Advice for the rest of the season

[Bladesway]

some of you have decided to be anti mac because all of the flynn haters love mac..
ive seen all this shit before with the same golden lion suspects sticking up for monty.. you wouldnt know a decent footballer if they ran up and kicked you in the bollocks
edit.. and it wouldnt be flynn.. he'd fall down before he got there
fucking hoofmad.com

ohdear.com

 

[Bladesway]

It is a very rare occasion when we have a player with the ability for us to build a team around. With McDonald, I think most agree we have one. Play the right game for him, which is also the type of game the fans have been clamouring for, he will excel.

Get some movement from either the wingers or full backs, like last season, and the forwards and he'll regularly take the piss out of the opposition. Play static wide and forward men, he'll be anonymous and often hold onto the ball for too long, waiting for somebody to make a move.

Play the players to play his game and we'd sail to victory.

If he were that good he wouldn't need a team buidling around him, he would pull the strings on his own and stand out. I see what you say but this is League One, hence I would expect to see at least rumblings of quality occasionally. Also, last season I would have run with what you say, this season no way. He has other issues such as work rate and mental issues that make him a lazy bastard. I don't mind my players not being world beaters but if they can't be arsed to put a shift in either they need a kick up the arse.

 

[Foxy]

Just to clarify, I don't think the real disagreement is that some thinks McDonald's been great and some thinks he's been poor.

The theory is that McDonald is struggling to do well unless he's surrounded by the right type of players in a team that is well balanced. If we get that right McDonald will do well even at Premiership level.

If not, McDonald will look out of sorts even at non-league level.

The debate should be how can we get the balance right to get the maximum out of our players, including McDonald. If the management just looks at which random underperforming player they should take out of a dysfunctional set up we could remain limited, ineffective and miles away from achieving our true potential.

I know the point you are making, I just don't understand why in McDonald's case it is always everyone else at fault. They all look shite when no-one moves, that's our problem, but the others are called to be dropped because they are "crap". We look even worse when the ones who "need to be surrounded by the right type of player" can't be arsed and can't do what they are supposed to do best.

For the record, I wouldn't drop him yet, I'd tell him to sort his attitude out and do the basics himself, outlining which path is the path to being sat unhappy in the stands (ala Burnley) - Something a few were guilty of yesterday.

They all need to re-group, work harder and do what they can to make us tick... This means, to a man, taking personal responsibility to put in the maximum effort and do whatever they can to make space and dictate play. We have more than enough experienced heads to be leaders on the pitch... get them doing it again, however we can.

We need to set up in a balanced manner and concentrate on the individual jobs, like you say, one fast man and Kitson up top or at the very least, not Kitson and Robson chasing balls upfront and it coming straight back at us. What we don't need, certainly at this stage of the season, is to be carrying anyone... whether they are our "best player" or not.

 

[Fiery Blade]

One should look no further than the manager - any blame apportioned must be taken by the manager first and foremost - with this squad and their undoubted shortcomings, it should be still good enough to walk this league.
Bergan understands the problem far better than our illustrious manager.
He brings in the pace of Forte and Poleon and then lets them sit on the bench warming their arses whilst we soldier on with a 35 year old up front on his own and dropping deeper and deeper so that when McFadzean makes a couple of quality crosses there is no one there to get on the end of it!

 

[true99blade]

Just seen the goals, the first looked a good turn and finish (I could be wrong), the second was a lack of communication (a.k.a poor defending), the other two I'm disappointed Long couldn't have done better with. Also listening to Wilson's interview, he sounded as if we've played excellently in recent matches and today we were making all mistakes.

 

[sheffielder]

Why is McDonald undroppable? Most of the side very poor today, no excuses for being unable to do the basics.

He is undroppable because Wilson is a coward and won't drop any of his perceived starting 11 even if they are fucking shocking. Injuries will happen and we will start relying on youngsters who have not been given any game time. Ala McFadzean yesterday.

This could end up being a fucking awful end to the season, and yes I know it's only one game blah blah but we were always going to lose an away game sooner or later

 

[Bergen Blade]

I know the point you are making, I just don't understand why in McDonald's case it is always everyone else at fault. They all look shite when no-one moves, that's our problem, but the others are called to be dropped because they are "crap". We look even worse when the ones who "need to be surrounded by the right type of player" can't be arsed and can't do what they are supposed to do best.

For the record, I wouldn't drop him yet, I'd tell him to sort his attitude out and do the basics himself, outlining which path is the path to being sat unhappy in the stands (ala Burnley) - Something a few were guilty of yesterday.

They all need to re-group, work harder and do what they can to make us tick... This means, to a man, taking personal responsibility to put in the maximum effort and do whatever they can to make space and dictate play. We have more than enough experienced heads to be leaders on the pitch... get them doing it again, however we can.

We need to set up in a balanced manner and concentrate on the individual jobs, like you say, one fast man and Kitson up top or at the very least, not Kitson and Robson chasing balls upfront and it coming straight back at us. What we don't need, certainly at this stage of the season, is to be carrying anyone... whether they are our "best player" or not.

I'd hoped the thread wouldn't really be about individual players ability nor form. Let's face it you and Alco are never going to agree about Ryan Flynn. Others will want Kitson dropped, some will say that Robson hasn't had a positive effect on us and lots of people have lost patience with Doyle. It has been suggested that Forte should be returned and many aren't convinced with Murphy. Etc.

