McGeouch

Now I thought he looked really poor at the start of the season but the last few times, before his injury, I thought he started to look decent. Thought he must've been injured for the play off final as he'd have been an ideal replacement for Power but seems he was fully fit:

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/05/...its-facing-big-decision-may-leave-sunderland/

That worries me quite a bit as our bench had nothing for central midfield and we had 2 ageing players in there in Catts and Leadbitter but to not have anyone who could come on in their place when he's fit makes no sense!

I know it's HITC but the quotes are directly from McGeaouch himself. I'm hoping he can be a big player for us next season with a good prer season and no injuries. With Catts (probably) going and Leadbitter getting on we need an engine in there - Him, Power and O'Nien would be good players in there although I do think we need a big powerful CM as well - someone 6 foot odd who's a little intimidating

 

I've seen the same quotes elsewhere. When I saw him early in the season (was he coming back from an injury then?) I thought he looked excellent. Kept the ball well, nice tidy passing, always found a team mate, played people into good positions. I thought he would have played more for us.

 

I thought he was really poor early doors! Gave the ball away more than anyhone I've ever seen in our midfield and bottled a number of tackles he'd be favourite for. Amazing how different people cans ee things!! Thought he started to look like the player we thought we'd got until he gave the ball away and overstretched against someone and picked up an injury - never seen him since and thought he was still injured

 

Agreed that he should have been on the bench for the final, common sense that you have at least one CM there for a like for like swap. I don't rate McGeough particularly though, unless he suddenly starts playing a lot better than he has been he wouldn't start next season for me.

Neither would Catts or Leadbitter for that matter all new CM required probably O'Nien and someone new.

 

I only saw him live in away games. Maybe that's the difference!

 

If he can't even get on the bench of a League 1 team then he can't be very good.

Thinking about it I'd move him on to be honest.

 

Don't mind him as he holds the ball up when he's got it and is always looking for a forward pass.
However it's the size thing again, he's the same as Honeyman and Gooch and was easily bullied off the ball.
He's not an obvious choice for getting rid, there's a few ahead of him in my view.

 

And I was under the impression when we got him he was gonna be a cut above!

 

You could say the same about Will Grigg. And, to a certain degree, Benji Kimpioka and Bali Mumba. There's got to be an adjustment period and he's had injuries etc. Like Cumbrian says, there's others I'd get rid of first.

 

Kimpi and Mumba are completely different. They're up and coming youngsters who need time to be blooded. McGeouch isn't so I don't see the comparison there.

Who would you get rid of in his position first who aren't youngsters?

 

That's why I said 'to a certain degree' but I mentioned those two, and Grigg, alongside McGeouch because getting rid of any of them would be a knee-jerk reaction after not breaking into the first team. It may well be that he needed time to adjust to a new league, a new club, living in a new area, or any number of other factors could have prevented him breaking through.

 

Think the Grigg situation may also be slightly different too. He's made some appearances and scored some goals. Not like he's not been making the bench.

If he's moved on I don't think we can miss something we've never really had?

 

I don't think Catts is going anywhere. He's 31, and has two years left on a contract that pays him £50k/wk in the championship and £40k/wk in league 1. This, and McGeouch's lack of size, makes him[McGeouch] surplus to requirements.

 

Yeah I'd agree with this, there's only so many mediocre CMs we can have on the books and you're right about Catts not going anywhere. Mumba and Robson can be bedded in too so we could do with a clearout in that position.

I like Power and Leadbitter but we could move both on and chuck McGeough in too.

 

Size is a red herring. Even at this level. Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, David Silva, Paul Gascoigne, N'Golo Kante, Mathieu Valbuena, Bobby Kerr, Billy Bremner. Its ability that counts and McGeouch has it.

 

How Mumba can be involved in this discussion beats me, he is a superb prospect, and I would have had him on the bench, ahead of McGeouch, who has consistently looked out of his depth, and his last substitute appearance was one of his worst this season, it would not be stretching too fine a point to say he lost us the game. The pairing of Catts and Leadbitter is one to build on imo, we are stuck with Cattermole until he gets his last penny (quote), but to be fair he is giving his all, for what its worth, so fair do's, but a voluntary wage cut would set the right tone in the dressing room for me.
We have the prospects of seeing the likes of Mumba, Embleton and Robson pushing for places next season and if JR is bold enough, and I dont see any of these three letting the side down as much as McGeough has this season, for me he could go and the sooner the better if we can get an offer.
Its just a pity we did not see how the midfield diamond would have panned out against Charlton.in retrospect I think JR was planning on reverting back to a midfield three some time in the game, hence the glut of wide men on the bench,that coupled with the doubts over the fitness of Grigg and McGready, and the shortage of a suitable sub, meant the pre meditated challenge on Power was a master stroke, for Bowyer.

 

I think he needs to go, his playing style and stature does not suit this level.
We have Ethan Robson back next year after impressing for Dundee. Add Catts, Leadbitter, Power Honeyman and the 2 youngsters Mumba and Embleton, we are very well stacked in central mid. Ideally id like to see one or 2 others replaced aswell.

 

Wasn't even a foul man - the ref pointed at the ball........

Agree totally - it was one of the poorest challenges of the game which went completely unpunished but the ref was awful with that all game - Jonny Williams diving every time someone in the crowd sneezed and one of our players got booked! Leadbitter booked for "persistent fouling" when he commited 4 fouls less than their number 6!

 

I was thinking exactly this. One look at our lineup card, and factoring in the success of the diamond against Pompey, how could you best gain the upper hand?

 

I'm admittedly biased. We don't have too many players like that over here, but we've got plenty of big ones. In the general case, for ability to overcome a size disadvantage, I believe the skill differential has to be significant, something along the lines of one standard deviation. Not sure if McGeouch is that good.

For the Sunderland case, in just about every match, we had to contend with a size disadvantage at most positions. I was so confident going into Wembley, after our performances in the semi's, but that confidence quickly waned after seeing the size and pace advantage enjoyed by Charlton.

I just don't want to feel a sense of foreboding everytime there is a free kick, next season.