Preseason Friendlies

[rudedog]

In the clips he looks quite good, but over the x number of minutes he played, how did Mac Callister do as a DM? A better option than CJ for the Chelsea match? Or was he wasted there and more needed further up the pitch?

Easily the best DM that we’ve had in preseason but will still need someone next to him to help out (like Xabi needed a Masch)

He’s just an all round quality player, good at positioning himself, good at nicking the ball, good with the ball at his feet, good at passing - still early days but seems a bonafide steal for what we paid for him.

[RedReet]

In the clips he looks quite good, but over the x number of minutes he played, how did Mac Callister do as a DM? A better option than CJ for the Chelsea match? Or was he wasted there and more needed further up the pitch?

He was genuinely excellent and really needs to start there against Chelsea. I felt it was his best preseason performance and was easily MOTM.

Jones will probably come back in on Sunday, but I really hope he plays in one of the 8 roles.

Problem is, I think you could drop any DM in the history of football into our current setup and we'll still struggle defensively. Until we sort our other issues, may as well stick with Mac as he brings so much more to the table.

[Fosterbloke]

Jones is comfortable further forward so I can see any of the three swapping around to take turns defensively while the other two support the attack.

[Charly]

Jones is comfortable further forward so I can see any of the three swapping around to take turns defensively while the other two support the attack.

We aint good enough to play like that.

We need players who are sure of their role and where they need to position and press

[Mr Pink]

We aint good enough to play like that.

We need players who are sure of their role and where they need to position and press

it’s 3 midfielders who have never played a competitive game together- no need to over complicate things

[Fosterbloke]

it’s 3 midfielders who have never played a competitive game together- no need to over complicate things

You just described every new midfield signing ever.

[Doc_Piptorious]

We aint good enough to play like that.

We need players who are sure of their role and where they need to position and press

Think we do have three midfielders good enough to do that.

Szoboszlai played in exactly that sort of midfield with RB Leipzig. If the DM was out of position then one of the other two slotted back and the trio took turns in who went forward and who did not.

Plus it was a midfield that played within a team that held a high line and that used triggers to initiate presses.



MacAllister also played in a team that pressed as a unit and whose midfielders took turns in who went forward and who dropd to defend. A quiock peep at MacAllister's defensive stats and where on the pitch those defensive actions took place shows that he is very aware tactically.


Jones has trained within our set up for years and is very much a midfielder that will go forward whenever he has a chance, but he will drop back when needed. An example that springs to mind of how far back he drops to cover an out of position team mate would have been in the build up to when he was fouled by Ronaldo when we played the Mancs a few seasons back. Jones was practically in the LB slot when that happened.


Our issue imo is not the fact that two thirds of that trio is new, more that we have not really sorted out the formational side of things that is constantly leaving big spaces behind the trio and ensuring that a number of times a game a long ball over the top is the way to bypass the midfield.

If TAA in the inverted RB role is not quickly getting back to his RB slot (or at the bare minimum splitting the CBs so the RCB can go to RB until the next phase of play) when there is an overturn or pressure against us then our midfielders working hard to get their timing right as a trio get undone by that moment when part of the team does not reset to anticipate a threat or to slow an ongoing incoming attack.

[Fosterbloke]

Think we do have three midfielders good enough to do that.

Szoboszlai played in exactly that sort of midfield with RB Leipzig. If the DM was out of position then one of the other two slotted back and the trio took turns in who went forward and who did not.

Plus it was a midfield that played within a team that held a high line and that used triggers to initiate presses.

MacAllister also played in a team that pressed as a unit and whose midfielders took turns in who went forward and who dropd to defend. A quiock peep at MacAllister's defensive stats and where on the pitch those defensive actions took place shows that he is very aware tactically.

Jones has trained within our set up for years and is very much a midfielder that will go forward whenever he has a chance, but he will drop back when needed. An example that springs to mind of how far back he drops to cover an out of position team mate would have been in the build up to when he was fouled by Ronaldo when we played the Mancs a few seasons back. Jones was practically in the LB slot when that happened.

Our issue imo is not the fact that two thirds of that trio is new, more that we have not really sorted out the formational side of things that is constantly leaving big spaces behind the trio and ensuring that a number of times a game a long ball over the top is the way to bypass the midfield.

If TAA in the inverted RB role is not quickly getting back to his RB slot (or at the bare minimum splitting the CBs so the RCB can go to RB until the next phase of play) when there is an overturn or pressure against us then our midfielders working hard to get their timing right as a trio get undone by that moment when part of the team does not reset to anticipate a threat or to slow an ongoing incoming attack.

So basically what I said but using 13 times more words.

[Craig_H]

[Doc_Piptorious]

[Fosterbloke]

Sorry Alan, did you want something?