2024/25 Dwight McNeil

[EFCINLONDON]

It was a perfect, intentional pass that meant we won the game.

Fact is, if we can become a top six team in the next few years, he'll still be starting most weeks.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Still think he could do a job in an inside left attacking midfield position finding through balls and curling in balls from the top of the area. He’s got the work rate for it and that position would cover his lack of pace which is exposed out wide.

 

[EFCPaul]

Still think he could do a job in an inside left attacking midfield position finding through balls and curling in balls from the top of the area. He’s got the work rate for it and that position would cover his lack of pace which is exposed out wide.

You need to play wide wing-backs for that though, something I seriously doubt Moyes will want to do unless forced too by injuries. And I don't think trying him as a no.10 like Dyche did quite worked.

I do wonder if he could do a job as a no.8 type? Would need a strong partner next to him but he can pick a pass and has a defensive workrate.

 

[ValBlue]

Still think he could do a job in an inside left attacking midfield position finding through balls and curling in balls from the top of the area. He’s got the work rate for it and that position would cover his lack of pace which is exposed out wide.

I’m basing my entire opinion on his best position being a CAM on that performance against Palace where he scored 2 goals playing behind the striker. He isn’t electric but he’s a very willing presser and has shown more ability than most in the squad to pick and pass and accuracy shot from distance. As you say, pace on the wings and striker can carry his middling speed whilst he plays the ball. Ndiaye has looked better coming off the left, targeting the full back and not both center halves (though it’s clear he has some license to roam)

 

[Saint Domingo]

You need to play wide wing-backs for that though, something I seriously doubt Moyes will want to do unless forced too by injuries. And I don't think trying him as a no.10 like Dyche did quite worked.

I do wonder if he could do a job as a no.8 type? Would need a strong partner next to him but he can pick a pass and has a defensive workrate.

Yeah I’m wondering if something like a midfield three with him as the inside left attacking 8 and Alcaraz or Iroegbunam as the inside right. Garner sat behind them holding. Get Ndiaye on the left and a flyer wide right

 

[Zezti]

Regardless of whether the pass was intentional or not, did he look even slower than memory serves for anybody else?

 

[blueconverse]

Regardless of whether the pass was intentional or not, did he look even slower than memory serves for anybody else?

Honestly I think it's partly the way he runs. He always looks laboured so appears slower but he's deffo weirdly slow for a young slender lad.

 

[kev]

Honestly I think it's partly the way he runs. He always looks laboured so appears slower but he's deffo weirdly slow for a young slender lad.

At the risk of coming across as his No 1 fanboy (which I'm not) I also don't agree with this perception that he is some kind of tortoise.
Is he going to win 100 M sprints? Absolutely not.
He does though have a speed of thought and awareness that many of our faster players don't.
One aspect of the goal on Saturday that hasn't been discussed is his winning the ball to begin that move.
Yes, the defender miscontrolls a simple pass, but there are many speedier players who wouldn't necessarily have reacted as quickly as McNeil did in that scenario.

 

[little elfin]

Maybe 3-4-1-2 is the answer.
McNeil and Ndiaye behind centre forward.
Just need two wingbacks.

 

[buskwhi2]

Maybe 3-4-1-2 is the answer.
McNeil and Ndiaye behind centre forward.
Just need two wingbacks.

I’ve read this several times and I’ve still not been able to work it out.

3-4-1-2 doesn’t appear to be an answer to what you’ve suggested.

 

[blueboy72]

I’ve read this several times and I’ve still not been able to work it out.

3-4-1-2 doesn’t appear to be an answer to what you’ve suggested.

Think he means 3421, still not a great system for me, as to have any success we’d have to win to nil most weeks, because we won’t be scoring a load of goals

 

[Eggs]

 

[sanctioned]

I'm not exactly a person who tends to give McNeil the benefit of the doubt very much, but...
When it happened, everything about his body language and the options available absolutely screamed out that he was going to play the ball to Doucoure. Gana's run was well covered, and McNeil was looking up when he crossed midfield, so he saw that just as it was starting to develop. There was no reason for him to raise his head so much on the second look if he were just going for Gana, so it seemed like he was measuring out the pass to Doucoure.

But then when he didn't go with the pass in the air to skip over the two defenders on Gana's run, it really did look like he'd just made the wrong decision and went for Gana, and it was just pure luck that it got through to Doucoure. But on McNeil's second look up, he seemed to pick out that the defender was so extreme in facing his own goal in the defensive run that it would be difficult for him to actually do anything about a ball played behind his back.
View attachment 303686

View attachment 303687
You can see that the ball was actually played about three yards beyond where the defender was when McNeil looked up that second time, but the defender has run about four yards, with his legs stepping away from the ball, before being all tied up in knots from trying to stick his heel back.

View attachment 303688

I actually think he's played the thing quite literally inch perfect, and there are a few other details of this that really cement it as a well thought out play by McNeil:

• If the pass were played in the air, it would have been a much, much more difficult chance for Doucoure, possibly being missed completely or sent to row Z.
• If the ball were intended for Gana, it would have been way too far in front of him. McNeil with time and space like that is usually pretty accurate at placing those kinds of passes.
• With how the defender was running, that best case defensive scenario of the heel being stuck out to block the pass quite likely just would have resulted in teeing it up for Gana, through on goal in front of Murillo heading into the D with unmarked Doucoure running to the far post and the other defender off balance and now out of the play.

matching stride is part of picking a pass, he knew exactly what the timing was going to be. Signs of a great passer.

 

[murphy89]

I really rate him. His goal involvements per game are really good. If he’s on the wing he could benefit from a really speedy full back who can support. He was arguably one of our stand out players at the start of the season and the reason we scored so many goals. Don’t forget DCL missed a few one-ones set up by him too.