Re Brady - as previously stated - go and look for it.i have stated in a thread about Brady I was wrong, his performances this season have been excellent. He was however, ****e last season, he wasn't a team player, greedy, no end product - played like he was a one man team. This season he has been the complete opposite working hard for the team and with end product. You perhaps need to review your opinion on McShane - Yes, he has been liability in the past. As Bruce stated in an interview 'McShane always felt he had to take on the world' he isn't doing that now, he's playing exceptionally well. He's calm, measured, consistent. It is no coincidence at all that our defence has been at its very best when he has been in the side this season. We are very fortunate to have a decent set of defenders at this club, for me McShane brings devilment, passion, spirit, ability. McShane would be one of my first names on the team sheet - he brings more to the team than just football ability. As Bruce has been quoted on more than one occasion 'McShane? He's been fantastic'. Who's right? You or Bruce?
You're still trying to create this imaginary disagreement between me and the manager. I'm not saying McShane is terrible. In fact you just quoted my post where I've explained it once already and your whole point yet again revolves around me claiming he's terrible. I'm sure you can understand my posts, so there's no need to play silly. You said McShane is our best defender. I said he's alright but you're exaggerating massively (the bits I've emboldened). He hasn't been playing exceptionally well at all. He's been good at best. Your assertion that 'our defence has been at its very best when he has been in the side' is based on nothing more than what you want to believe. I haven't gone back and done all the stats counting goals when he has and hasn't played and I'm pretty sure you haven't either. But if you wanted a serious comparison look at our defence last season: one of the very best in the league with Chester and Hobbs nearly all season. That's why those two are two of the very best defenders in the division. They're as good as you make out McShane is. When they got injured we started conceding 2 every game. This season it hasn't been nearly as good with McShane in there. It probably isn't down to McShane, I'm not suggesting that at all, but there's certainly nothing to suggest the defence is tighter with him in the team. The reason I brought Brady into it is because you keep trying to ridicule me by creating this 'ISTPLT v Steve Bruce' nonsense when actually you're the one who's openly stated how **** one of our players is and he's turned out to be miles better than you (and most people in fairness) thought and actually one of our most skilful and effective players. Ricardo - I don't agree that Chester doesn't put his body on the line. He's as committed as anyone at that (and Hobbs definitely is). Bruce is seen doing it more because he ends up out of position more and has to do it. The problem against Forest was that no one was close enough to dive in and stop it. They all tried but weren't near enough to do anything. The reason we conceded was Elmo losing his man. If you're letting them cross it from there you can't expect not to concede.
Macca's stats... W/15 D/5 L/7 (overall W/21 D/5 L/12) He's played in 27 of our 38 games, we conceded 28 in the games he played in, 17 in the games he didn't play in. We conceded slightly more goals in the games he didn't play in, but the points per game are the same with or without him in the team. As he's played in over 70% of our games, it doesn't really tell you much.
If we go up then no, we can get a player as good or even slightly better. If we don't go up then I think he's worth another contract. He's a solid, reliable player to have at this level.
My point about the manager is - he rates him, he's the manager. He must rate him highly as McShane has played in a fairly significant proportion of games. I aren't exaggerating about his performances - he has done everything I would expect of a defender - he defends. Brady - Last season he was ****, based on those performances nobody should have wanted him back. This season at LWB he has been unrecognisable from the greedy little ****er of last season. You cannot compare last seasons defence with this seasons. Last year 4-4-2, this year 3-5-2. We are very open and very narrow when Brady and Elmo are attacking, leaving space down the side for opposing wingers. I also think Chester hasn't had the same composure this season as last. Form is cyclical, in the same way Stewart couldn't get in our fourth team 18 months ago he was a revelation. You strike me as the sort of person that forms an opinion, and refuses to change it, regardless of performance. Look at Amos or McShane?
Other than the fact that to have played in 70% of the games, we're 2nd in the league, he must be doing something right? I think if he wasn't that good Steve Bruce being the calibre of defender he was would soon have dropped him permanently, don't you think?
I wasn't suggesting that the stats proved anything one way or the other, he's obviously played well this season. In fact, he's played better than Bruce, who's actually played in 90% of our games. Personally, I think Faye is better than both of them, yet he's played in less games than either of the others.
McShane is OK at this level, but God help us if we reach the Premier League and we have him as even a third-choice centre-back. Still, to show my appreciation for his efforts I have changed my avatar
Perhaps because Faye has been injured a few times this season, struggles with back to back games etc. other than that I agree Faye has been a great acquisition.
