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James McCarthy

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RFUS said:
In all seriousness I think the lesson is that we rely heavily on a McCarthy/Besic type to run around getting stuck in. We don't defend well as a team and it puts a lot of pressure on whoever is in that role. Our defensive implosion timed perfectly with McCarthy's injury (we were winning at Bournemouth, he got injured, it finished 3-3... then the long run of throwing wins away ensued). Up until Besic came into the team and we settled a bit with some good away performances.

We need to defend better as a team. We don't press and I think it's clearly a tactical decision not to. It puts a big burden on whoever is next to Barry (who breaks up play well himself) and when that duty falls to someone other than Besic/McCarthy, we're exposed badly.
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Weirdly enough, we did press a bit more last night. Probably with the legs of Lennon and Cleverley on the wings it helped.
 
Another solid game from him last night. He did look a bit jaded earlier in the season. The previous year he made a huge difference to our team form and I was a bit surprised/alarmed that he wasn't having the same impact this time round.

Yesterday was much better from him though. There has been a lot of talk about "game management" and he is very good at this. Both in terms of how he plays but also how he leads and instructs others on the pitch. When we are playing well his role is to essentially suss out where the gaps are and help fill them. If Barry if being overrun to sit in. If we need a goal to bomb forward. If Ross is out of position to tuck in or if Coleman has bombed forward to guard us of the counter.

There was one sequence last night where Newcastle where getting a bit of a head of steam, around the hour mark. I said to my brother "we need to get hold of the ball here". True to form McCarthy won a tackle, went and won the subsequent up and under from his header and then when the play broke down nipped in to win the ball back and get us a free kick. It showed excellent awareness and game knowledge that we really needed someone to step up/in in that area and just get us a bit of control back. When he's at his best he recognises this and helps us do it.
 

catcherintherye said:
Another solid game from him last night. He did look a bit jaded earlier in the season. The previous year he made a huge difference to our team form and I was a bit surprised/alarmed that he wasn't having the same impact this time round.

Yesterday was much better from him though. There has been a lot of talk about "game management" and he is very good at this. Both in terms of how he plays but also how he leads and instructs others on the pitch. When we are playing well his role is to essentially suss out where the gaps are and help fill them. If Barry if being overrun to sit in. If we need a goal to bomb forward. If Ross is out of position to tuck in or if Coleman has bombed forward to guard us of the counter.

There was one sequence last night where Newcastle where getting a bit of a head of steam, around the hour mark. I said to my brother "we need to get hold of the ball here". True to form McCarthy won a tackle, went and won the subsequent up and under from his header and then when the play broke down nipped in to win the ball back and get us a free kick. It showed excellent awareness and game knowledge that we really needed someone to step up/in in that area and just get us a bit of control back. When he's at his best he recognises this and helps us do it.
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THIS THIS THIS

Great post.

Without McCarthy or Besic we lack the ability to press higher. We can't afford to have a third one waiting in the wings in case these two are unfit.

It's been bad luck missing both of them. When either of them play we look far more solid.
 
mkrudden said:
THIS THIS THIS

Great post.

Without McCarthy or Besic we lack the ability to press higher. We can't afford to have a third one waiting in the wings in case these two are unfit.

It's been bad luck missing both of them. When either of them play we look far more solid.
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Barry will be 35 by the summer. if he does a "distin" or goes then;

Does Martinez set up the 2 slots behind barkley as:

A -- DM / CM
B-- DM / DM
C-- CM / CM

Will Besic / McCarthy be starters with Cleverley as the "utility"player? What positions would they take? Can Besic be fit for a number of games?

Do we need to strengthen here?

For me, McCarthy is 1st choice defensive midfielder. No idea how he can be shunted further forward to accommodate Barry.
 
ijjysmith said:
Have we seen a Besic/McCarthy midfield as yet?
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At the very end of the Barnsley match but I think that's it this season.

Can't think we did last season.

Will be the way to go whenever Barry's form does drop significantly, though I can't see that happening soon like.

If Besic can get fit for the Bournemouth game in the FA Cup that'd be the way to go in that game I think. Try it out
 
BlueToff said:
At the very end of the Barnsley match but I think that's it this season.

Can't think we did last season.

Will be the way to go whenever Barry's form does drop significantly, though I can't see that happening soon like
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So we've not properly yet. In theory it would work pretty bloody well. But yeah, Barry plays. Which is fine, for now.
 

mkrudden said:
THIS THIS THIS
Great post.
Without McCarthy or Besic we lack the ability to press higher. We can't afford to have a third one waiting in the wings in case these two are unfit.
It's been bad luck missing both of them. When either of them play we look far more solid.
Click to expand...

Thanks mate and you are spot on. Not having Besic/McCarthy for the City away leg really cost us.

They are different but do offer similar things. I think Besic has more skill but McCarthy has a real understanding of how the game is played.
 
Last season where McCarthy missed nearly two months with injury and we hardly stopped losing in that time before he came in and was key in us getting back up the table?

Both Besic and McCarthy are excellent players, but both offer different aspects as well as their simialrities.

I'd say Besic (like you said) is better in terms of incisive passing, especially from deep.

McCarthy is capable of an incisive pass (see Stoke at home over xmas) but he is more suited to a role of breaking up play, retaining possession and he has the knack of been in the right place at the right time when defending.

Pace wise, they're both pretty similar. Besic is maybe a bot quicker off the mark, but at the moment appears to have cheesetrings for hammys, which is a worry.

Ideally, they could both play together and I think that will be the way to go when Barry eventually has to be rested - if Besic is fit I'd imagine we'd set up with them together vs Bournemouth in the cup.

But, if I had to pick one over the other (presuming no injuries etc), then McCarthy just edges it for me. His importance to the team should be underlined with the amount of wins we have when he's in it compared to when he's not.

EDIT: Moved here from the Barks thread

@Stephenlloyd
 
ijjysmith said:
So we've not properly yet. In theory it would work pretty bloody well. But yeah, Barry plays. Which is fine, for now.
Click to expand...

In theory would need a full pre season with them working together as a centre mid pair before we would see them getting used to each others games i'd say mate, maybe one for next season though
 
BlueToff said:
Last season where McCarthy missed nearly two months with injury and we hardly stopped losing in that time before he came in and was key in us getting back up the table?

Both Besic and McCarthy are excellent players, but both offer different aspects as well as their simialrities.

I'd say Besic (like you said) is better in terms of incisive passing, especially from deep.

McCarthy is capable of an incisive pass (see Stoke at home over xmas) but he is more suited to a role of breaking up play, retaining possession and he has the knack of been in the right place at the right time when defending.

Pace wise, they're both pretty similar. Besic is maybe a bot quicker off the mark, but at the moment appears to have cheesetrings for hammys, which is a worry.

Ideally, they could both play together and I think that will be the way to go when Barry eventually has to be rested - if Besic is fit I'd imagine we'd set up with them together vs Bournemouth in the cup.

But, if I had to pick one over the other (presuming no injuries etc), then McCarthy just edges it for me. His importance to the team should be underlined with the amount of wins we have when he's in it compared to when he's not.

EDIT: Moved here from the Barks thread

@Stephenlloyd
Click to expand...
2 months out of 10 what's that 8 games? So had he not missed them we would have finished a lot higher than 11th?

Good player but limited for me, sits infront of the back 4 or shouldn't be in the team. Cleverly offers more going forward.

Besic will go on to play at a higher level than McCarthy
 

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