Are we missing McDonald ?

[SandyMcBlade]

I liked McD. but at times he could really frustrate because he seemed a player with so much talent who just wasted it.
I suppose though, if he had been a 100% player we would never have seem him in our team.
But I do think were still missing his influence badly in the middle of the field, because he wasn't just a good ball player, on a good day he controlled the play for us and we don't seem to have any one who can do that now .
We badly need that leader on the field to direct play and until we either get one or somebody starts showing they can do the job, were going no where but down, fast ...

 

[ScoobBlade]

Although I don't think he'd be the cure of all our ills, I do think we miss him, we just haven't got a player anywhere close to his passing ability and the ability to see and play that final ball. I know he didn't do it all the time but at the moment it's not happening at all

 

[LoughboroBlade]

We've been missing Kevin McDonald since the week before the playoff final.

 

[Hartley Hare]

Can't help thinking this is one of the reasons why we are not doing very well right know. I suspect Weir had made all his pre-season plans, formations, and strategies assuming Kevin would be in the team.

It must have been a body blow to loose him after the first game especially as he signed for a rival. Not that that matters now.

HH

 

[Revolution]

Can't help thinking this is one of the reasons why we are not doing very well right know. I suspect Weir had made all his pre-season plans, formations, and strategies assuming Kevin would be in the team.

I used to think this was nonsense, given that Weir must have had some idea that McDonald would be sold, or would at least plan for it.

On the evidence of the season so far, however, I am starting to believe that this is true, on the basis that Weir seems utterly incapable of reacting to any change in circumstances.

 

[moDtheGod]

I can't believe this is even a question, the answer is so glaringly obvious. One of, if not the best player in his position in this division. Of course we're missing him.

 

[BerksBlade]

Can't help thinking this is one of the reasons why we are not doing very well right know. I suspect Weir had made all his pre-season plans, formations, and strategies assuming Kevin would be in the team.

Weir has already commented on the McDonald situation as a "ticking time bomb", so he must have been aware of the contract situation.
It just seems incredibly naive to me to build the tactics around someone who could leave at any moment, with no apparent back-up plan. Luckily we were able to get Baxter in who I think will turn out to be just as good.

 

[VespaBlade]

Luckily we were able to get Baxter in who I think will turn out to be just as good.

Problem is we could do with someone now who IS as good rather than someone who MAY be as good in the future.
We are missing him....

Weir then = Plan A) We have built a team with Macca as the focal point.

Weir now = Plan B) Good second album when he went a bit more soulful, disappointed with his third album.

 

[stannyblade]

Has he gone? He was missing all last season so I just assumed that was the same this season

 

[sheffielder]

We have been missing McDonald since the Leyton Orient game a week before Pigsborough

 

[LardSardine]

We haven't won since he left. Coincidence?

 

[Kenilworth]

We haven't won since he left. Coincidence?

He played in the defeat to 4th division Burton - coincidence?

 

[moDtheGod]

I really don't get that Burton Albion argument. He would have definitely heard from his agent about Wolves by then. I'd be a little distracted too.

 

[TopBoy]

McDonald couldn't tackle, shoot, head the ball, use his left foot and had no pace but was still the best we had and is very solely missed.

 

[shreds1975]

The best, most technically gifted footballer in the squad. Yes he was in and out of form and his attitude coudl be questioned at times, but on his day he made us tick. He benefited two seasons ago from having plenty of movement around him, with overlapping wing backs and talented fellow midfielders, less so recently. I don't doubt we woudl be in a much better league position now with him in the team.

FWIW - If he had played at Wembley 2 years ago we would have beaten Huddersfield as well.

 

[oldblade]

We haven't won since he left. Coincidence?

We lost at home to a fourth division team before he left.

 

[Kenilworth]

The best, most technically gifted footballer in the squad. Yes he was in and out of form and his attitude coudl be questioned at times, but on his day he made us tick. He benefited two seasons ago from having plenty of movement around him, with overlapping wing backs and talented fellow midfielders, less so recently. I don't doubt we woudl be in a much better league position now with him in the team.

FWIW - If he had played at Wembley 2 years ago we would have beaten Huddersfield as well.

I am not so convinced about that. We had Cresswell on for 60-70 mins then Porter
Given your thoughts about forward movement, I suspect it would have ended 0-0 as it was.

 

[oldblade]

I really don't get that Burton Albion argument. He would have definitely heard from his agent about Wolves by then. I'd be a little distracted too.

And you think he hadn't heard about Wolves when we played Notts County just 4 days earlier?

If you look at his form in general over the last year, the Notts County game was the exception and the Burton game the norm.

 

[LardSardine]

Perhaps some facts, although I appreciate the quality of player in the side in general has worsened since 2011.

