiership now and therefore he's never going to be a striker imho, hes an attacking midfield player. I don't think we can play Baxter / Reed / Scougal in the same side. One from three for me as we look too lightweight already.
UTB & FTP

No room in the starting line for any of them at the moment Baxter,Reed or Scougall

 

[Woodwardfan]

The lads a good technically gifted player who is rarely involved in the game much.

He's very young and has a lot to learn. He's also adjusting to life in a foreign country and in a different league.

Quality will come through hopefully. It always helps a player's development if his teammates are doing their bit and at present the pressure is on every player.

 

[Woodwardfan]

To bracket Basham with Scougall is perhaps wishful thinking but we all know never to write off a player until he has fully settled in and shows us his game allied to confidence and self belief. Murphy was a case in point, then again which is the real Murphy?

Basham just has to be better than he has shown us to date.

 

[Revolution]

To bracket Basham with Scougall is perhaps wishful thinking but we all know never to write off a player until he has fully settled in and shows us his game allied to confidence and self belief. Murphy was a case in point, then again which is the real Murphy?

Basham just has to be better than he has shown us to date.

I think it's very possible that Basham is a good defender, which is where he played a lot before joining us.

I also think, however, that he will never look good in midfield.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

The lads a good technically gifted player who is rarely involved in the game much.

He's very young and has a lot to learn. He's also adjusting to life in a foreign country and in a different league.

Quality will come through hopefully. It always helps a player's development if his teammates are doing their bit and at present the pressure is on every player.

Aye, it must be absolutely bewildering for the lad to be rubbing shoulders with us English and our strange foreign ways.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Saying that he doesnt' deserve a place in the team on current form isn't "writing him off" or wanting to "get rid of him".
I like Scougall but other players should be selected ahead of him at the moment.

You don't need stats to tell you that Baxter, McNulty, JCR and Davies have all contributed far more to the team this season.
The stats do however confirm what we've seen with our own eyes.
Who do those of you picking Scougall want to leave out instead?

Managers don't always make team selections based on performance though, sometimes they look more at what they think a set of players can achieve in the next game.

Clough likes to change the formation, but in away games he seems to prefer last season's set up with one defensive midfielder flanked by two box to box players who are fit enough to get up and down the pitch.

Would you drop Scougall in that formation as well, and if so what would your suggested side be?

 

[Woodwardfan]

Aye, it must be absolutely bewildering for the lad to be rubbing shoulders with us English and our strange foreign ways.

Have you ever worked in Scotland? I have and believe me they are very different!

 

[Grecian2000]

You could have said that about Basham in his first few appearances too

and the likely hood of someone who's best ever scoring SEASON amounts to 2 goals scoring a hat trick is . . . . .

 

[Foxy]

and the likely hood of someone who's best ever scoring SEASON amounts to 2 goals scoring a hat trick is . . . . .

Obviously massively less likely than a lad who normally plays in a more attacking position, but has a season best of 6 in a lower league

Don't get me wrong, I like Scougs a lot, I'm not slating him in making the point I'm making.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Have you ever worked in Scotland? I have and believe me they are very different!

No I haven't. It was only a flippant jokey comment to be honest.
I'm surprised to hear it would be very different but I'll bow to your inside knowledge.

 

[Grecian2000]

Don't get me wrong, I like Scougs a lot, I'm not slating him in making the point I'm making.

Never thought you were Foxy. Just thought you might be over egging the chances of a Basham goal glut.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Managers don't always make team selections based on performance though, sometimes they look more at what they think a set of players can achieve in the next game.

Clough likes to change the formation, but in away games he seems to prefer last season's set up with one defensive midfielder flanked by two box to box players who are fit enough to get up and down the pitch.

Would you drop Scougall in that formation as well, and if so what would your suggested side be?

At home against teams that sit back and away against weaker teams, I wouldn't play that formation. I would play 4-4-2 with:-

JCR Davies Wallace Murphy
McNulty Baxter

Should be strong enough defensively to cope but with plenty of attacking options and goal threats.

Against the better teams away from home, I would play the same team but set up more defensively.
Effectively 4-5-1 but with two defensive midfielders (Davies and Wallace for me).
Baxter, Murphy and JCR dropping a bit deeper than they would at home. More of a counter-attacking style.

...Davies Wallace
JCR Baxter Murphy
.......McNulty

Consistent selection usually equals consistent performance.
No need to change players around, even if the formation changes slightly to counteract the opposition.
This setup could also be tweaked mid-game to suit the situation without having to make subsitutions.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Obviously massively less likely than a lad who normally plays in a more attacking position, but has a season best of 6 in a lower league

Don't get me wrong, I like Scougs a lot, I'm not slating him in making the point I'm making.

It's all about the blend of the team. IMO he's a luxury player and you wouldn't have two in the team, maybe not him and Baxter, which is why Baxter is pushed up front.

Scougs match stats must tell how little he gets involved. Classy player with a real "surge" but anonymous for Long spells.

 

[Bergen Blade]

At home against teams that sit back and away against weaker teams, I wouldn't play that formation. I would play 4-4-2 with:-

JCR Davies Wallace Murphy
McNulty Baxter

Should be strong enough defensively to cope but with plenty of attacking options and goal threats.

Against the better teams away from home, I would play the same team but set up more defensively.
Effectively 4-5-1 but with two defensive midfielders (Davies and Wallace for me).
Baxter, Murphy and JCR dropping a bit deeper than they would at home. More of a counter-attacking style.

...Davies Wallace
JCR Baxter Murphy
.......McNulty

Consistent selection usually equals consistent performance.
No need to change players around, even if the formation changes slightly to counteract the opposition.
This setup could also be tweaked mid-game to suit the situation without having to make subsitutions.

I like those teams of yours, but even the latter is a tweak of the formation that Clough has played most often, i.e. with one holding and two box to box players (Coady and Scougall last season).

 

[Sothall_Blade]

I like those teams of yours, but even the latter is a tweak of the formation that Clough has played most often, i.e. with one holding and two box to box players (Coady and Scougall last season).

It is and that team was very successful when defending deep and counter-attacking.

I think we need to tweak it and be more attack-minded from the start against weaker teams. Especially at home.