I had to go out unfortunately and missed the entire game
so I'm in the process of trawling back through this thread in an attempt to piece together something resembling a match report. All I can say is - without seeing today's game, just based on our previous efforts -
if your description of McCarthy is accurate (and I believe he is a bring-the-ball-out-of-defence kind of player) then he is precisely what we need and, in that department for sure, a massive upgrade on Fellaini.
You mean an upgrade on Gibson, right? Because what you're describing is Gibson's usual role. Felli fills in for Gibson when he's injured. if McCarthy can do that job, then he'd be replacing Gibson, not Felli.
We need people to get the ball off the defenders/keeper, bring it forward, and start the attacks from deep. Gibson is again unfit (and probably will be for a minimum of 20% of our games) and, though I am one of his biggest fans, it is increasingly apparent this isn't a job for Osman. He needs to be further forward using his excellent control and quick feet in tight forward areas, but then again Barkley has been such a revelation in that very role it is difficult to see where Osman could fit in.
Yes. But why haven't you acknowledged that today, and against WBA, Felli was constantly coming back and taking the ball from Jags and Distin?
McCarthy should bring an immediate improvement in the tempo of our game because right now, though we are playing some good composed football when we have it in the middle of the pitch, getting there is a combination of winning 50/50s from goal kicks or taking posession from the opposition. Nothing really comes forward from our own half, the defenders try and pass it round and wait for space but our centre halves just don't really know what to do with it (Alcaraz will be a big plus on his return, too; and Stones looks very good in this department) and the centre mids don't come back to help. It results in Jagielka and Distin playing 1-2s before knocking it long or back to the keeper. It means we are slower getting things going, and overall rely on opposition mistakes (defenders not winning 50/50s, people giving the ball away) to get ourselves going alot of the time.
Again, have you not noticed the tall Belgian lad with the afro constantly dropping deep to collect the ball from Distin and Jags?
Regardless, by all accounts this is the 4th game in which - because the opposition aren't exactly quality - this has resulted in us creating a host of chances and yet failing to score enough if any of them. This has to improve. We need to take our chances. Fellaini v West Brom and by the sounds of it Mirallas today should have scored and by taking just those 2 chances could have put us 4pts better off.
I just want Fellaini gone now, and Martinez given the funds to bring in players he wants and we need.
No, we aren't creating chances. A host of frustrated shot from 25 yards out, yes. Genuine chances in the box? No. Maybe watch the games pal, that would help.
Mirallas had a half chance of a header today from a set piece - I don't expect as much from him in that scenario as I do from Felli or Distin, and it was noticeable that Distin wasn't going forward for a lot of the set pieces. Mirallas was lacking today.
The only reason we need to ship Felli out is to generate a sizeable transfer fund - he is NOT playing badly by any stretch of the imagination. Quite the opposite in fact, and I'd say he was one of our three best players today.