Last win without McDonald in the side:
All games - 2-1 Port Vale 1st December 2012 FA Cup (11 games played since then without McD) not counting penalty cup win over Scunthorpe
League only - 2-0 Brentford 10th March 2012 League (13 league games played since then without McD)

Season 2011/12
Win Ration with McDonald
W 23 - 64%
D 7-19%
L 6 - 17%
T 36

Without
W 10 - 45%
D 6 - 27%
L 6 - 27%
T 22

Season 2012/13
Win Ration with McDonald
W 22 - 44%
D 17-34%
L 11 - 22%
T 50

Without
W 2 - 50%
D 1 - 25%
L 1 - 25% (although could count play-off final as a draw!)
T 4

Season 2013/14
Win Ration with McDonald
W 1 - 50%
D 0 - 0%
L 1 - 50%
T 2

Without
W 0 - 0%
D 2 - 22%
L 7 - 78%
T 9

Total
Win Ration with McDonald (since signing)
W 46 - 52%
D 24 -27%
L 18 - 21%
T 88

Without
W 12 - 34%
D 10 - 29%
L 13 - 37%
T 35

 

[Guesty]

oldblade But there haven't been any 'exceptions' since he left. We won half the games he played in for us this season, we've won none since. And gained a single point.

 

[LardSardine]

We lost at home to a fourth division team before he left.

Oh yes, we lost a few with him in the side. But we rarely win without him!

 

[Balham]

McDonald, as I saw it, was a one-man embodiment of the team as a whole. When the team was good, he was exceptional but when the team wasn't as good, he looked poor.

Of course we miss him. As moDtheGod has said earlier in this thread he's probably the best central midfielder in the division by a country mile - when his team has the ball.

His lack of positional sense and defensive discipline was evident whenever the team struggled and last season, as Wilson's tactics slowly reverted to safety-first-keep-it-tight-and-nick-a-goal, he was less and less able to influence a game.

 

[oldblade]

Oh yes, we lost a few with him in the side. But we rarely win without him!

Well, as he made 45 league appearances last season, it is pretty likely that he was going to figure in the matches that we won. Just as he figured in every single match that we lost.

 

[oldblade]

oldblade But there haven't been any 'exceptions' since he left. We won half the games he played in for us this season, we've won none since. And gained a single point.

And that is all down to the loss of McDonald? The writing was on the wall against Burton. The only side we beat was probably (apart from us) just about the poorest side in the division. We did not know that at the time, but it looks that way now. And they played for 75 minutes with only 10 men.

IF McDonald played every game to his capabilities, he would have been a huge loss. But he didn't - nothing like, so although he is a loss I do not believe his transfer is the reason we are performing as badly as we are.

 

[oldblade]

Perhaps some facts, although I appreciate the quality of player in the side in general has worsened since 2011.

Last win without McDonald in the side:
All games - 2-1 Port Vale 1st December 2012 FA Cup (11 games played since then without McD) not counting penalty cup win over Scunthorpe
League only - 2-0 Brentford 10th March 2012 League (13 league games played since then without McD)

Season 2011/12
Win Ration with McDonald
W 23 - 64%
D 7-19%
L 6 - 17%
T 36

Without
W 10 - 45%
D 6 - 27%
L 6 - 27%
T 22

Season 2012/13
Win Ration with McDonald
W 22 - 44%
D 17-34%
L 11 - 22%
T 50

Without
W 2 - 50%
D 1 - 25%
L 1 - 25% (although could count play-off final as a draw!)
T 4

Season 2013/14
Win Ration with McDonald
W 1 - 50%
D 0 - 0%
L 1 - 50%
T 2

Without
W 0 - 0%
D 2 - 22%
L 7 - 78%
T 9

Total
Win Ration with McDonald (since signing)
W 46 - 52%
D 24 -27%
L 18 - 21%
T 88

Without
W 12 - 34%
D 10 - 29%
L 13 - 37%
T 35

We didn't get to the play off final in 2012-13!

I think Blackman's loss could be argued as being more detrimental to us. Where do we draw the line?

Season 2012-13

With Blackman:
W 15
D 12
L 5

Win ratio 46.875%.
Loss ratio 15.625%

Without Blackman:
W 8
D 8
L 5
(penalty defeats to Burton and Coventry counted as draws)

Win ratio 38.095%
Loss ratio 23.8%

 

[blader]

We didn't get to the play off final in 2012-13!

I think Blackman's loss could be argued as being more detrimental to us. Where do we draw the line?

Season 2012-13

With Blackman:
W 15
D 12
L 5

Win ratio 46.875%.
Loss ratio 15.625%

Without Blackman:
W 8
D 8
L 5
(penalty defeats to Burton and Coventry counted as draws)

Win ratio 38.095%
Loss ratio 23.8%

Sorry, but I have to disagree.

