Needs resting now. He's done really well but his last two performances have not been to the standard expected. I was surprised to see him start the second half. Great prospect but now is the time to bench him.

Rubbish. Go sleep it off.

I'd play him next week and save Bradys legs for the next home game

Brady and Johann have done nothing to suggest that they'd be any better currently.

He looks knackered. Time for a couple of games out.

Vegas Claret wrote:I'd play him next week and save Bradys legs for the next home game

I'd play Brady next week, acting as a second left back, and hope for a nice free kick situation. Rest McNeil against Liverpool, have him raring to go against a beatable Leicester.

He has been giving the ball away of late-and that's when we are exposed. Been a great addition. Use him as a genuine impact player. His time will come

Looked poor, tired and ineffective against Newcastle.

Looked better today, but that wasn’t hard.

Think he just needs his appearances managing.

Was Hendrick injured? Only ask as any tactical advantage wasn’t really noticed. Not like SD to try anything that early in a game.

McNeil is a good player, and a good prospect. But he isn’t the answer to our midfield woes.

He probably needs a break, but JBG and Brady look equally as poor.

Brady in particular looks like he's still miles away.

duncandisorderly wrote:I'd play Brady next week, acting as a second left back, and hope for a nice free kick situation. Rest McNeil against Liverpool, have him raring to go against a beatable Leicester.

I'm clutching to the straw that the day Brady got injured at Leicester he was the best player on the pitch by a mile, footy has a funny way of paying you back - like I said, straw firmly clutched !

Murger wrote:He looks knackered. Time for a couple of games out.

That's my point Murger. He's learning his trade but Dyche needs to talk to him in his encouraging way and explain where he's at.

duncandisorderly wrote:I'd play Brady next week, acting as a second left back, and hope for a nice free kick situation. Rest McNeil against Liverpool, have him raring to go against a beatable Leicester.

Why?
He’ll only hit the wall with it like he’s done with virtually every one he’s taken for us since his debut goal against Chelsea

He has looked tired and a little "found out" these last few games, however neither Brady or JBG have looked any better when they've come on.

Our wide options/form/quality does need looking at in the summer , but so do several other area's

Lancasterclaret wrote:He probably needs a break, but JBG and Brady look equally as poor.

Brady in particular looks like he's still miles away.

Brady has a good left foot, but he's a complete charlatan of a footballer or athlete. IMO.
I'd still play him in next weeks free hit, but he's almost like Frank Abagnale Jr impersonating a footballer.

He seems less inclined to push forward, which was the best part of his game. Hopefully that’s more tiredness than instruction.

The more you see him though, the more apparent it is that he will be better suited to a central role and that’s really an area that we struggle to be creative in.

Today was more like rugby union with punts into the channels!

I still can’t get my head around how after all the millions we’ve had running through the clubs coffers, it’s an 18 year old kid who has kept us (hopefully) in the Premier League this season*.

*Yes I realise it’s a slight exaggeration but you know where I’m coming from.

DCWat wrote:He seems less inclined to push forward, which was the best part of his game. Hopefully that’s more tiredness than instruction.

What about dropping Cork then, and having McNeil and Westwood central and Hendrick and JBG wide?
Maybe not away at Liverpool, but in the future?

wilks_bfc wrote:Why?
He’ll only hit the wall with it like he’s done with virtually every one he’s taken for us since his debut goal against Chelsea

Only because it gives our rising star a break, plays our record signing (?), it's a free hit away at the champions elect, and he can **** a reyt good free kick on occasion. I'd play McNeil and JBG for every game if I could, I have a man crush on them both. (not at the same time, you understand...)

it's Liverpool away, we might as well go
Heaton
Bardsley Long Mee Gibson Tarks Taylor Ward
Westwood Hendrick Cork

duncandisorderly wrote:What about dropping Cork then, and having McNeil and Westwood central and Hendrick and JBG wide?
Maybe not away at Liverpool, but in the future?

I’m not sure he’s ready for that yet. Maybe if there were two behind him.

