Kevin Mcdonald

[Woodwardfan]

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.

You've implied before that I don't go to games. Wrong again. I watch every game these days - live at home , recorded away. That's why I know Coutts' game inside out, back to front. Please don"t imply that again. I'll be watching yesterday's game later this afternoon. I'll monitor Coutts specially.

My reply left you with nowhere to take your aggression which was uncalled for in the first place.

 

[sitwell]

No aggression whatsoever ,why do you say that ,because I have an alternate view ? I didn't mean to imply you didn't go either , the point is don't you enjoy the way we play with Coutts initiating and orchestrating virtually every move we make and making himself available whenever a player needs to make a pass. His skill in finding and making space are hugely important to how we play and you wont find that on any stats sheet. Or would you prefer to look at a stats sheet which paints whatever picture you want it to. A couple of years ago our keeper had the second most assists in the team ,its just cobblers.

 

[Woodwardfan]

No aggression whatsoever ,why do you say that ,because I have an alternate view ? I didn't mean to imply you didn't go either , the point is don't you enjoy the way we play with Coutts initiating and orchestrating virtually every move we make and making himself available whenever a player needs to make a pass. His skill in finding and making space are hugely important to how we play and you wont find that on any stats sheet. Or would you prefer to look at a stats sheet which paints whatever picture you want it to. A couple of years ago our keeper had the second most assists in the team ,its just cobblers.

Yes to all that and I said so above but you launched into ' simplistic, computer gamer....', thats aggressive and out of context and unnecessary.

 

[Woodwardfan]

0

 

[diode_blade]

Macdonald should play with Bunn and Burger...

 

[BushBlade]

Macdonald should play with Bunn and Burger...

And Dean Gerken.

 

[Davalon]

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.

Can't abide old pinhead but in fairness to him he was one of our best players at Euro 92. Not that difficult granted.

 

[Woodwardfan]

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)

Well Pinchy? Another cartoon perhaps?