Firstly, people forget that the loss of Blackman coincided with the loss of Miller, it is my opinion that our lack of goals from Jan last season was due to losing miller at least as much as Blackman.

There is overwhelming evidence that losing McDonald is the main reason for this run of poor form, but is often overlooked or manipulated by his doubters to justify their opinion. Not only did we win our only game this season with him in the side, but blades fans (including myself) were creaming themselves at the display alongside the result. It was always my stance that if I spoke to a blade who 'didn't rate' McDonald, I instantly lost respect for their footballing opinion. He is a class act, and not only results but performances has hugely suffered since he went!

 

[SandyMcBlade]

I don't think it's McD. we've missed, it's some one to control the game from mid field.
Currie,Brown, McCall, McD. without that leader, some one to control the play were only half the team we can be..

I just don't think Doyles the answer..

 

[oldblade]

Sorry, but I have to disagree.

Firstly, people forget that the loss of Blackman coincided with the loss of Miller, it is my opinion that our lack of goals from Jan last season was due to losing miller at least as much as Blackman.

There is overwhelming evidence that losing McDonald is the main reason for this run of poor form, but is often overlooked or manipulated by his doubters to justify their opinion. Not only did we win our only game this season with him in the side, but blades fans (including myself) were creaming themselves at the display alongside the result. It was always my stance that if I spoke to a blade who 'didn't rate' McDonald, I instantly lost respect for their footballing opinion. He is a class act, and not only results but performances has hugely suffered since he went!

He could have been a class act, but was too inconsistent and in my view (as you have actually highlighted above, and others have also argued in other threads) depended quite a lot on other players playing well.

Last season with neither Blackman nor Miller in the side McDonald's win ratio is 40%, but the loss ratio goes up to 30%.

I agree that Miller looked promising. After 11 matches we had a 63.63% win ratio and only a 9.09% loss ratio. Far more of a loss than McDonald! (or Blackman!)

Blackman's stats without Miller are:
W 9
D 8
L 4

Win ratio 42.85%.
Loss ratio 19.1%

Losing McDonald has undoubtedly affected us, but does not explain the complete collapse in our results, which have actually been on a downward trend since boxing day, and McDonald was playing during that downward trend .

As an aside, in my previous post I forgot to include the play off matches in the figures for our matches without Blackman. The win ratio goes up to 39.13%, but the loss ratio also goes up - to 26.08%.

 

[LardSardine]

We didn't get to the play off final in 2012-13!

I think Blackman's loss could be argued as being more detrimental to us. Where do we draw the line?

Season 2012-13

With Blackman:
W 15
D 12
L 5

Win ratio 46.875%.
Loss ratio 15.625%

Without Blackman:
W 8
D 8
L 5
(penalty defeats to Burton and Coventry counted as draws)

Win ratio 38.095%
Loss ratio 23.8%

Yeah sorry, that should have been on the previous season. But I think I made my point.
Fair point about Blackman, but we only had him half a season.
I personally think McDonald could have done a lot more for us in the games he played, but you can't argue about our results with and without him. It's baffling.

 

[jezzablade]

Perhaps some facts, although I appreciate the quality of player in the side in general has worsened since 2011.

Last win without McDonald in the side:
All games - 2-1 Port Vale 1st December 2012 FA Cup (11 games played since then without McD) not counting penalty cup win over Scunthorpe
League only - 2-0 Brentford 10th March 2012 League (13 league games played since then without McD)

Season 2011/12
Win Ration with McDonald
W 23 - 64%
D 7-19%
L 6 - 17%
T 36

Without
W 10 - 45%
D 6 - 27%
L 6 - 27%
T 22

Season 2012/13
Win Ration with McDonald
W 22 - 44%
D 17-34%
L 11 - 22%
T 50

Without
W 2 - 50%
D 1 - 25%
L 1 - 25% (although could count play-off final as a draw!)
T 4

Season 2013/14
Win Ration with McDonald
W 1 - 50%
D 0 - 0%
L 1 - 50%
T 2

Without
W 0 - 0%
D 2 - 22%
L 7 - 78%
T 9

Total
Win Ration with McDonald (since signing)
W 46 - 52%
D 24 -27%
L 18 - 21%
T 88

Without
W 12 - 34%
D 10 - 29%
L 13 - 37%
T 35

Bizarrest set of stats I've seen to what end? I don't even think they show what is obvious the Blades could play with him but didn't turn up without him. Quinny was available in that position during and upto the play off final, so there was a replacement of sorts even if he was a different style and still the Blades were shit without K McD.

Now we have very little left and a brave manager trying to make a team out of young inexperienced guys, league 1 guys and a Has - been sop. I like Weir he speaks sense. He does virtually everything that Ferguson espoused to including taking time to build a new team in a new style. We are getting the possession stats now and have massive amount of shots but we haven't got a killer striker who has a good footballing position and timing sense.



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