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Post by FullerMagic on Sept 20, 2020 20:00:35 GMT
Doesn't seem much more than 2 plus 2 equals 5, largely because he's a Celtic fan and has been linked with them every transfer window and he wasn't in our 18 It's odd thought isn't it? O'Neill said the players not in the squad haven't done enough and you can never levy that at McClean. The bloke is the hardest worker we've had since Walters. Nearly every manager that has managed him here have all said that he never stops running and some have even said he carries on running on the treadmill after games etc Yeah, it is a bit given he's a great pro who he loves. But if he's currently got McClean at No.3 in his LWB depth chart, it makes sense. You can question if he should be at No.3, but there's at least a defensible position there. He said in an interview last week that it'd be equally unfair on Tymon to leave him out of the 18 given what he's shown in pre-season. And don't suppose, from a bench balance point of view, you can include both of them. But if he's going to keep with the 3-5-2, leaving McClean out completely long-term doesn't seem a tenable position - so something will have to give.
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Post by collo68 on Sept 20, 2020 20:06:18 GMT
I like that side maybe apart from Bruno, think we would lots of creativity
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Post by AlbertTatlock on Sept 20, 2020 20:08:16 GMT
He's better left out of the team than asking him to play as a wing back, he's a liability there. Some people have short memories. Gouranga.
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Post by spitthedog on Sept 20, 2020 20:12:23 GMT
It's amazing how much better players are perceived when they aren't playing. Run through a brick wall you say? Probably the same brick wall I bang my head against after he fails to find a man with a cross. I strongly disagree. As I said I don't consider McClean the answer to all problems but we definitely missed him, what he lacks in pace he contributes in energy to the team. Its all relative but he was one of our most effective players last season Im damn sure we would have been relegated without him. That's a poor point about him being better when he's not playing seeing as he was one of the best we when he was. I want to see players in the team who put their neck on the line. Powell was absolutely pathetic today, didn't want to to be on the pitch and rolled around on the floor at every opportunity was even prepared to break up one of our few attacks to get attention. I'd be happy never to see him in a Stoke shirt again and that is not just on todays performance. The guy thinks he's more important than the team that is obvious and the absolute opposite of what you get with McClean. Yes, he's got more talent but he's a complete and utter bottler. McClean does test opponents and ruffle feathers and does have the capacity to create chances as he did v Wolves and many times last season. Yes most of his crosses fail but he is capable of putting in excellent crosses, even if its a couple a game, but thats sometimes all you need....... today not one decent cross and nobody prepared to step up as McClean did many times last season when we needed something. There was no spirit in that team today, that was most disappointing thing for me.
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Post by realstokebloke on Sept 20, 2020 20:13:11 GMT
Player of the season or not, I'd flog him in a heartbeat, especially if it helped FFP and we spent the money wisely.*
* which still seems to be the very, very, very difficult bit for us, even post MoN sadly.
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Post by bayernoatcake on Sept 20, 2020 20:13:29 GMT
It's amazing how much better players are perceived when they aren't playing. Run through a brick wall you say? Probably the same brick wall I bang my head against after he fails to find a man with a cross. I strongly disagree. As I said I don't consider McClean the answer to all problems but we definitely missed him, what he lacks in pace he contributes in energy to the team. Its all relative but he was one of our most effective players last season Im damn sure we would have been relegated without him. That's a poor point about him being better when he's not playing seeing as he was one of the best we when he was. I want to see players in the team who put their neck on the line. Powell was absolutely pathetic today, didn't want to to be on the pitch and rolled around on the floor at every opportunity was even prepared to break up one of our few attacks to get attention. I'd be happy never to see him in a Stoke shirt again and that is not just on todays performance. The guy thinks he's more important than the team that is obvious and the absolute opposite of what you get with McClean. Yes, he's got more talent but he's a complete and utter bottler. McClean does test opponents and ruffle feathers and does have the capacity to create chances as he did v Wolves and many times last season. Yes most of his crosses fail but he is capable of putting in excellent crosses, even if its a couple a game, but thats sometimes all you need....... today not one decent cross and nobody prepared to step up as McClean did many times last season when we needed something. McClean was dogshit in 80% of games last season.
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Post by Fred Merger on Sept 20, 2020 20:13:37 GMT
He can go for me. We should never have signed him in the first place.
