James McCarthy

[RichardP]

Let's be serious for a second.

There are now two games left. With Wolves winning today they have opened up a four-point gap between us, so 7th place is now pretty unlikely. We're going to come 8th or 9th - probably 8th if you look at Watford and Leicester's remaining games. In this instance it makes sense for Davies to be given a rest so that he can have an injury-free summer. If our summer transfers go well, we might even see Davies made available for a loan (I doubt it) but it's also quite likely he will be a key part of the midfield rotation nest season.

McCarthy, on the other hand, is finished here. Silva is treading a fine line, trying to give McCarthy enough game time to put him in the shop window but not so much game time that he accidentally shatters his pelvis into a million pieces or somehow manages to knock his own head off in a freak accident taking a throw-in.

Hopefully McCarthy goes on to have a few productive seasons, possibly even in the Prem. But definitely not with us. He's been a very poor transfer, objectively speaking: at the time we picked him up, £13m was a fair chunk of cash. In return he has missed over one hundred games due to injury. He's spent over 700 days - TWO YEARS - in the treatment room, the hospital or rehab. Totally unacceptable for a professional athlete.

Looking at the current top seven teams in the Championship I would think that McCarthy would be of interest to whichever three teams eventually win promotion. I'd happily take £5m for him - not that we'd get that given he's got a year left under contract.

The situation you describe is true now, but it wasn't the case when Marco decided he would rather have Jimmy Mac on the bench than Tom Davies before today's games. When that decision was made we were still very much in the mix for seventh.

I was unsure whether or not to agree with your interpretation when or if Jimmy Mac either starts or gets at least 45 mins v Burnley, which is now a largely meaningless game but if he does get 45 mins it could be a case of Marco getting Jimmy Mac some match fitness ahead of next season rather than putting him in the shop window.

We all know his injury record. But a broken leg can happen to anyone and is just bad luck. His hamstrings we don't really know about but there is only one way to find out and that is to play the lad.

I think he deserves the chance. I am not saying he is a starter but I do think he could be a valuable squad member.

 

[Tree13]

The situation you describe is true now, but it wasn't the case when Marco decided he would rather have Jimmy Mac on the bench than Tom Davies before today's games. When that decision was made we were still very much in the mix for seventh.

I was unsure whether or not to agree with your interpretation when or if Jimmy Mac either starts or gets at least 45 mins v Burnley, which is now a largely meaningless game but if he does get 45 mins it could be a case of Marco getting Jimmy Mac some match fitness ahead of next season rather than putting him in the shop window.

We all know his injury record. But a broken leg can happen to anyone and is just bad luck. His hamstrings we don't really know about but there is only one way to find out and that is to play the lad.

I think he deserves the chance. I am not saying he is a starter but I do think he could be a valuable squad member.

He didn't miss 700 days solely due to one broken leg.

McCarthy has a long and well-documented history of being incapable of staying fit for prolonged periods of time. There is no way on Earth Silva should risk starting him in either of our remaining games - particularly as we're currently seeing improved attitude and performances from Schneiderlin, a player who might still have a future here.

Give McCarthy enough game time to remind people he's alive, around 20 minutes at the end of each of the next two games. Any more than that and statisically he is far too big an injury risk: if he gets injured again we'll never get rid of him.

He's had far more chances than he deserved already. He is not a valuable squad member. He is a drain on club finances and cannot be relied upon to stay fit so cannot start games. Gomes is a better player, younger and not a sicknote; Schneiderlin, on form, is a better player and isn't a sicknote; Davies is younger, has far more potential and is not a sicknote.

There is no reason to keep McCarthy, so he should be managed in the best way to get him sold ASAP.

EDIT: Happy to add that I really cannot stand McCarthy. I wish him no ill will as ahuman being, and I'm sure he's a decent chap off the field. But he is the polar opposite of an asset and therefore the club must stop investing in him.

 

[street end]

Agree his injury record is terrible, I do actually like him as a player, always willing to put a foot in and has a good work rate. It leaves you to wonder what could have been if it was not for the terrible injury from last year. Maybe he would of got another injury but maybe he could have been a decent player for us this season, although I couldn’t see him getting in the team in front of Gueye. Probably best to cut our losses I would say regrettably.

 

[street end]

I would add that I would still start him over Tom Davies any day of the week

 

[whiter661]

It’s funny how people quickly forget. Under Martinez he was our Gana if not better at times. Give him another go he’s still young enough

 

[CRIMHEAD]

It’s funny how people quickly forget. Under Martinez he was our Gana if not better at times. Give him another go he’s still young enough

Just stop. He was never our Gana. He can't tackle like Gana and never could. He's nowhere near and never has been the defensive player Gana is. He had a good year in his first year he came over from Wigan, but that was 5 years ago and he's never had as a year since. He's 28. We should sell ASAP. If we got 3 or 4M for him I'd be surprised.

 

[street end]

At 28 he’s still got a few years left, good luck to him. If we sell we have got to get at least 5M for him surely

 

[Jersey Baz]

Good at time we needed him but now and going forward ? He was there to fight the better teams, tackles, pressure, graft....but I want us to be the better team, we must step up, be better, next level.

 

[Lanolin]

It’s funny how people quickly forget. Under Martinez he was our Gana if not better at times. Give him another go he’s still young enough

Yep, you’ve forgotten alright. Now bed, and stay there until you realise how little you understand the game.

 

[Billysgingham.]

Yep, you’ve forgotten alright. Now bed, and stay there until you realise how little you understand the game.

Kin hark at Mr guardiola.

 

[Lanolin]

Kin hark at Mr guardiola.

I meant ‘the game’ like in the internet sense but you obviously understand neither, which is embarrassing for you.

 

[buskwhi2]

If there was a way of guaranteeing he’d be fit for 25-30 games a season I’d be happy to keep him. I like him when he’s fit and he offers plenty. Unfortunately he’s far too injury prone and it’s best he moves on.

 

[Billysgingham.]

I meant ‘the game’ like in the internet sense but you obviously understand neither, which is embarrassing for you.

Shut up Mr know all.

 

[DaChunk]

He has to go. Don't know how he gets away with having this cult following when he has the ability of Besic and Cleverley. We're above that level now. Sell him and give his wage to Gana to try and keep him at any cost.

 

[cronullasharks]

Just give him to Hearts or Partick Thistle.