McNeil

[dermotdermot]

Just what was wrong with him today. Couldn’t go past a man, put a cross in or anything. Looked absolutely shattered when he came off. I thought that he was supposed to have had a good pre-season.

[Papabendi]

Very simple. Had some early promise. Not as good as we thought. One foot. No pace.

[jrgbfc]

Or he's surrounded by workhorses and has to spend most of the game defending. Put him in a better team and he'd look a different player.

[Murger]

He's the 1 flair player in a team of runners. It must be so demoralising playing alongside some of our players.

[Conroy92]

Brighton also doubled up on him on nearly every occasion

[Burnley1989]

Very simple. Had some early promise. Not as good as we thought. One foot. No pace.

I’m not disagreeing but I do think he’d excel if we had another option like him on the pitch

[bf2k]

Very simple. Had some early promise. Not as good as we thought. One foot. No pace.

???? Really

Or maybe he’s got to do it all?

[Papabendi]

Or he's surrounded by workhorses and has to spend most of the game defending. Put him in a better team and he'd look a different player.

If he'd been signed from another club the answer would be very different. On current trajectory the only q now is whether he stays in the team. Could be we are looking to replace.

[Colburn_Claret]

Just what was wrong with him today. Couldn’t go past a man, put a cross in or anything. Looked absolutely shattered when he came off. I thought that he was supposed to have had a good pre-season.

We're you there?
Dwight was excellent first half and ok 2nd. He started to tire after an hour, which he has done since his debut, he gives it all but his tank isn't very big. .
I don't get singling any player out for that defeat, we should have been out of sight by half time
The changes Brighton made, and the changes we made are what changed the game.

[Hedontplayforyou]

Look knackered in the second half, but is by far and away our most creative player and is a damn good one at that. I agree we need more options to play alongside him and give him a rest . Today we needed an extra body centrally when they brought Lallana on, we would have won that easily if we did

[Jakubclaret]

Brighton also doubled up on him on nearly every occasion

Brighton did their homework you basically neutralise him you stop lots of attacking moves, potter would have instructed that prior to KO.

[RalphCoatesComb]

Leave the guy alone. As long as he wears Claret and Blue, he'll have my full support. Get off his back !

[GodIsADeeJay81]

We're you there?
Dwight was excellent first half and ok 2nd. He started to tire after an hour, which he has done since his debut, he gives it all but his tank isn't very big. .
I don't get singling any player out for that defeat, we should have been out of sight by half time
The changes Brighton made, and the changes we made are what changed the game.

He wasn't excellent, he was ok, JBG kept popping up on his flank, but McNeil didn't move to the other side at all.
He just didn't seem at the races today, although Brighton did keep a close eye on him.

[Burnley1989]

I do think we need to be very careful, turning on our best players after 1 loss, just relax and post tomorrow when you’ve calmed down

[ClaretAL]

I think McNeil is being given a lot of stick on here, and i do get bits of it for his play on the wing, however i thought when he was central he looked stronger and quicker than I have ever seen him both on the ball and attacking, and also off the ball chasing it down. If the Cornet deal does come off I hope Dyche moves McNeil more central to work with him as I think they would terrify defences, especially of we had Vydras pace up front too.

[Vegas Claret]

how we expect 1 guy, who's our youngest player, to carry an entire team in the Premier League is ******* embarrassing. I along with others have said it a hundred times, we are the easiest team to play against in the PL.

[jrgbfc]

If I were him I'd be looking to move on. He isn't going to improve anymore playing in our setup.

[MACCA]

Simple, our only creative player so it's easy to nullify him and keep him quiet.

Good players need good players and options around them wanting the ball, making space and making runs.
We don't have them.

We didnt lose today because of McNeil, we lost as we cannot adapt in game, dont have a plan B, and are reactive rather than pro active.

You cant keep banging the same old drum hoping for a fantastic sax solo to sound.l, it doesnt work over and over again.

Is that 11, yes ELEVEN home games without a win

[Papabendi]

I do think we need to be very careful, turning on our best players after 1 loss, just relax and post tomorrow when you’ve calmed down

Pope
Tarks
Mee
Wood
Taylor

are quite some way ahead in importance

[Newcastleclaret93]

Pope
Tarks
Mee
Wood
Taylor

are quite some way ahead in importance

I agree some of them players are important but given there age and contract situations I would say McNeil is definitely out most important player. Literally the only player in our midfield with any quality.

Also I really don’t get the hype about Taylor, never contributes anything going forward and is just an ok defender. No where near the level of Ward for us

[jrgbfc]

Pope
Tarks
Mee
Wood
Taylor

are quite some way ahead in importance

But apart from set pieces McNeil is basically our only attacking threat, and one player who might create something in open play.

[Burnley1989]

Pope
Tarks
Mee
Wood
Taylor

are quite some way ahead in importance

Sort of agree but that’s literally our defence

[boatshed bill]

McNeil has carried our attacking effort for some time now, perhaps look to those around him, those with greater experience, who are doing very little of note.

