2024/25 Dwight McNeil

[Osamabindiesel]

Pretty sure it’s because he’s not blisteringly quick. That’s it.

Yes. He isn't Ronaldinho on the ball, but his close control is on par with Ndiaye and he has a great left foot. Ntm his work rate is excellent. Get him a partner out wide or keep him where he was effective in the middle this year.

 

[maccavennie]

Yeah, that shows it from a much better angle than the TV footage.

Don't think he intended it to be so close to the defenders heel but the fact he looked so far left and across shows you he's intending to find Doucoure, so fair play it's a brilliant ball

 

[Lapeno77]

Wonder if he could work on the right, full time?

Could solve a lot of problems if so.

 

[Osamabindiesel]

Wonder if he could work on the right, full time?

Could solve a lot of problems if so.

With a partner. Unless he develops a right foot, I think he would be too predictable and that isn't ideal when you have to cut back to your strong foot. If I were Dwight, I would work nonstop on that right all off-season. Doesn't have to be spectacular. Just has to be able to stand up the ball and drive it.

 

[MaximusEvertonius]

Great post, mate. I was just about to say that. The main flaw in Dwight’s game is lack of a right foot. He’s got no confidence in it. He stops his own momentum by forcing the ball to his left when he should take the perfectly set up right foot strike.

 

[Osamabindiesel]

Great post, mate. I was just about to say that. The main flaw in Dwight’s game is lack of a right foot. He’s got no confidence in it. He stops his own momentum by forcing the ball to his left when he should take the perfectly set up right foot strike.

Just look at the massive difference it made for Harrison today when he went with his right. What's strange for me is Jack is two-footed. I have no idea why he has been so reluctant to use it. Dwight does not have a right foot at all and needs to work on it.

 

[DanB90]

@kev just watched the latest Everton video and you're correct, 100% he's looking for Doucoure

He has to get the pass spot on, there’s no room for error, but there’s no doubt in my mind Doucoure is the intended target.

 

[maccavennie]

He has to get the pass spot on, there’s no room for error, but there’s no doubt in my mind Doucoure is the intended target.

100% mate. I thought it was for Gueye tbh but I've just watched the access All areas Everton video and the camera is from the viewpoint of the away end and you can see Dwight look up and across a couple of times to see where Doucoure is.

 

[Clarky cat]

Watch from 14:03 absolutely meant it

My particular highlight is at 12:45… dry your eyes mate

 

[ToffeeScot]

We are a better threat with him in the side. Same as Ndiaye. That says a lot about the current squad but also is a credit to him actually being a decent player. He is good enough to be part of the squad at least. I would sign Alcaraz and have them compete for the CAM spot.

 

[Cameron Manning]

Great post, mate. I was just about to say that. The main flaw in Dwight’s game is lack of a right foot. He’s got no confidence in it. He stops his own momentum by forcing the ball to his left when he should take the perfectly set up right foot strike.

Dwight gives a lot of credit to his dad for the way he brought him up constantly coaching and training with him, his dad was also a professional footballer so it’s amazing to me that he never taught him to kick with both feet—-that is a basic but essential part of playing football, what a player he would have been able to kick with both feet!

 

[Aries]

Watch from 14:03 absolutely meant it

Seems like a decent lad him. Complimented us and our away support whilst obviously being gutted his team lost so fair play to him.

 

[Vaughan]

Wonder if he could work on the right, full time?

Could solve a lot of problems if so.

possibly, for whatever reason he’s a bit of a throwback, i don’t think as a professional he ever played there until Lampard tried it and he never looked comfortable there

not to say he couldnt in future

i wouldnt bank on him being the answer anyway

 

[OzarkBlue]

Still think he's a LB.

 

[mistuhp]

100% mate. I thought it was for Gueye tbh but I've just watched the access All areas Everton video and the camera is from the viewpoint of the away end and you can see Dwight look up and across a couple of times to see where Doucoure is.

I'm not exactly a person who tends to give McNeil the benefit of the doubt very much, but...
When it happened, everything about his body language and the options available absolutely screamed out that he was going to play the ball to Doucoure. Gana's run was well covered, and McNeil was looking up when he crossed midfield, so he saw that just as it was starting to develop. There was no reason for him to raise his head so much on the second look if he were just going for Gana, so it seemed like he was measuring out the pass to Doucoure.

But then when he didn't go with the pass in the air to skip over the two defenders on Gana's run, it really did look like he'd just made the wrong decision and went for Gana, and it was just pure luck that it got through to Doucoure. But on McNeil's second look up, he seemed to pick out that the defender was so extreme in facing his own goal in the defensive run that it would be difficult for him to actually do anything about a ball played behind his back.

You can see that the ball was actually played about three yards beyond where the defender was when McNeil looked up that second time, but the defender has run about four yards, with his legs stepping away from the ball, before being all tied up in knots from trying to stick his heel back.

I actually think he's played the thing quite literally inch perfect, and there are a few other details of this that really cement it as a well thought out play by McNeil:

• If the pass were played in the air, it would have been a much, much more difficult chance for Doucoure, possibly being missed completely or sent to row Z.
• If the ball were intended for Gana, it would have been way too far in front of him. McNeil with time and space like that is usually pretty accurate at placing those kinds of passes.
• With how the defender was running, that best case defensive scenario of the heel being stuck out to block the pass quite likely just would have resulted in teeing it up for Gana, through on goal in front of Murillo heading into the D with unmarked Doucoure running to the far post and the other defender off balance and now out of the play.