Boss answers critics over MacDonald wing back choice

[Chadman]

Manager's view on it - I do tend to agree. With his winger past and tenacious tackling it should be an ideal position.

https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/m ... -1-9756014

[bobbystagsfan]

I think it comes from the fact he hasn't played there for us all season, then thrown in on the last game of the season when we have Jones or Atkinson who are steady in that position.

[julianshatnasty]

He looked like he'd never played there before as well though. All over the place, didn't seem to know where to be or what to do. Far better in the second half when he moved into the midfield.

[BH_Stag]

I see Whites got his boots back on in training on Instagram today.. can we force him to play after 1 day?

[MTFCMusings]

I was someone who thought it would work too tbh. He didn't have a great game but barely anyone did in the first half. However bad he was, the goal we conceded was nothing to do with Macca playing RWB.

[bobbystagsfan]

I see Whites got his boots back on in training on Instagram today.. can we force him to play after 1 day?

I'm praying that he plays

[Jimstag]

Wing back is a different position to winger, Macca should be able to do it but it’s a big risk in that game. He was much improved in the second half as centre mid, was it then sitting back or us taking control? I’d like to think it was the latter but MK couldn’t keep that high press up all match. I just hope he doesn’t put Macca right back vs. Newport just to prove a point rather than it being the best option.

[MTFCMusings]

I think CJ will be RWB against Newport. Tomlinson will be dropped and Rose will start up front.

[MTFCMAD]

Oh dear.....not the response I thought he’d produce.

[bobbystagsfan]

I think CJ will be RWB against Newport. Tomlinson will be dropped and Rose will start up front.

I think so too

Logan

Hamilton Turner Pearce Sweeney Benning

Bishop Mellis

Grant/Khan

Walker Rose

is my guess for the lineup! maybe he will go with Macca in CM over grant or khan

[Chrisuknottm]

Firstly at least he's hearing the criticism however unpalatable he thinks it is.

Secondly if the decision to have played Alex at RWB was so credible why did DF take until the most important game of the season to do so?

Phrases including the words "straws clutching" and "at" come to mind.

[Conker]

This is extremely worrying, because he’s refusing to admit it was a ridiculous decision despite the fact Macca was clearly caught out of position several times, hence why he moved Macca central himself during the game.

Not to mention the fact that a promotion decider is not exactly a good time to put a player in a brand new position, RM and RWB are two very different things. How many times did they pinpoint the right side was our weakest point in the first half? They literally kept chipping it over a hopeless Macca.

Why can’t he just own up, and Chadman, what do you think to all these points I have made?

[JLStag]

He's shocked the decision is being questioned? when you have a right back on the bench but use a central midfielder i'd probably expect to be questioned as to why.

The more i read and hear about Flitcroft the more i realise he's tactically inept. definitely not getting the best out of those players

[Harrington St Hero]

Agree it wasn’t the time to try this out, but probably not the complete cause of our plight in the first half.

Put Jones back in for the first leg. Oh, and not Danny Rose up front please. I just don’t get the adulation of the lad or why people think he’ll be some sort of salvation starting or coming on after 60 mins.

[Son Of Sherwood]

Flitcroft's modus operandi was the reason behind "that player playing in that position" and that's something he needs to work on (imo).

He has his favourites, they play in front of all other possible selections and, if needs be, he shoehorns them in the team and the teams performance will either improve or diminish.

The old round peg in a square hole strategy.

Come tomorrow, he needs to play two banks of four and say to Newport "Play through us if you can".

[Hjeldefan]

He has come on as a sub there a couple of times and looked like a fish out of water, how any manager can put think it was a good decision is beyond me. Would have a lot more respect for df if he just said 'I took a risk and it failed' rather than this.

[James]

The difference between playing as a right winger, to right wing back is massive. For Flitcroft to use that as an explanation, is quite surprising.

[MTFCMusings]

We've only won 6 of 21 league games Macca has featured in. Only 4 of those were starts.

[BH_Stag]

The difference between playing as a right winger, to right wing back is massive. For Flitcroft to use that as an explanation, is quite surprising.

Just listened to the interview to get it word for word and I was honestly shocked at how confident he clearly felt/still feels that it was a good decision to play Macca there. Truly Bizarre to just say that because he has played right wing he can definitely play wing back - like you say there’s a big difference between the 2 roles.

I’m not saying that Macca isn’t capable of playing that role, but for him to play there for the first time this season in a game of such magnitude was a huge risk, and for me didn’t really pay off. Wouldn’t be totally surprised to see him play there again with his answer.

[Amber Andy]

Presumably DF didn't just decide on the day to play Macca at wingback. He would have been tried out in the training sessions leading up to the game.

I would have played Will Atkinson in that position rather than Macca. But I don't presume my knowledge to be anywhere near as good as DF's, unlike others on here.

[bobbystagsfan]

Agree it wasn’t the time to try this out, but probably not the complete cause of our plight in the first half.

Put Jones back in for the first leg. Oh, and not Danny Rose up front please. I just don’t get the adulation of the lad or why people think he’ll be some sort of salvation starting or coming on after 60 mins.

because we keep hoofing it to Hamilton and walker, rose can head a ball and get it down. Plus Hamilton up front just doesn't seem to be working at the moment and we have no other options than rose to try up top

[BH_Stag]

Presumably DF didn't just decide on the day to play Macca at wingback. He would have been tried out in the training sessions leading up to the game.

I would have played Will Atkinson in that position rather than Macca. But I don't presume my knowledge to be anywhere near as good as DF's, unlike others on here.

You can have an opinion on team selection when you’ve watched them all season without thinking your knowledge is superior to the managers.
Obviously he’s not just decided on the day, but trying it during a few shape sessions and games in training is different to a promotion decider in front of 20,000.

[FarnieStag]

I'm no Danny Rose fan (quite the opposite) but we have to go two up front now as we are just so powder-puff up top. How we need a Phil Stant now... a big strong no-nonsense goalscorer who plays hard and fair without the ridiculous falling over every few minutes.

[gazza1988]

Right winger and RWB are similar roles. This is true. However positionally they are very different.

A right winger generally has a right back behind him. That's what he's played the majority of his career with. A right wing back has to do both jobs.

[Conker]

Presumably DF didn't just decide on the day to play Macca at wingback. He would have been tried out in the training sessions leading up to the game.

I would have played Will Atkinson in that position rather than Macca. But I don't presume my knowledge to be anywhere near as good as DF's, unlike others on here.

It was a stupid decision why not just say it? Look he’s a L2 manager for a reason, mistakes are going to happen.

The problem is his arrogance by refusing to admit it, despite moving him centrally during the game. He even said he did well in the first half, he was tortured for the entirety of it - just like us fans in the stands.