Cairney is massively over-rated and is always the player I get most frustrated with. 90% of his passes are backwards or sideways and he is completely one-paced (he is either just physically slow or chooses not to run at a sprinting pace). What makes it even more frustrating is that he has the ability to beat a player and drive the team forward, but he only does it once every 3 or 4 games.
Not even close. I saw this on SSN and waited to see which person would go for it. Lol. As for Ton Cairney, maybe Bruce is just the manager to get that lazy streak out of him and TC is a most skilled footballer. In the right role and with the right attitude TC can be a major force. McKenna - Cairney - Evans - Koren - Coutts ? - Tunnicliffe ? looks very impressive.
There's some bollocks on this thread. Cairney is a quality player and should be on our team sheet every game. If you want a midfielder who'll run about and lose the ball that's fine but personally I quite like one who can kick a ball accurately and Cairney is a cut above the rest of the team when it comes to using the ball. He always gets dropped for no good reason and that gives people an excuse to trot out the old 'slow', 'lazy' lines even when they don't apply at all. He'll probably have another storming pre-season and be certain to start the first game, only for Bruce (just like Pearson before him) to pick someone else because he runs a bit more and then wonder why can't break a defence down. The best footballers should be on the pitch.
Towards the end of the season Tom really praised Nick Barmby for bringing him on by just being at him every day telling him how he could improve his game and I think it worked, he may be not as consistent as we would have liked him to be but he showed what he could become, remember he is still quite young.
You mean like when he was dropped and then tweeted he was injured, which absolutely infuriated Nick? Cairney is a completely average footballer who probably wouldnt get a regular game in the bottom division. He could be decent if he ngot over the problem that he thinks he's up there with Messi.
So which is it? I suspect it's the second one because he certainly isn't average. As for his attitude, let's assume for a moment that you're right and he has a bad attitude, there are other footballers who aren't the best people off the field or who don't try their best to concentrate on improving their game, but the point is it's a game of kicking footballs and if you can't kick a ball no amount of effort will compensate for that. Cairney can do things with the ball that no one else in our team can do, even Koren can't compete with him at dead balls. It's easy to pick weaknesses in players but if it's a choice of a player whose weakness is running about, or a player who does plenty of running but can't kick, I know who I'd choose.
Ton Cairney - who hell he then? Although Bruce has said he likes working with younger players, I wonder if Agnew will be the one to make or break Ton, I mean Tom Cairney. Mowbray waffled on about some young wonderkid at Boro (Curtis Main or summat) that Agnew had nurtured. It's also fact that under Agnew Boros reserves won their league in consecutive seasons (yes yes yes I know Agnew is not going to be Reserve team manager at City). Maybe his influence will also help Dudgeon, Evans, etc I hope that we do see Cairneys undoubted quality shine through. Doesn't have to be quick (Liam Brady wasn't) because the skill is there for all to see. He seemed to go off the boil when Bullard twisted his head about choice of agent etc and has stagnated since then. And as for Cairney passing backwards and sidewards as someone else does in this thread, it's another way of going forward that the Euros have shown England unable to do, that's one of the reasons why we (England) were so ****e. It also retains possession of the ball. If the opponents haven't got the ball they ain't going to hurt you. Could be a real quality player, but equally could fook up royally.
He would have been on his way out last summer but no one wanted him. Doesn't suggest he's particularly well faces, either inside or outside the club. Its all well and good being 'clever' and having the ability to make a pass but when you never actually make a killer pass, can't tackle, shoot or head the ball, you're not leaving the gaffa with a difficult decision when it comes to deciding if he plays
That's essentially four central midfielders, no width at all. Personally I think if Koren is going to be played in a midfield four we'll need more energy than what McKenna can offer at the base of the diamond. Tunnicliffe would offer that and then some. He's a unit who really protects his back four from what I can make out from the limited times I've seen him. He's very comfortable on the ball and his first touch is excellent. Koren even commented on the fact he is a good player. I also believe Koren can be accommodated centrally in a 442 providing his central midfield partner can do the water carrying and add some bite. Another question would be who plays wide ?
Yup, barca basically, but it requires a team who can all passant move, something sadly lacking at the moment. Also, much as I appreciate the style of play, i much prefer to see a winger devastate a full back with some skills, put a peach of a ball it and then have someone smash it in. Who knows, maybe Bruce will get us playing all styles!!
Stewart and Bruce will probably look for another winger. I've been told Ferdinand can also play out wide if required.
