James McCarthy M free agent b.1990

**Crosby87** · 11/05/2013, 10:12 PM

Wait, you bet 1.67 and won 91.46?

**tricky_colour** · 11/05/2013, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

Little Wigan winning the FA Cup is a fairytale though OwlsFan. 18 years ago they were non-league. Of course on a given day any Premier League team can beat another, but it usually wouldn't happen in what is an equally big game for both sides, a final. The fact that they did it playing great football made it all the more impressive.

So, 'extraordinary feat' - definitely yes, 'crazy result' - maybe not so much but I'm sure most people hearing the result would be pretty shocked, apart from mental gambler Tricky that is

McManaman was without doubt the best player on show, barely debatable really.

As I said on paper it may have been a shock result but judging by the first 15 minutes play I don't think so.
Just depends which teams turn up on the day, turned out to be a decent Wigan side and a lacklustre Man City one.

Agreed about McManaman, he is some player shame he is not one of ours. Maloney is a good player too with a dead ball.

Given would have kept that header out though!!!

**tricky_colour** · 11/05/2013, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by Crosby87

Wait, you bet 1.67 and won 91.46?

No I bet �0.67, there was already �86.67 'resting' in my account, so I ended up with �91.36

Had a good week really, $20 on on-line poker which I recently restarted playing cos I was bored,
the money is neither here not there really hardly a life changing sum.

**Crosby87** · 11/05/2013, 11:26 PM

What do you think about the Preaknesss? All Irish have the horseplay in the blood and it drives me crazy that you all don't care about the triple crown. Orb looks nasty but give me a different horse tricky.

**Stuttgart88** · 12/05/2013, 7:08 AM

Most enjoyable cup final in years. I feared it'd be like Paris in '09, where the plucky underdog played out of their skins, but paid the penalty for not taking their chances. I know Martinez acted the git over the McCarthy-defecting-to-Scotland affair, but there's a lot to like about the guy. He was a credit to football yesterday.

**tricky_colour** · 12/05/2013, 1:34 PM

Originally Posted by Crosby87

What do you think about the Preaknesss? All Irish have the horseplay in the blood and it drives me crazy that you all don't care about the triple crown. Orb looks nasty but give me a different horse tricky.

I had a bit of a look at the form for that, Orb looks like he should win but he has a correspondingly short price.
When I have a bit more time I will have a more of a look at some of the others and see if any are worth a bet.
I don't like backing short prices much as you have to put a lot on to win anything decent, and then they
run nothing like their form!!

**tricky_colour** · 12/05/2013, 1:39 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Most enjoyable cup final in years. I feared it'd be like Paris in '09, where the plucky underdog played out of their skins, but paid the penalty for not taking their chances. I know Martinez acted the git over the McCarthy-defecting-to-Scotland affair, but there's a lot to like about the guy. He was a credit to football yesterday.

Was definitely a good game even though the was no goal until right at the end, but it was worth waiting for. Sometime finals can be boring but I really enjoyed that one, especially McManaman skinning the City defence.
I doubt Wigan will be able to hang onto him if they go down.

**Crosby87** · 12/05/2013, 4:57 PM

Big Mac to Spurs for 10 Million?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...-McCarthy.html

**Charlie Darwin** · 12/05/2013, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Most enjoyable cup final in years. I feared it'd be like Paris in '09, where the plucky underdog played out of their skins, but paid the penalty for not taking their chances. I know Martinez acted the git over the McCarthy-defecting-to-Scotland affair, but there's a lot to like about the guy. He was a credit to football yesterday.

I don't think he did. I think he just tried to be neutral and not get involved but his attempts to do so made it look like he was meddling.

**Colbert Report** · 13/05/2013, 3:28 AM

alI wouldn't like to see him go to Spurs. They have far too many good quality players in his position already.

**paul_oshea** · 13/05/2013, 9:03 AM

watching him on saturday, it was boys v men against toure.

**passinginterest** · 13/05/2013, 9:26 AM

In a couple of shoulder to shoulder battles he came off second to Toure but not many players are winning those. Overall McCarthy was absolutely crucial to Wigan, he played an incredibly disciplined role as the midfield anchor, always protecting the back four and never panicking when he had the ball, he just held it to allow the team to move forward then picked the right pass nearly every time. It was McCarthy's discipline and positional play that allowed McManaman to be constantly pushed forward because he was always offering the extra cover to his full backs. We didn't get to see him in a more mobile attacking role, which I think he'd be capable of in a better team, if it was required, but I though it was a brilliantly mature performance from a 22 year old, in a cup final, against some of the most highly rated midfield players in the world. David Silva hardly got a touch in a dangerous area in front of the Wigan back four, and that was down to the fact that McCarthy was always occupying that space, City never really managed to create anything in the middle and I'd give a huge amount of Credit to McCarhty for that.

**Junior** · 13/05/2013, 9:43 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

watching him on saturday, it was boys v men against toure.

Toure had a relatively poor game and ended up on the losing side. He is a man mountain if that is what you are referring to?

**tetsujin1979** · 13/05/2013, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

watching him on saturday, it was boys v men against toure.

Toure had an edge on him, but overall McCarthy had the better game

**geysir** · 13/05/2013, 12:45 PM

James was definitely more subdued in a covering role, compared to the excellent game he had against Swansea, when he was about the only functioning Wigan player. In that game, McManaman was very poor and then he goes to hero status in the cup final with a brilliant performance.

There is no way that Toure overshadowed James, I thought Toure was a mere purposeless shadow out there.

**Sullivinho** · 13/05/2013, 1:45 PM

I think Paul might possibly be referring to that instance when James and Toure got into a footrace/barging contest along the touchline which the latter got the better of. Otherwise I agree, McCarthy had the better game of the two.

**Charlie Darwin** · 13/05/2013, 1:56 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

James was definitely more subdued in a covering role, compared to the excellent game he had against Swansea, when he was about the only functioning Wigan player. In that game, McManaman was very poor and then he goes to hero status in the cup final with a brilliant performance.

There is no way that Toure overshadowed James, I thought Toure was a mere purposeless shadow out there.

They hype over McManaman is beginning to reach James McCleanian proportions. Future England international - one Guardian reader even tipped him for a World Cup spot. since England are guaranteed qualification, of course.

**Stuttgart88** · 13/05/2013, 2:25 PM

It's hard to tell how good McManaman was. I've rarely seen Clichy being given such a pasting but I'm not convinced his decision making was very good and either his final ball was poor and he wasn't aware of his options, or he just simply had nobody to pick out on the box. Kone(?) was game but limited in his impact.

Charlie, wrt Martinez, pethaps I should have said that he upset a few people on foot.ie (which of course is the true barometer of Irish football attitudes!) with his unhelpful remarks on McCarthy last year. I'm not sure he was being deliberately disruptive, but even if he was, he's entitled to speak his mind. I like him.