Play Jason McCarthy in midfield
Looking at the balance of the side yesterday maybe it is time to try Macca in a midfield role. He has the physique of a Keith Ryan, great box to box lung capacity, good heading and tackling capability and can use the ball well. A midfield three of Thompson, Gape and McCarthy would be pretty strong and McCarthys height in the middle would be a major bonus.
We could then slot Stewart or Harriman into the right back role.
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That's not a bad shout at all
Or play Bolton at right back, where he played for Man City pre-season
Didn't we bring in the young lad from QPR to introduce more height into midfield?
It's a bit of creativity and composure on the ball that we seem to lack in midfield. McCarthy would not be the answer, imho.
Interestingly I thought he improved markedly when PCH came on for Bolton (as did the whole team). There’s a lot to be said for players who understand each other - cf Scotty and the Beast.
Still wouldn’t play McCarthy in midfield though, I’m not sure he’s the pinpoint passer we need.
I know it's a bit like shooting Bambi but I think Bloomfield is ineffective these days in what is a key position in our system.
Agree about Jason stepping up to midfield. Harriman at right back. I don’t recall Rhinos passing being that great tbh. Physical presence would help as well. I thinks it’s time Stewart was back in for next week and give Sido a break. Bloomfield pretty invisible yesterday.
Mccarthy is having an outstanding season at right back. Would be madness to move him
Why not just play Harriman in midfield.
So people want the defence with 3 clean sheets in the last 4 games to be disrupted just before we play the top 2 teams away from home? If it ain’t broke why fix it?
Indeed.
I second that!
Completely agree. I’m not a massive fan of Harriman in central midfield, but I’d much prefer that to moving McCarthy.
I'd be> @Shev said:
I third it
@JohnnyAllAlone , based on two views of Bolton, I can't for a second see him as a winger. He definitely looks like a full back. It is obviously way too short a period to judge him, but he's certainly not had that instant "this guy looks amazing" star material that Taylor and Luke Moore had.
ps No in a million years to McCarthy in centre mid.
He was producing some excellent runs from deep yesterday, and it's good having a tall right back, for what is a fairly short team all round.
Thompson wins plenty of the ball in the air. He's excellent at it for his height.
You can't have a third defensive guy in there as well.
I'd tend to agree with the positional analysis at first blush, though I'd say he looks a very decent player indeed and suggest he's had limited opportunities to show what he can do so far. A bit like Eze last season, who had some games where he hardly featured.
Yep definitely.
A sub appearance and yesterday's utterly dreadful attack free display are certainly not the games to judge it on.
We'll see how the next games go.
It'd be magic if he could do something in the tough next two!
No need whatsoever to disrupt our back four. They’ve been excellent most of the season. I agree we need a bit more creativity in midfield at times especially when we need to break teams down as opposed to hitting teams on the break. Yesterday we were desperate for a Sam Saunders type of player.
We were bound to be desperate for a Sam Saunders type player as soon as the non-playing real Sam Saunders departed.
There was also a desperate need yesterday for a Craig Mackail-Smith type player.
I’d keep Macca where he is he is doing a great job there. Any news on Samuel it looked painful
No need to disrupt the back four what we need is for some e to pass to the right hand side when players (used to be Harriman yesterday it was bolton) are in acres of space. Is it me or do we tend to play only down the left unless it accidentally makes it's way over to the right?
Agree with @micra first time he's not on the bench and we needed CMS
I think this is something to do with us having more confidence in JJ delivering an accurate pass than anyone else. And we lack someone to produce a winnable left to right cross field ball.
Need a passing midfielder. Macca is fine where he is. Harriman probably won't get another run of games this season.
Funny old game at times. Harriman kept Sido out for large spells. Roll on a season, Harriman can't get near it, and Sido has become a regular in a different position!
I agree with playing Harriman in midfield, he has a good eye for the ball and passing range. I also have less confidence in Bloomfield than most on here. Seems an obvious and easy upgrade to me.
Bloomfield is an interesting one. Obviously a fan favourite, super loyal part of the furniture guy, and had some good games early season.
But he's not an attacking midfielder, but sort of playing in that position. He doesn't really assist or score, and has this off scampering around role. Almost a first line of defensive midfield, but without the constraints of position of the two behind him.
If bloomy was told to run around and commit clumsy fouls in front of the referee he gets a 10/10 from me for Saturday.