MDG

I don't post much these days but the extreme reactions that the mention of MDG attracts really winds me up. He's been here a while and made the team on a regular basis under more than one head coach. He may be great at RB, he may be average, he may be poor. I've watched him have good, average and bad games - just like any other player. Coaches have to pick from the pool they have and MDG has been picked consistently before others. Why don't we just let the head coach decide if he's good enough. Give the guy a break - he's just like the rest. It's a team game and he wasn't the only reason we conceded too many goals last season.

 

Well said

 

I was just thinking what we were missing was another Mael thread.

 

I think folk are entitled to raise concerns over the club’s failure - thus far - to recruit a right back, whilst also sharing their scepticism over Maël’s ability to perform well in that position.

I’m sure we all hope he excels in his new role. But if we were going into this season without a holding midfielder and the coach was telling us Phillips can do a great job there I’d be similarly doubtful.

 

Whilst I agree with what you're saying here @YT, as I have posted many times, I believe it is more than that. There can be posts about possible signings, other players, Trump, Brexit, etc., and you don't get more than four posts in without someone having a dig at MdG. I really don't understand some people's obsession with having to scapegoat him.

 

I shan't counter or reply as I've made my opinions well known and see no reason to repeat. Can I ask? What do you see that's positive about DeGevigney? I'm genuinely curious.

 

Bugger, thought someone was in for him then

 

To be honest all our defenders were poor last season..poor marking, no pace, failure to cut out crosses...so maybe it's harse singling just mdg out.

 

I felt like I was in a minority when I didn’t rate him 6 months ago now it feels like everyone’s sticking the boot in. I actually feel sorry for him & I hope he does well at right back but I feel like it’s going to get worse for him.

I think he’s a brilliant lad, I can’t question his desire & robustness. He rarely misses a game I just think he makes too many individual errors.

 

Is harse a posh backside?

 

It's not that I am full of positivity, it's just that I cannot understand the overwhelming negativity, and the need some people have to pile on. He's just not as bad as people make out, and is not the sole reason for our defensive frailties.

 

Or an Oirish equine?

 

I would say our defence has been absolutely awful for 3 years. MDG is the one constant in that defence. Playing him as RB will be a catastrophic mistake. But of course in the flesh I will support him.

the main issue with him is his complete brain farts. He can play pretty well for 87 minutes but in the other 3 he will gift the opposition some easy chances one of which they invariably take

 

I'm in the minority here as I rate him, he makes mistakes but he's not alone, I think he was made to look worse by a lack of cover from midfield and his wing back that often left him exposed. He's been a first choice for several consecutive coaches now which for me is a telling point and I find it strange for him to be singled out for excess criticism

 

Fair point, but have you noticed that other defenders make errors that don't result in conceding? Could it be that MDG is on hand to cover, but when the boot is on the other foot, no such cover is there.
Just a theory btw.

 

His wing back made him look poor?....when Williams played right back he saved MDG’s bacon on countless occasions due to Mael’s obvious lack of pace. I hope he proves all doubters(me included) wrong, but can’t see him being a success at right back, just like he wasn’t a success art centre back imo.

 

Here's some stats from a very simple Chat GPT prompt...
Overall MatchStat Figures (per 90 mins, League One trends)

• Match Rating: ~6.97 average (FotMob data) – a solid defensive showing overallReddit+15FotMob+15Matchstat+15
  
  
• Tackles Won: ~49 total, success rate ~71%
  
  
• Duels Won: ~282, at about 63% success
  
  
• Aerial Duels Won: ~141, around 64% success FotMob+1Matchstat+1
  
  
• Interceptions: ~61; Recoveries ~177
  
  
• Pass Accuracy: ~79% with ~1,412 completed passes; Long ball accuracy ~36.9%
  
  
• Dribble Success: ~60% across ~12 attempts FotMob+1Matchstat+1
  

He played 39 matches and roughly 3,419 minutes, accumulating 6 yellow cards and 2 red cards in league play

How Good Is He: Summary
Metric Assessment
Reliability Almost always starts, consistent ratings around 6.8–7.1
Defensive Duels High volume (~282 total), win rate ~63% – solid for a central defender
Aerial Battles Wins about 64% – effective in centre-back matchups
Passing 79% overall accuracy; struggles more under pressure or longer balls (~37%)
Interceptions & Recoveries Strong: ~61 interceptions and ~177 recoveries over season
Match Rating Average rating of 6.97 indicates steady but unspectacular contributions

Verdict
De Gevigny gives a solid, dependable defensive performance week to week. While his ratings rarely jump above 7.2, he contributes strong defensive statistics—particularly in tackles, interceptions, and aerial duels. Pass accuracy is generally good but tends to dip under pressure or on long deliveries. He’s not flashy, but he’s consistent and effective: a steady presence in the back line.

 

If Connors cha gi g how we play maybe we'll get the best out of MDG.
More organised defence. When a players given specific roles he may excell .

 

Kill me now

 

I think MDG is an awful defender but I think Earl is even worse.