[Papabendi]

Yet JBG had a good game? Was McNeil snuffed out? Or did he have a bad game. I'm a litte sick of excuses.

[Hedontplayforyou]

McNeil has been carrying us for some time, it’s quite disturbing really and hopefully about you be addressed in the window . Cornet would be a great start

[boatshed bill]

Yet JBG had a good game? Was McNeil snuffed out? Or did he have a bad game. I'm a litte sick of excuses.

Even if he did have a bad game (by his standards) he's by far our most creative player.
Anyone can have an off day, some of our lot have off years!

[tiger76]

Brighton also doubled up on him on nearly every occasion

And teams can afford to do that as he's our one genuine attacking threat, now if we could get another winger in then teams might be forced to rethink these tactics, either that or be able to adapt our system to get Dwight more involved in the game.

[Elizabeth]

Very poor today

[ClaretAL]

As earlier I think he looks more positive and productive in a central role which at times today he showed, and we should get off his back.

[AlargeClaret]

While he has his moments and occasional excellent games he’s very inconsistent indeed . It’s more a case of how poor we are rather than how good Dwight is .

[tim_noone]

AWOL.

[Elizabeth]

As earlier I think he looks more positive and productive in a central role which at times today he showed, and we should get off his back.

He showed nothing today AL. He needs to have more pressure put on him for his place

[Steve1956]

Carrying the side for has long as he has must have been difficult, a poor game and people are doubting him,give the lad a break FFS.

[tim_noone]

Carrying the side for has long as he has must have been difficult, a poor game and people are doubting him,give the lad a break FFS.

He hasn't carried anyone.

[Papabendi]

Carrying the side for has long as he has must have been difficult, a poor game and people are doubting him,give the lad a break FFS.

Carrying the team? In what way? Start with last season and the games he positively influenced.

[ClaretAL]

He showed nothing today AL. He needs to have more pressure put on him for his place

In my opinion, when he inadvertently moved in central, he was dangerous and they didn't know how to handle him, he was dictating play and playing very dangerous passes when on the ball, and off the ball he showed great strength and speed in chasing them down. For me if we land Cornet McNeil need to play centrally whether that be CM or as a number 10, and play of Cornet and if as a CM Vydra. 3 fast players of their pedigree would murder defences.

[boatshed bill]

He showed nothing today AL. He needs to have more pressure put on him for his place

Whilst the rest of the midfield don't need/have that pressure?
TBH there is no pressure on any of the first 11.

[Steve1956]

He hasn't carried anyone.

Have you got that bus pass yet you old argumentative knob!

[Elizabeth]

If we land Cornet , McNeil will be on his toes and that will be a good thing . Gudmundsson was so good today and that is how McNeil should be playing.

[Elizabeth]

Whilst the rest of the midfield don't need/have that pressure?
TBH there is no pressure on any of the first 11.

We are talking McNeil here

[boatshed bill]

If we land Cornet , McNeil will be on his toes and that will be a good thing . Gudmundsson was so good today and that is how McNeil should be playing.

If we land Cornet I'd hope to see him and McNeil in a midfield 5, with McNeil central and one strker( ) removed.

[Steve1956]

If we land Cornet I'd hope to see him and McNeil in a midfield 5, with McNeil central and one strker( ) removed.

Can't see any of that happening to be honest

[tim_noone]

Have you got that bus pass yet you old argumentative knob!

Stay on topic.

[boatshed bill]

We are talking McNeil here

So why do you think he needs pressure whilst ignoring the fact (and it is fact) that all players need competition for their starting position?

[Steve1956]

Stay on topic.

Answer my replies then!

[Elizabeth]

So why do you think he needs pressure whilst ignoring the fact (and it is fact) that all players need competition for their starting position?

Yes all players need competition and at the moment McNeil is getting off easy.
He’s a good lad but that makes no difference, when the team sheet goes up his name is on it. That brings complacency even among the most grounded. He didn’t do enough today and had at least two good chances to run at Brighton, one when he was through with a bit more drive.
It’s missing , more than in any other part of the field and he has to do more

[boatshed bill]

Yes all players need competition and at the moment McNeil is getting off easy.
He’s a good lad but that makes no difference, when the team sheet goes up his name is on it. That brings complacency even among the most grounded. He didn’t do enough today and had at least two good chances to run at Brighton, one when he was through with a bit more drive.
It’s missing , more than in any other part of the field and he has to do more

Like I said earlier, any player can have an off day.

[Elizabeth]

That’s true and they need the motivation of wanting their place back from the bench sometimes

[Blatherwickstattoo]

He’s told to defend more than attack. Simple as that really. First half some good crosses. Second half I can’t recall anything

[ClaretLoup]

TBH there is no pressure on any of the first 11.

Not quite, there three candidates for Wood’s partner and Brownhill is in contention for one of the central midfield slots, however all the rest of the positions are virtually uncontested, so a large percentage of the team are undroppable.

So a very valid and well made point, Bill.