Murphy, Walters and probably Brady to supply the amunition.
The concern, at this point, is simply that he mightn't make the Belarus game, isn't it?Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
From reading that, I take it he's expected to be fit for the Euros. Our first game is over two weeks away, so if there's a chance he could make the Belarus game, then surely he'll be definitely ready for Sweden?
Yeah no need for panic yet, not that Stutts is panicking.
For those who know anything about football would know that McCarthy was our world class against Germany last october.
Therefore Stutts could be going through some existential crisis, a darkness before the dawn type of thing,
as in " go on, leave, see if I care".
The trouble is I think it is the same injury which has been troubling him for much of the season.
We've a small enough squad of Premiership players. We can't really afford to lose any.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
I thought he excelled in the win against Germany as well, albeit a different kind of performance. I said I'd answer this here because I'm about to ramble on a bit and it's all pretty specific to the McCarthy/Whelan conundrum, if it can be called that.
I got a text off a buddy at home during half time in the Sweden game giving out about how poor McCarthy had been. It was at complete odds with what I had thought myself. I felt he was an integral part of the tempo we set with his energetic pressing. We had dominated the Swedes by giving them no time on the ball and I thought he probably did more than anybody in this regard. It probably wouldn't show in his tackle, interception, possession or passing stats but I felt he was playing very well.
I haven't watched the game back yet and maybe I was totally deluded but I couldn't really believe the criticism he seemed to be getting back home. That said, his second half performance was pretty subdued, possibly as a result of picking up a yellow card late in the first half. He also had a moment very similar to what he was eventually punished for against Belgium, as he tried to win a tackle when shielding the opposing player away from the danger area should have been the routine thing to do.
There's no defending his second half performance against Belgium really, it was pretty awful unfortunately.
Whelan did play well against Sweden, but I think he's getting credit for stuff now that he never used before. Have we become so acceptant of his limitations that once his performs his own (perhaps specialised but I would say undemanding) role in the side with a degree of efficiency then that is enough? Don't get me wrong, I know Whelan has taken plenty of stick himself, nobody's taken more, but I think the job that McCarthy is expected to carry out is a far more challenging one.
Whelan has two basic jobs, sit in front and protect the back four and organise what's around him. The problem is that I think Whelan himself needs protecting because he doesn't have the legs to deal with pacy attacks. He's only capable of patrolling a fairly small area, he doesn't really press well outside of this little section and he doesn't want the ball. McCarthy is found wanting when it comes to the latter also but is capable of covering far more ground, presses very well, is normally just as clued in tactically and has a better all round physical presence. Crucially, I don't think McCarthy needs protecting to the same degree Whelan does so in a sense it's like a waste of a player having them both.
The diamond in the Sweden game confused me I must say. Obviously Whelan was at the foot of it and Hoolahan was at the peak. Hendrick played the left side of it to perfection, covering Brady and attacking with purpose. I couldn't really understand what was going on with the right hand side of it though as McCarthy appeared to do a lot, if not most, of his work centrally. Was he supposed to be covering Coleman in the same way Hendrick covered Brady? Or was this Walters' job, as you couldn't really say we had two up top? Maybe McClean's introduction for Walters confused things but whatever was supposed to be happening didn't anyway in the second half, and we ended up making Marcus Olsson look like Roberto Carlos.
You've echoed what I've said elsewhere, and in my opinion, you are spot on in the final paragraph about the formation. I think there are a couple of people either in print, or in comms, that are making suggestions re: formations etc, it's being taken as gospel and run with.
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
I think I read that actually as I did catch up with everything on here when I came back, I scanned through the stuff pretty fast but remember seeing something I totally agreed with. I must read it again though.
If McCarthy is expected to play the right side of the diamond the same way Hendrick does (on the left) then it's ridiculous. He's a central midfield player and won't offer much bombing up the right either. I suspect Walters is supposed to do the donkey work down that side though with McCarthy doing Whelan's more forward pressing for him.
Good little piece here.
We will really really miss James when he is not there - its like that with some players...........
Media pressure does transmit itself to some fans. At the Italian game there were at least 3 separate fans close to me giving McCarthy a lot of stick for any error. That said there were also a lot of fans who would counter-shout with "well done James" for any positive contribution as he worked tirelessly across the pitch closing off gaps in the defence. I haven't quite worked out what type of player McCarthy is. He appears to be a front of back four Whelan type and not a classic midfielder in the Giles mode and his game for Ireland, at least, is not based on creativity but rather destruction. The Panel seems to think he should be a Giles or a Pierlo but that isn't his game. He is inclined to rely on the sideways ball most of the time and I am not sure he has that consistent creative spark but I would be happy to be proven wrong. For the moment, as Whelan will eventually sail in to the sunset, I see an Irish midfield of McCarthy doing a good job in front of the back four and Arter (and possibly Judge) providing the creativity.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
Surprised nobody corrected me here, as it was actually twin brother Martin.
May be we didn't read your post
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
Kingdom read it so that's good enough for me.
I couldn't tell one Olsen from the other.
I think the problem with McCarthy is that he looks like he is always playing the game in second gear. He has the skill and ability but never really imposes himself on games. Italy game was the first in a long time that he looked like he wanted to make an impression.
He was very good in the home leg against B&H too I think.
I think OwlsFan is right. McCarthy is a similar player to Whelan. A destructive player rather than a creator. When Whelan was dropped, McCarthy could perform his natural game.
Folding my way into the big money!!!
on the Grand Old Team forum, McCarthy is the subject of a lot of conversation. He is not highly rated by a number of the fans that post on there although they recognize his first season under Martinez he was excellent. A lot of big name players being linked with Everton that would see McCarthy dropping down the pecking order of defensive midfielders and most posters willing to see McCarthy go ahead of Gibson and Barry. He is being linked with Stoke - although nothing credible as of yet.
Not sure what will shake down at Everton this year with Moshiris billions but the fans, generally, are not impressed with McCarthy the player. Does James just need a rest? He has been playing pretty much non-stop since he was 16/17 years old.
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