Steve McClaren

[AyeDubbleYoo]

All we needed to do was rotate Janmaat away from Montero for a few minutes. We were close to half time as well, so I guess Schteve thought he could make it through to the break.

[Aiston]

I'm just so exhausted from hating, I simply have to give him time. He might do a s*** job - well aware of that possibility, but at a glance he appears to have more of a game plan than Pardew.

Really?

 

I thought his game plan on Saturday just seemed to be to keep the score down.

 

 

 

Yet he managed it, Pardew team would have conceded 4 more

[TRon]

I won't be impressed if he picks Willo, Taylor and Dummett, because we will get bummed into next week.

 

Man U won't provide the aerial threat that we faced against Swansea or Southampton. It would be a bit daft to close the stable door once the horse has bolted.

[Guest @ndy]

I think the plan with McClaren is to ultimately go with the following formation:

 

                          Krul

 

Janmat    Memba    Colo  Haidara

 

      Sissoko  Colback  Winjeldum

 

Thauvin                                Aarons

 

                    Mitrovich

 

Thauvin and aarons provide the width and supply to Mitrovich. Sissoko box to box, winjeldum playmaker and Colback deepest.

 

Week links are CB, LB and probably the defensive CM.

 

 

[Guest reefatoon]

Why isn't he going with that then? Why send out a team he doesn't really want to play in the first two fixtures (the best chance of getting points too out the first 4 games) and risk dropping points.  Makes absolutely no sense. If he ultimately wanted to play that, then he would have been picking it in preseason and so far in the competitive games.

[SEMTEX]

Why isn't he going with that then? Why send out a team he doesn't really want to play in the first two fixtures (the best chance of getting points too out the first 4 games) and risk dropping points.  Makes absolutely no sense. If he ultimately wanted to play that, then he would have been picking it in preseason and so far in the competitive games.

 

[Teasy]

I see his point on Mbemba at right back for that game actually because Janmaat didn't seem quick enough to deal with their right wingers pace, Mbemba performed better against him.  But Williamson in the center to provide a big physical presence is the mental bit.  Couldn't find a less physical presence than Williamson.

[durhamunigeordie]

I see his point on Mbemba at right back for that game actually because Janmaat didn't seem quick enough to deal with their right wingers pace, Mbemba performed better against him.  But Williamson in the center to provide a big physical presence is the mental bit.  Couldn't find a less physical presence than Williamson.

 

In that scenario I'd have Janmaat at CB ahead of Williamson every time.

[The College Dropout]

I think the plan with McClaren is to ultimately go with the following formation:

 

                          Krul

 

Janmat    Memba    Colo  Haidara

 

      Sissoko  Colback  Winjeldum

 

Thauvin                                Aarons

 

                    Mitrovich

 

Thauvin and aarons provide the width and supply to Mitrovich. Sissoko box to box, winjeldum playmaker and Colback deepest.

 

Week links are CB, LB and probably the defensive CM.

LOL. He's not even used that shape. He may end up at this point but it's not by design at the mo.

[DJ_NUFC]

We don't have a McLaren gif / face smiley yet?

[TRon]

[Guest reefatoon]

http://i.cubeupload.com/e9N74W.png

[DJ_NUFC]

awesome

[Unbelievable]

Replacement for imo

[Collage]

I gave Graeme Souness a chance. I gave Fat Sam a chance. I have limits; I didn't give JFK or Pardew a chance. But I'm definitely willing to give McClaren a chance.

[M4]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ouvfFrS0hrQ/Tcjwdf-PJsI/AAAAAAAACcQ/gE3l8uVRwB0/s1600/Formula+One+Grand+Prix++F1+Ferrari+2011+Car+GIF+ANIMADO+.gif

[Yorkie]

haha nee-ownnn

[KaKa]

The teenager comes across as a player who already has his feet firmly on the ground and after playing 60 games for Northampton, scoring 13 times, he already has a taste for first-team action.

 

That is reflected when the striker is asked if seeing Steve McClaren in the stands at the reserve game was a good sign.

 

He added: “That is going to boost anybody to see him in the stands.

 

“Even if the manager is there or not you have to play your best.

 

“It will always get back to him if you play well, as it will if you play badly!

 

“So it can be neither here nor there if he is in the stands you just have to keep playing.”

 

Toney’s task will now be to give McClaren another headache when it comes to his selection plans.

 

However, he is yet to hold serious talks with the head coach and said his journey is only just beginning.

 

He said: “The Football League is different to Premier League.

 

“It is a fantastic standard here.

 

“People love getting on the ball, it is one or two touches and it is fast moving and high-tempo.

 

“I am looking forward to pushing on to the first team and hopefully I can squeeze my way in there.

 

“I have mostly spoken with Peter Beardsley at the minute because I am with the under-21s.

 

“I am sure the gaffer will speak to me soon and let me know what is going on.

 

“You just have to keep playing football and keep myself happy.”

 

McClaren at the games already. Good.

 

Also seems the style of play under Beardsley is decent. Good.

[Away Toon]

McClaren hasn't spoken to his new signing. Bad.

[KaKa]

Treat em mean. Keep em keen. Good.

[Away Toon]

Now that the fat man has actually decided to spend some serious money, McClaren will be under a huge amount of pressure if we are stuck down at the bottom 10-20 games in. The fact that either McClaren instigated or accepted Colo getting a new contract, hasn't signed or attempted to sign a LB as far as we know and thinks that the two slow physically challenged dwarves in central midfield are adequate will mean he has absolutely no excuses at all.

 

I can see this going tits up extremely rapidly.

[KaKa]

Don't think McClaren gets enough credit for the owner spending money.

 

The fact he turned us down a number of times, and seemed to seek assurances before coming was key. He alluded to it when he joined, when he mentioned that Ashley's message at the last game convinced him to get on board.

 

We have signed some good players, and we have a manager that is not destructive. I think he will do well just by virtue of those two points alone.

[TRon]

It's going to be a season of transition, we could have been a lot further forward if McClaren had come in January, but as it is, the early part of this season is going to be about establishing a playing style and McClaren learning that Obertan is a waste of time. At least we should start to look like a proper football team at some point, even if we are hovering around mid-table.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Don't think McClaren gets enough credit for the owner spending money.

 

The fact he turned us down a number of times, and seemed to seek assurances before coming was key. He alluded to it when he joined, when he mentioned that Ashley's message at the last game convinced him to get on board.

 

We have signed some good players, and we have a manager that is not destructive. I think he will do well just by virtue of those two points alone.

 

Yeah, this is one of the reasons I respect him. Getting the coaches in was almost certainly partly his doing as well, maybe even more important.

 

Anyone who works for Ashley will have to just shoulder a lot of bad decisions, but he seems to at least have had some influence.

[Yorkie]

I've been cynical and downbeat for so long that I don't put too much weight into decisions made off the field - from a positive or negative standpoint. Cautious optimism is the most extreme emotion I can muster for that sort of thing atm. They've all got so, so far to go before they convince me that we're not a shit club. Even McClaren himself is tainted by his association with Ashley.

 

But the refreshing thing with McClaren is that I'm not absolutely certain we're going to achieve nothing. That's what he's got going for him, certainly from my point of view. The cast-iron certainty that we were going nowhere with Pardew is what had me desperate for us to actually lose, thus potentially prompting a change. And now, whilst I still don't celebrate the goals like I once did, I definitely want us to win.