Dwight McNeil is a central midfielder

[mkmel]

Jon Walters on Sky earlier said Dwight McNeil is a central midfielder and not a winger

[ClaretAndJew]

We know

[mkmel]

Maybe in a midfield 5 but I cannot see Dwight playing as a central midfielder in a 4 4 2

[boatshed bill]

I think he's doing just fine where he is.

[jdrobbo]

I think he is going to end up as an attacking central midfielder, but for now, Dwight is a truly wonderful young winger… better so when he is playing ahead of Charlie Taylor.

[dougcollins]

Yes, Pieters worried me today.

[SGr]

He’s naturally a #10 or an interior in the 4-1-4-1 Pep plays. Said it ages ago.

He doesn’t have the burst IMO to truly be a winger for life.

[dsr]

Well, I've seen McNeil play on the wing quite a lot, and if that isn't a winger, then I don't know what a winger is.

It's astonishing. The cry for years and years has been "we need to sign a really good winger". And finally, we have a really good winger. And the cry goes up "get him off the wing".

In the first half, he got the ball somewhere near half way and gained a yard on Alexander-Arnold. He took it to the goalline and was still half a yard ahead of Alexander-Arnold. How fast do we want him to be? Yes, I know we want a winger who can dribble like McNeil, cross like McNeil, and shoot like McNeil. But until we get one, we've got McNeil.

[FactualFrank]

We've been through this one before.

McNeil is even quoted (no, I can't be arsed browsing to find it again) as saying he wants to emulate Giggs. Why do some fans often want to move players away from their natural position?

I've seen ClaretSpice put Hennings into midfield for crying out loud when he was with us.

[cricketfieldclarets]

Well, I've seen McNeil play on the wing quite a lot, and if that isn't a winger, then I don't know what a winger is.

It's astonishing. The cry for years and years has been "we need to sign a really good winger". And finally, we have a really good winger. And the cry goes up "get him off the wing".

In the first half, he got the ball somewhere near half way and gained a yard on Alexander-Arnold. He took it to the goalline and was still half a yard ahead of Alexander-Arnold. How fast do we want him to be? Yes, I know we want a winger who can dribble like McNeil, cross like McNeil, and shoot like McNeil. But until we get one, we've got McNeil.

Stick McNeil inside, Taylor left wing and tarkowski in centre mid and we will walk this league.

[mkmel]

And leave a massive hole in the centre of our defence

Is that you ablueclaret?

[FactualFrank]

It clearly raises more questions than answers.

[Rileybobs]

I can’t see McNeill ever being a central midfielder, and almost certainly never for a Burnley side under Dyche.

[Spiral]

His play style isn't a million miles away from Mesut Ozil. Now, I'm not comparing his ability to Ozil, but the footballing traits aren't too dissimilar. Not the quickest, strongest, or most athletic, sure, but he has brilliant crossing ability, pass control, touch, close ball control and balance, and he's massively composed even under pressure. He doesn't have the power that the very best outright wingers have but he's got everything the best central attacking midfielders need. He's currently still our best option out wide and in a 442 and it'd probably be daft not to play to that strength but he's definitely got the ability to play in an advanced midfield role if improvements to other areas of the squad in the future were able to accommodate a slight tactical change.

[FactualFrank]

His play style isn't a million miles away from Mesut Ozil.

I think my friend's daughter plays a nearer style to Dwight McNeil than Mesut Ozil. Not sure you can get much different players if you tried. McNeil actually wants to get on his left foot and make something happen. Ozil will do it down the middle with both feet and pick out an assist from nowhere.

[Foulthrow]

I think my friend's daughter plays a nearer style to Dwight McNeil than Mesut Ozil. Not sure you can get much different players if you tried. McNeil actually wants to get on his left foot and make something happen. Ozil will do it down the middle with both feet and pick out an assist from nowhere.

Aye. When he can be arsed.

[FactualFrank]

Aye. When he can be arsed.

Which one are we talking about here?

[Bin Ont Turf]

and almost certainly never for a Burnley side under Dyche.

This definitely.

Jon Walters needs to stop going on about it now.