muffdiver91 Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Burrows dropping hints on Twitter that we will sign somebody before tomorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelvinBragg Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Should we sign a keeper before tomorrow, I'd be tempted to leave him on the bench for this game. Irrespective of your opinion of Twardzik, the back four know how he plays and can adjust their own game accordingly... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malky79 Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Lasley and Pearson as centre mids will be no pushovers but I suspect at times we will find there are gaps to be found especially when we play with two wingers. Lasley will be 36 shortly and with best will in the world must be very close to reaching a point where he can't compete at SPL level. With less numbers it is a big season for someone like Jack Leitch to step up when he gets a chance and hopefully step into being a regular for next season. Then we might be looking more closely at Pearson to see how much more he has left. No doubt we have one or two gaps in the squad but hopefully some younger players like Leitch, Watt and Thomas who are thereabouts will take that next step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelvinBragg Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Lasley and Pearson as centre mids will be no pushovers but I suspect at times we will find there are gaps to be found especially when we play with two wingers. Lasley will be 36 shortly and with best will in the world must be very close to reaching a point where he can't compete at SPL level. With less numbers it is a big season for someone like Jack Leitch to step up when he gets a chance and hopefully step into being a regular for next season. Then we might be looking more closely at Pearson to see how much more he has left. No doubt we have one or two gaps in the squad but hopefully some younger players like Leitch, Watt and Thomas who are thereabouts will take that next step. I agree with much of this. I suspect that the idea will be for McDonald to perform a similar role as he did against Rangers by dropping into the midfield to help out Pearson and Lasley. As you say, in terms of midfield we'll be looking for Leitch, McLean and Cadden to step up a bit this season... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Lasley and Pearson as centre mids will be no pushovers but I suspect at times we will find there are gaps to be found especially when we play with two wingers. Lasley will be 36 shortly and with best will in the world must be very close to reaching a point where he can't compete at SPL level. With less numbers it is a big season for someone like Jack Leitch to step up when he gets a chance and hopefully step into being a regular for next season. Then we might be looking more closely at Pearson to see how much more he has left. No doubt we have one or two gaps in the squad but hopefully some younger players like Leitch, Watt and Thomas who are thereabouts will take that next step. Last season our central midfield was posted missing on many occasions, a bit less so it has to be said after Pearo arrived and settled in. When we play with 2 wingers you are right in that the opposition usually outnumbered us in the middle. Cadden and Leitch might well have a role to play and it would be great to see them grab their chances successfully. However its a lot to ask of young midfield players to come in and immediately stamp their authority on the opposition, which is what we need right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdalli10 Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Burrows dropping hints on Twitter that we will sign somebody before tomorrow It's brilliant having someone keeping us up to date on social media I'm not sure about this skippy in midfield chat. Against Celtic, Aberdeen and some of the tougher away games fair enough but I want him upfront pressing, scoring goals and being a general nuisance for defenders which was key to our good home form at the end of last season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 It's brilliant having someone keeping us up to date on social media I'm not sure about this skippy in midfield chat. Against Celtic, Aberdeen and some of the tougher away games fair enough but I want him upfront pressing, scoring goals and being a general nuisance for defenders which was key to our good home form at the end of last season. Quite - he is far less effective when our midfield sit very deep and there is a huge gap between it and the main striker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well Up For It! Posted July 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 In our last couple of games, I got the impression MacDonald was playing more of a classic No.10 role (or "trequista" for the FM fans) and I feel this is his best position. Sitting behind a striker, more freedom to roam about and create space while being required to drop deeper into midfield and help out and kick off attacks. He has the ability to make something happen and to bring others into play. I have no doubts in my mind that young Erwin owes much of his move to Leeds thanks to playing with MacDonald for the past few months and I have high hopes he can do the same with Moult and Fletcher.As others have mentioned, we really have an ageing midfield, and with two wingers we will be exposed at times. With MacDonald in this role, it would be 4-2-3-1 that allows flexibility to shift to a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 during play when/if required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superward Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 McDonald will start up front in a 2 most games I would think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelvinBragg Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 McDonald will start up front in a 2 most games I would think.I think that's how it will be on paper but he'll play up front in the same way that McFadden played up front with Lehmann and Clarkson. He'll drop deep to pick up the ball and try to make things happen... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoojy Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Connor Ripley signed. 22 year old, 6ft 3in tall goalie. http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2015/07/31/well-sign-goalkeeper-ripley/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Connor Ripley signed. 22 year old, 6ft 3in tall goalie. http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2015/07/31/well-sign-goalkeeper-ripley/ Great to have a new keeper in, but I guess the gaffer didn't manage to get the permanent signing or fulls season loan deal he was looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohwulliewullie Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 "The 22-year old has signed initially until early January..." Perhaps it's with a view to signing a permanent deal later? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Great to have a new keeper in, but I guess the gaffer didn't manage to get the permanent signing or fulls season loan deal he was looking for. In fairness Ruddy was an initial 6 month loan and we ended up getting him for the full season. Ripley's signed up with Boro til 2018 (he just signed a new 3 year deal in July) and is pretty highly thought of so a permanent deal would be pretty much ruled out I'd say. http://www.mfc.co.uk/news/article/2014/middlesbrough-fc-boro-connor-ripley-aitor-karanka-2547204.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistandshout1983 Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Pleased with the Ripley signing, if he does well maybe Bara will extend it til the end of the season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 I hope so. And, of course, on the bright side, if he's mince, we can ditch him in January Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goggles & Flippers Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Two things I took from that are, white goalie top ..... Hope we have plenty of Daz in (see what I did there) and the pitch looks amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 In fairness Ruddy was an initial 6 month loan and we ended up getting him for the full season. Ripley's signed up with Boro til 2018 (he just signed a new 3 year deal in July) and is pretty highly thought of so a permanent deal would be pretty much ruled out I'd say. http://www.mfc.co.uk/news/article/2014/middlesbrough-fc-boro-connor-ripley-aitor-karanka-2547204.aspx Stuart Ripley's boy I see. God, I'm getting old - I remember him playing on the wing when Blackburn Rovers won the Premier League. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelvinBragg Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Stuart Ripley's boy I see. God, I'm getting old - I remember him playing on the wing when Blackburn Rovers won the Premier League. I already feel that when I see Jack Leitch play... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MearnsWell Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Good recent-ish article on Stuart Ripley - now a law lecturer... http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/apr/24/they-think-its-all-over-ex-footballers-life-after-final-whistle-premier-league Oh aye, No 10 = Trequartista Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supermarv Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Really happy with this news hope we extend the deal if he does good enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desp Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Is he on Twitter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropy Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 The Boro article says he goes straight into the side for Saturday, bit premature I would have thought. No. 1 though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzyB Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 He's certainly saying all the right things in his first interview. Hopefully he is a bit better than Long! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Yes happy that we have brought in a new keeper if only for the first part of the season. He certainly seems the part and given his size shouldn't be pushed about too easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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