Are we 'better' without MGW?

[Nedski]

while occasionally effective, a Berge/MGW/Ndiaye front three always looked stop-gap at best and muddled at worst.

Can't agree with that at all. They started to click once they all had a consistent run together and looked outstanding towards the end of the season. It's a shame that it's very unlikely that we'll see them together on the same team again.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Flicks and tricks are great when you’re top end of the Champs. But when you’re blowing out your arse at the bottom of the Prem, I can see his star falling rapidly with that bunch of overinflated tossers.

 

[blade too long]

,but its still very early in the season.

a full 6th of the season is over

 

[CPB]

MGW was well is a very good player and probably was the best attacking midfield/forward player in the league last season. (Other clubs may dispute this but on his day he was unplayable and Forest had to pay £25m rising to poss £43m!)

This season we have started well, but let's make no mistake about it. MGW in this team and we are even better. It would probably mean McBurnie wouldn't be starting though I reckon and this shouldn't be underestimated.

The way I see it is we may have lost MGW from our line up from last season.

But we have gained a fitter stronger N'Diaye and at the minute a McBurnie who is also fitter and sharper and looking more like his 18-19 season self.
Add to this we have Khadra and McAtee as new options at the top end of the field and Doyle is currently doing a good job of staking a claim to keep Fleck out for the season too (In these few matches of course).
We have also brought in a younger and better version probably of Basham in Anel. It's a shame we don't have the same option on the left in JOC but RND was doing decent of late there. The injuries last season were more on the right hand side of defence. This season it would seem it's the left.

Get some more of our injured players back and it will be all the stronger for it. If we can get Bogle, Sharp, Lowe/Stevens and Fleck back it will be all the better for it.

 

[Geordie Blade]

I’ve said it before, but I think people forget how inconsistent MGW was. There were a lot of games where he’d be either anonymous or flat out poor, and in both cases he’d end up losing his rag and getting booked (sent off on one occasion). Clearly, this was balanced against some absolutely sublime performances (Boro at home being right up there) and he is evidently a good player. But I’m not sure he’s what a top two side needs, because you can’t afford a key player to be off form in 25% of the games.

 

[Yewsman]

As others have said MGW would improve our squad overall and give us extra cover for injuries. However as we don't have him I think it has enabled us to play Ndiaye week in week out and Sander further forward. Both players have developed and benefited from this in my view and become better players for us. Also we now have Oliver Arblaster sitting on the bench and making his debut. Would that have happened with MGW in the squad?

 

[diode_blade]

Who?

Dr????

Sorreeeee....back to the OP question...I think yes we are, still early days yet.
UTB

 

[PokerBlade]

MGW is a Premier League player. He was one of those you could see was too good for this division and it wasn't even remotely likely we'd get to keep him. It might have been a little bit awkward trying to fit him in the side but there's no doubt if he were here right now he'd be starting games.

Fortunately, we've not done that classic thing of losing a top player, shrugging, and saying "Nothing we can do about that". Might not have gone out and signed like for like but we've gone out in the transfer window and made ourselves stronger in key positions.

We're undoubtedly weaker in MGW's position. Are we a stronger side overall than last season with the inclusion of the new lads? I think so. It's not because we've lost MGW, it's because we've been proactive about our transfers.

 

[coolasanidiot]

I think we are playing as well as any time last year- but MGW would only improve us- the guy was brilliant last year- to say anything other is quite disrespectful. He was the main reason we had an enjoyable 2nd half to season and I'd have him back in a heartbeat if I could fork out 42 million.

 

[originaltrueblade]

No use having Hendo back as Florist are giving him back problems