The original post didn't dismiss any individual player, but it did suggest some players shouldn't play at the same time. Within a set up that has good balance (like at Shrewsbury and Bury) we should be able to properly assess who - if anyone - is not performing, despite everything being put in place for them to do so.

 

[Foxy]

Let's face it you and Alco are never going to agree about Ryan Flynn.

We might do, I purely comment on what I see with my own eyes every week, without prejudice. If I was in some sort of fan club for certain individuals, surely I'd have been bleating about how we conceded three and looked weaker in the midfield after taking Flynn off?

The original post didn't dismiss any individual player, but it did suggest some players shouldn't play at the same time. Within a set up that has good balance (like at Shrewsbury and Bury) we should be able to properly assess who - if anyone - is not performing, despite everything being put in place for them to do so.

I understand the point you were trying to make, I just don't understand this bit, which is why I commented on it:

Don’t listen to people suggesting to drop McDonald. His poor performances will pick up if we play a well balanced team.

Why not? All their performances will pick up in a balanced team and if they decide they can be arsed to take responsibility for themselves, so we could pick any of the 11 to say the same about/keep the same lineup?

Like I said, I'd keep him in, but the weak central midfield needs addressing before we see more repeats of the third goal yesterday.

 

[Bergen Blade]

I understand the point you were trying to make, I just don't understand this bit, which is why I commented on it:



Why not? All their performances will pick up in a balanced team and if they decide they can be arsed to take responsibility for themselves, so we could pick any of the 11 to say the same about/keep the same lineup?

Like I said, I'd keep him in, but the weak central midfield needs addressing before we see more repeats of the third goal yesterday.

I singled out McDonald because he's been poor lately and I am sure there are people who want him out of the team now. It may be something the management will realistically consider at this moment in time. But (like you) I think we should stick by him because a few tweaks may well be enough to bring out the best in him. The team's potential is far higher with McDonald in it than with someone else in his position.

I don't see Robson as fit enough to play in central midfield and it's not the ideal time to try Harriott or Whitehouse, nor another loanee.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I don't see Robson as fit enough to play in central midfield and it's not the ideal time to try Harriott or Whitehouse, nor another loanee.

The only possible reason we'd want to put Robson in a central midfield pairing is to give McDonald a kick up the arse - though given how much fight he's been displaying on the pitch, there's a danger he might get in a bit of a strop. I also suspect that experimenting with this will see fans immediately wanting McDonald back in - probably as early as 30 minutes into a match.

 

[DazBlade88]

I really rate McDonald when he's on his game. At Huddersfield last season, it was one of the best central midfield performances from a United player that I've seen. His ability to make space for himself, his vision, his passing was immense and he showed it on a number of occasions last season.

However, this season he has struggled. Nobody is disputing his ability, but because he doesn't have anywhere near the quality of options that were available (Lowton, Quinn, Williamson, Evans) he's given the ball away a lot more and to be honest I think he's got so frustrated that he's stopped putting the effort in that he should be.

I agree with Bergen, he would look better in a more balanced side. But, I don't think any player should be 'undroppable'.

 

[Ollessendro]

Agree with the original post. We should be playing 4-4-2 and Forte (or Poleon) up top, alongside Kitson. We really need to use the resources we have. We now have several players (Poleon, Murphy and MacFeazden) that can take on a man and cause problems. Use them for christ's sake. Ner mind an aging never been that struts about thinking he is Messi. I'd personally start with Flynn on one wing and Macfeazden on the other. However I do not mind if it is Poleon and Murphy (if fit) or any combination. If one of them is not pulling their weight, gerrem off.

It is about 4-4-2 and attackign teams from the start for the rest of the season for me. No excuses. I do not want to see Wilson lining up to draw or try and nick a goal when we play Brentford or Swindon. I will be fucked off if we see other borefests where we do not even try and break down the teams that come to Bramall Lane.

 

[TopBoy]

Agree with the original post. We should be playing 4-4-2 and Forte (or Poleon) up top, alongside Kitson. We really need to use the resources we have. We now have several players (Poleon, Murphy and MacFeazden) that can take on a man and cause problems. Use them for christ's sake. Ner mind an aging never been that struts about thinking he is Messi. I'd personally start with Flynn on one wing and Macfeazden on the other. However I do not mind if it is Poleon and Murphy (if fit) or any combination. If one of them is not pulling their weight, gerrem off.

It is about 4-4-2 and attackign teams from the start for the rest of the season for me. No excuses. I do not want to see Wilson lining up to draw or try and nick a goal when we play Brentford or Swindon. I will be fucked off if we see other borefests where we do not even try and break down the teams that come to Bramall Lane.

We were very much spoiled last season with the attack minded players we had at our disposal and we definitely played to our strengths. We the current crop of players at our disposal I actually think we're more suited to (so playing to our current strengths) keeping things tight. Suffice to say I'll have no complaints getting promoted with a series of 0-0 draws and 1-0 wins.

 

[Blade59]

I can understand peoples frustration with Macdonald but unfortunately without him we always look a poorer team. He has undoubted ability but is not the type of player who will take the game by the scruff of the neck on his own. If he was he would be playing for someone else at a higher level. The problem for me is our players react to situations rather than anticipate them. Often you will see us in possession and players will be waiting to see where the ball is going to be played when they should be moving into space to give the player in possession options. This is why the tempo of our play is so slow as there is never the opportunity to move the ball quickly into dangerous areas.