A fit and on form Mcsheffrey might save us..... (1 Viewer)

[OyJimmy]

Let me be clear, I don't think he's the top player he was and one man does not replace a team. But he does have flashes of class and he could make the team hang together. He can drop in the hole and feed the strikers and he is an older head with experience at a higher level.

Looking around the rest of the team and I don't see anyone else who could pull the team together. Baker (now injured) and Cranie are good experience pro's. Eastwood might occasionally pull something out the bag. But if we need an older more attacking player to hold the whole team together and link up play more then I think he's the man.

Look at our results we aren't scoring enough. There are a number of reasons for that not just the front 2 not bagging goals... But it seems to me that if we need one player to have a big season for us it's Mcsheffrey.

And if he got injured, well I really fear we're screwed.

 

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[OyJimmy]

Oh and to be clear he was rubbish today. But that's not the point I'm making....

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

I'm a fan too but he isn't looking like the same player this season.

Part of that is the shape-Aron did fulfil that RCM perfectly in terms of positioning, and closed down better than we are doing at present in it; Bell was fit and added balance at LCM; and those two were much more narrow with Sammy 4 yards further up the pitch. That gave us a platform and McSheffrey linked with the full backs and the midfield and strikers-giving us an overload situation almost constantly.

This season:
--------------DMC---------------Line1
--RCM---------------------------Line2
------------------------LCM-----Line3
--------------AMC---------------Line4
----------------------------------Line5
--------ST-----------ST--------Line6

Last season:

--------------------------------Line1
-------------DMC--------------Line2
-----RCM-----------LCM------Line3
--------------------------------Line4
-------------AMC--------------Line5
------ST-------------ST-------Line6

The AMC in last years shape is surrounded by teamates, closer to the strikers, and with a firm foundation of a compact 3 CM's behind him. Now. the entire diamond is sat "one back" on last season, leaving a gap to the strikers. All the RCM and LCM serve to do in this shape is serve as pivots of possesion to the full-backs-who ever turn back and pass it inside to Sammy, or whack in a long cross.

So..short answer, yes McSheffrey can make all the difference-if he's fit and used in the position he was last year. But we need an energetic midfielder who is capable of closing down in a narrow 3 CM's. I hope and pray Deegan can be that man, cos there aint no-one else.

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

Another thing is-with our midfield spread out, a lot more passes are long rather than short and nippy, one-two's, etc. I think I've seen 1 through ball down the middle on the floor to feet all season. The longer the pass, the easier it is for defences to move into position. Quick, snappy passing-achieved with players within short passing length of each other-allows movement and runs off the ball, creating space. THIS is McSheffrey and Bells game, but we are not playing that formation and style anymore.

 

[sw88]

The only thing we'll save with a fitter McEheffrey is pies at the training ground! Hes certainly piling on the pounds again. Shud have gone fat camp with Deegan and Freddy I think! He looked unfit and knackered even before half time n he onpy played about 2 mins of the first half!