It's amazing what money can achieve in the modern game. And I'm not talking about wages or transfer fees.
Diamond formation???? I was talking about in a 4-4-2. If your going to have a 3 man midfield then you need a striker who can score goals as the lone striker, we dont have any of these. McGinn is a decent player, but IMO he is a bit of girls blouse. Bottling 50/50 balls and looking like he's scared of getting hurt/injured.
You're lot are all too busy falling over and claiming fouls to actually committ any themselves - part of MM's master plan that.
I won't directly accuse Cardiff of diving because I don't think they're any worse than a dozen other Championship clubs. But I agree with BB's point: referees hardly ever book players for simulation.
Whether you ask Hogg and Buaben to play in a 4-4-2 or a diamond is irrelevant, it'll play out similarly. Hogg won't attack, and Buaben disappears leaving Hogg to do all the defensive work. I wouldn't begrudge McGinn for being like that after his current injury...but that's not really the impression I got of him before.
[h=1]Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay fears Craig Conway ankle break[/h] Malky Mackay has hit out at Watford midfielder Jonathan Hogg's "horrendous challenge" that the Cardiff boss fears has broken winger Craig Conway's ankle. Conway, starting his first game for two months, was forced off in the 32nd minute of Cardiff's draw with Watford and will undergo an X-Ray on his ankle. Hogg was cautioned for challenge and Liam Lawrence had to replace Conway. "I thought it was a horrendous challenge and I didn't understand the decision of the referee," said Mackay. I took this from http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17646784. I think MM wanted Jonathan Hogg sent off but if the club had not sent Craig Conway for this xray by the time the article was writen they could not have been very worried.
please log in to view this image Sorry, but in my opinion that does not look like a red card challenge. Fully committed, and unfortunate that Conway's leg is planted....it's just mistimed.
Agreed - am wondering in fact if this is 'the tackle' as it so doen't fit MM's description 'horrendous'.
Hear hear. Got the ball but got the player too. You could argue that the challenge counts as unsporting behaviour which would allow for a booking. However, it is not serious foul play or violent conduct. Therefore i think the ref got it right im afraid. You have to stop those kind of challenges and booking Hoggy was the way to do it.
I think if the players were reversed MM would see a caution as bad refereeing as this was a fair tackle.
As Ive already said in a previous comment, earlier in the season we only lost 2 out of 13 games with Hogg and Bauben, so it's been proven to work already. As for me though, Id rather we get in a player like Wordsworth and play him next to either Hogg or Eustace. TBH I dont think McGinn will play in any of our remaining games. And I wouldn't be surprised if he is sold in the summer. As for the pic, if you get to the ball first then it's a legit challenge IMO, doesn't matter what happens to the other player.
I agree, Hogg and Buaben for me with Mapps as captain when he returns. We have a history of great runs with that combo so why shouldnt we?? As for the challenge it is a matter of timings, if the player gets the ball before the player and then follows through then i agree. However, here Hogg went through Conway and had to go through him to get the ball.
It's not what I would do. BUT:- 1) It's very hard to fit McGinn in a 4-4-2. He's not a winger, he's not a striker and he's not a ' traditonal ' Central Midfilder. He is an attacking midfielder (just like Matty Whichelow is an attacking midfielder) and I cant see Dyche changing our formation, it will still be 4-4-2 next season IMO. 2) We know Dyche doesn't like to change our central midfield pairing unless he has to. If they are still here, then Im guessing next season it will still be Hogg and Eustace with Bauben as back-up. 3) The emergence of Sean Murray. Injury permitting he's bound to start every league game next season, and he's performed well on the right hand side of midfield this season. Yeates as back-up for RM. 4) So that leaves one position, which is Left Midfield. Before the season started, Dyche talked about the importance of the balance in the team, i.e having two left footed players down the left flank, thats why he signed Dickinson and Forsyth. Forsyth has used this season to get used to the Championship and the step up from Scottish Div 1. IMO he will be first choice LM next season starting almost every game (injury permitting). McGinn is right footed. So to conclude, when McGinn realises the above, he will probably want to leave, either that or he will be sent out on a season long loan.
Don't see what Hogg has done wrong there really. Got the ball, went out of his way to make sure it was a one-footed tackle, and if there's a man in the world who would deliberately use that part of his anatomy to negatively affect someone else's football career, then frankly he deserves to get away with it. Looking at that still I'm having a Phil Babb flashback.
well i have to admit that all that makes a lot of sense, but with Eustace getting older, and Dyche liking to shuffle things around a lot, isn't there still a place for him?