Just so I understand, we're going to play wingers and those wingers are a number 10 and a wing back and we're going to play a fast paced high press with DKD, Ferrugia and a 37 year old with no sub on the bench for the 37 year old, or DKD. I'll give Hourihane a month.
One thing i will say is there's way more intent and professionalism in the warm up today than anything under Clarke and Stead. Looks like its DKD on the left and Farrugia on the right
Leading the BBS pots for a while last term. Always gets a foot in, wins a hell of a lot of brave headers. Played in a team that was getting bombarded due to no cover in front of them. Any of the 5 main defenders made mistakes, St. Robbo included. Earle, O'Keeffe, Baz and others made some howlers but MDG became scapegoat of the 2nd half of the season. Granted he had a 2 or 3 game spell where he was (not the only one) clueless but I'm happy to give him another go. Not the best footballer we had, not blessed with speed and not physically imposing but in my opinion a brave lad who is giving it a good go.
Personally think he his crap in air, not strong enough by far, if I was opposing centre forward I would be rubbing my hands coming up against him in an arial duel.
Personally I think MDG is underrated. He has been guilty of a few errors but for the most part controls a large area of the pitch. Another year in English football under his ceinture and he can only get stronger.
I absolutely recognise, for reasons I don’t particularly understand, that some of you appear to have a major downer on our French lad. But is he really ‘first choice right back’, or is he simply being played there because we haven’t actually signed a ‘first choice right back’? Or perhaps the Head Coach thinks he can do a decent job there. Who knows? But whilst scapegoating individual players is part of our tradition (and no doubt that of most if not all clubs), it doesn’t half get on my wick.
I like the way MDG plays with his head up and at times he can pick a pass and shows more poise on the ball than the average centre back. Unfortunately he's not quick or strong enough so he finds himself in difficulty and when he is in difficulty he doesn't have a safety-first approach to defending, takes too many risks.
I’m not in the “he’s ****” camp. Never have been. In fact, I felt his first season was more than decent and hoped he’d build from there. For whatever reason, he didn’t kick on last term for me. I’ve said it time and again, but he could do with a different gym routine because he’s too lean, and too weak in duels. If he could improve just in that regard it’d be a huge step. Because I rate him on the ball, and you’re right, he’s a brave lad who you’d want in the trenches. And he’s a terrific bloke too. But I asked, mainly, in terms of him playing right back. Even if he vastly improved over the summer, he would be terrorised by wingers. The club has to be looking for a full back. Has to be. Else I’ll join the anti-Sormaz crew.