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Post by spitthedog on Sept 20, 2020 20:15:09 GMT
I strongly disagree. As I said I don't consider McClean the answer to all problems but we definitely missed him, what he lacks in pace he contributes in energy to the team. Its all relative but he was one of our most effective players last season Im damn sure we would have been relegated without him. That's a poor point about him being better when he's not playing seeing as he was one of the best we when he was. I want to see players in the team who put their neck on the line. Powell was absolutely pathetic today, didn't want to to be on the pitch and rolled around on the floor at every opportunity was even prepared to break up one of our few attacks to get attention. I'd be happy never to see him in a Stoke shirt again and that is not just on todays performance. The guy thinks he's more important than the team that is obvious and the absolute opposite of what you get with McClean. Yes, he's got more talent but he's a complete and utter bottler. McClean does test opponents and ruffle feathers and does have the capacity to create chances as he did v Wolves and many times last season. Yes most of his crosses fail but he is capable of putting in excellent crosses, even if its a couple a game, but thats sometimes all you need....... today not one decent cross and nobody prepared to step up as McClean did many times last season when we needed something. McClean was dogshit in 80% of games last season. and today was 100% dogshit, there is your margin. I'm all for having better players than McClean in the team but I don't see many in this squad.
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Post by stantheman on Sept 20, 2020 20:19:59 GMT
McClean was dogshit in 80% of games last season. and today was 100% dogshit, there is your margin. I'm all for having better players than McClean in the team but I don't see many in this squad. You're 100% correct but this will start him off....
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2020 20:22:11 GMT
Despite his limited ability I like McClean. But from a FFP perspective I'd understand why we would sell him, and I'd be happy to put faith in Tymon, Verlinden and even Brown to fill the gap going forward.....
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Post by bayernoatcake on Sept 20, 2020 20:22:46 GMT
McClean was dogshit in 80% of games last season. and today was 100% dogshit, there is your margin. I'm all for having better players than McClean in the team but I don't see many in this squad. Most of them are. Today was about the manager fucking the tactics up. The players tried their hardest within the restraints set. Very McClean like.
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Post by spitthedog on Sept 20, 2020 20:31:53 GMT
and today was 100% dogshit, there is your margin. I'm all for having better players than McClean in the team but I don't see many in this squad. Most of them are. Today was about the manager fucking the tactics up. The players tried their hardest within the restraints set. Very McClean like. Manager's tactics don't wash with me to excuse lack of effort and commitment.
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Post by bayernoatcake on Sept 20, 2020 20:33:17 GMT
Most of them are. Today was about the manager fucking the tactics up. The players tried their hardest within the restraints set. Very McClean like. Manager's tactics don't wash with me to excuse lack of effort and commitment. There was effort and commitment today.
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Post by liathroid on Sept 20, 2020 20:34:31 GMT
He can go for me. We should never have signed him in the first place. why
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2020 22:14:01 GMT
We massively miss McClean.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2020 22:42:14 GMT
Sour Grapes? O'Neill was appointed manager of Northern Ireland on 28 December 2011 "The Derry winger made his debut for the Republic of Ireland senior team against the Czech Republic at the Aviva Stadium in February 2012, having switched to play for the Republic and turning down a call-up to the Northern Irish senior team the previous summer. McClean said that he felt uncomfortable playing for Northern Ireland's underage team. "I didn't feel part of the squad. And I think any Catholic player if they said they did, I'd probably call them a liar," McClean said in 2012." link
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Post by bayernoatcake on Sept 20, 2020 22:44:33 GMT
Sour Grapes? O'Neill was appointed manager of Northern Ireland on 28 December 2011 "The Derry winger made his debut for the Republic of Ireland senior team against the Czech Republic at the Aviva Stadium in February 2012, having switched to play for the Republic and turning down a call-up to the Northern Irish senior team the previous summer. McClean said that he felt uncomfortable playing for Northern Ireland's underage team. "I didn't feel part of the squad. And I think any Catholic player if they said they did, I'd probably call them a liar," McClean said in 2012." linkNah.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2020 22:46:45 GMT
Sour Grapes? O'Neill was appointed manager of Northern Ireland on 28 December 2011 "The Derry winger made his debut for the Republic of Ireland senior team against the Czech Republic at the Aviva Stadium in February 2012, having switched to play for the Republic and turning down a call-up to the Northern Irish senior team the previous summer. McClean said that he felt uncomfortable playing for Northern Ireland's underage team. "I didn't feel part of the squad. And I think any Catholic player if they said they did, I'd probably call them a liar," McClean said in 2012." linkNah. OK just a thought
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Post by bayernoatcake on Sept 20, 2020 22:52:36 GMT
If it happened from the off I’d buy it tbh. I have no idea why he’s suddenly dropped him though other than he’s just realised he’s actually a big pile of shit. But that’s just me wishful thinking I think 😂
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Post by Fred Merger on Sept 20, 2020 23:04:43 GMT
He can go for me. We should never have signed him in the first place. why He has no pace & no trickery and struggles to get past his man. Technically a pretty poor footballer in my opinion. He's certainly gritty but just very average at best.