For all Westwood has been the standout midfield player since Christmas, a midfield of Westwood and McNeil would be asking for trouble, I think.

I’d rather play any other option on the left wing than Brady, be that McNeil, Gudmundsson or even Taylor.

Don’t think it would do any harm to be on the bench for a few games.

He’s had a big couple of months.

Most wingers are inconsistent, I don’t think we should be expecting too much from him just yet.

Brady needs a run of games to get his form.

I think he should be given this, with McNeil used sparingly.

If managed correctly McNeil is hopefully a megastar in the making.

His time will come.

Like a few bods have said, time for McNeil to drop to the bench. Not a Brady fan due to his inconsistently. It's time Brady stepped up and took the bull by the horns and earned his crust

He does seem to run round like mad when he starts a game and it catches up with him towards the end. Maybe a bit more experience will teach him how to pace himself more. Youthful enthusiasm is great though.

On another note, does anyone think we should send him out on loan for some more experience or do we keep educating him in the first team?

To me it looks like someone has had a word with McNeil re turning back, keeping possession and looking for the square or backwards ball. If that's the case it's such a shame as he is miles better when not worrying about any of that, but simply running at defenders, scaring them to death, trying to jink his way past them and playing with real freedom. Let the lad play and realise things won't always come off and at times Taylor will be left a bit exposed.

I agree with dark cloud. In his first few games he stayed out wide and ran at people and caused havoc. All of which benefitted wood in particular as it drew defenders away from him.looks now as if he has been told to fit into the “framework” and he is going narrow and passing square and back instead of taking men on. Be brave Sean and let’s get at teams.

I was going to ask if he is still playing on the wing, the last two posts have answered my question.

I agree play him wide and not deeper in mid-field as he is far more effective as a winger.

It’s no surprise that the opposition have now done their homework on McNeill and are trying their best to nullify his game. Don’t forget he was a complete unknown when he broke into the side.

That said, this thread sums up the fickleness of football fans. 2 below par games and there’s talk of him being dropped and even sent out on loan. He may benefit from a rest or a chance to make an impact from the bench but there’s no need to go overboard.

Clansman seems to have it in post 27 with his reporting that McNeil is now being ask to play further back, the management team just have to realise the ineffectiveness of this switch and switch it back IMHO.

clansman wrote:I agree with dark cloud. In his first few games he stayed out wide and ran at people and caused havoc. All of which benefitted wood in particular as it drew defenders away from him.looks now as if he has been told to fit into the “framework” and he is going narrow and passing square and back instead of taking men on. Be brave Sean and let’s get at teams.

Thats what happened to brady and lennon it takes away the threat they have

We could rest him if either JBG or Brady looked up tidying anything decent for 90 mins.

Did fine today. Palace did their homework and cut down his opportunities to go on the outside and get crosses in, but although he gave the ball
away a couple of times trying to make things happen, he still showed his quality on a number of occasions.

Partly, teams have got wise to the simple trick that bought him time when he first broke in. Partly, we're all expecting way more. But he's still a cracking prospect and he needs patience and support.

As mentioned above:since Walters said on sky he will end up a central midfielder he has taken himself in from his wing and his performances have gone down. Needs to get back on his wing and run at people. That is his strength plus his early crossing.

Almost as though he had been told not to take any risks today. Seemed to look for the pass back all day rather than the raw “go for it” that I’ve been enjoying

So are people thinking he’s come into the side, done really well and contributed to some excellent results and all of a sudden Dyche has said “no I’m not having that, stop what you are doing really well and do something else”.

Just ask yourself why that would have happened.

If he's that good, he will perform week in, week out with the odd blip. No point getting carried away with the lad. He's young, raw, has excited but could easily drop down the leagues yet. Tiredness should not be a factor at his age. Guile and game plan, yes.

He's worth 40 million you know! ok...

Just seems to me that the scouting reports have caught up with him.

Basically don't give him that 5 yards of space to run at you, stay tight and he'll pirouette and pass back, or drift inside where he's nowhere near as effective.

On the plus side, as he's attracted more attention Taylor has come far more into the attacking part of the game.