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Post by Malcolm Clarke on Sept 21, 2020 16:14:40 GMT
He has no pace & no trickery and struggles to get past his man. Technically a pretty poor footballer in my opinion. He's certainly gritty but just very average at best. I don’t think you can reasonably say that a footballer who has played about 350 games in the top two leagues of the English pyramid is a pretty poor footballer.
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Post by maine on Sept 21, 2020 16:23:04 GMT
He's always an outlet on the left, which in turn creates space inside. Yesterday we didn't have a viable outlet and midfielders were looking in vain for someone to give it to. I'm also not convinced that the Northern Ireland/Republic notion should be dismissed out of hand.
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Post by heworksardtho on Sept 21, 2020 16:24:48 GMT
Bodie n Doyle Dempsey n Makepeace Starsky n Hutch
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Post by goatbulgaria on Sept 21, 2020 16:41:29 GMT
thought he was fucking off to Celtic. They'll love him up there
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Post by Staffsoatcake on Sept 21, 2020 17:06:41 GMT
We must have some poor players if McClean will improve our starting 11.
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Post by slother on Sept 21, 2020 17:08:46 GMT
We must have some poor players if McClean will improve our starting 11. We have a squad full of poor players.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2020 18:02:48 GMT
Sour Grapes? O'Neill was appointed manager of Northern Ireland on 28 December 2011 "The Derry winger made his debut for the Republic of Ireland senior team against the Czech Republic at the Aviva Stadium in February 2012, having switched to play for the Republic and turning down a call-up to the Northern Irish senior team the previous summer. McClean said that he felt uncomfortable playing for Northern Ireland's underage team. "I didn't feel part of the squad. And I think any Catholic player if they said they did, I'd probably call them a liar," McClean said in 2012." linkRubbish. If he did have a grudge against mCcLean, O'Neill wouldn't have played him at all, since he came in. But he did, just about every game till the injury. Eventually we did better without him than with him.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2020 18:05:27 GMT
He has no pace & no trickery and struggles to get past his man. Technically a pretty poor footballer in my opinion. He's certainly gritty but just very average at best. I don’t think you can reasonably say that a footballer who has played about 350 games in the top two leagues of the English pyramid is a pretty poor footballer. You probably can't in England where running non stop is considered more worthy than skill on the ball, in some quarters. But on the continent you don't find players of his ilk.
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Post by spitthedog on Sept 21, 2020 18:05:54 GMT
We must have some poor players if McClean will improve our starting 11. If you want evidence .....see lat season. It is pretty much universally agreed, even amongst those who are prejudiced against him, that he was in the top 2 of our best players over the whole of last season. I cannot see how this has changed dramatically coming into this season and from we have witnessed so far. He is the only person to have created a goal in a competitive game for us this season in his 1 appearance.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2020 18:11:06 GMT
Sour Grapes? O'Neill was appointed manager of Northern Ireland on 28 December 2011 "The Derry winger made his debut for the Republic of Ireland senior team against the Czech Republic at the Aviva Stadium in February 2012, having switched to play for the Republic and turning down a call-up to the Northern Irish senior team the previous summer. McClean said that he felt uncomfortable playing for Northern Ireland's underage team. "I didn't feel part of the squad. And I think any Catholic player if they said they did, I'd probably call them a liar," McClean said in 2012." link
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