Boss answers critics over MacDonald wing back choice

[SINA STAG]

I see it more of DF justifying his decision to save his job or explain to JR why he made such a poor decision when we've got Jones n Atkinson to play in the same position......

Not using the correct tools for project promotion.... we just needed a draw didn't need to go out for 3 points but didn't use the players available to DF round pegs in square holes......

Let's hope he gets it right on Thursday n we are in a position at the end of full time to progress to the final game.

If not I think JR may be saying goodbye to DF Monday Morning.

[Chadman]

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?

I don't think it was ridiculous and he was no worse than anyone else first half.

I would assume they have been trying this out in training and Macca has appeared to be capable of doing the job being asked of him.

There are many different types of midfielders and Macca is the perfect sort to be able to cope with being right wing back as he tackles well, is tenacious and chases back as well as being very used to being in a wide role.

Whether it would work better on another occasion we will have to see. But everyone had been criticising Jones, who had dropped off a bit, and with no White available I think it was a valid risk - if it was even seen as a risk with what he was doing in full-blooded training.

I would not be surprised to see him there again in the semis unless Jones has made his point in training.

[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?

I don't think it was ridiculous and he was no worse than anyone else first half.

I would assume they have been trying this out in training and Macca has appeared to be capable of doing the job being asked of him.

There are many different types of midfielders and Macca is the perfect sort to be able to cope with being right wing back as he tackles well, is tenacious and chases back as well as being very used to being in a wide role.

Whether it would work better on another occasion we will have to see. But everyone had been criticising Jones, who had dropped off a bit, and with no White available I think it was a valid risk - if it was even seen as a risk with what he was doing in full-blooded training.

I would not be surprised to see him there again in the semis unless Jones has made his point in training.

‘Trying out In training’ then chucking him there in front of 20,000 in a promotion decider?

It’s your opinion, one that I struggle to even comprehend but worth as much as anybody else’s.

I think you will find that his remarks that RM/RWB are negligible in difference and using the most important game of the season to try a new position for a player is a very unpopular viewpoint.

The fact is though that it definitely did not work at all, surely nobody else can disagree with that?

[oldweststander]

Ok, Macca was not outstanding but I'm sure DF made his decisions with MK in min9, it didn't work out but what makes everyone think they know better than he?

[tillydog123]

It all points to the recent form and we should accept we are not good enough to be a razor sharp incisive team capable of winning games comfortably.

we run out ideas up front and agree best to let Rose and Walker try and conjure up something as Walker on his own is no good.

I would drop CJ and nothing much to lose now

JR' s words at the dinner were great and we would follow him through the gates of hell but in reality I think he was more or less saying diplomatically in business speak that we are more than likely to have to make the effort mentally and physically all over again and be prepared to get on the bus to some far and drab and lowly away grounds where we have tramped for many seasons already.

Really sad end to the season and not sure if DF is capable to take us that leap forward but I think JR will allow him another crack at it.

No play offs last time, play offs failure this time and then maybe 3rd time lucky!!

sorry to be Mr Pessimistic

[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.

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.

I don't think it was a "stupid decision". No surprises there then. Your opinion of DF are different ends of the scale to mine. I like to support him. You tend to criticise him at every opportunity. Fair enough that's your prerogative.

Don't forget Macca is an experienced player. In fact the "Scottish manager" said should be playing in the Championship. Should he have played at right wing back ? Maybe not. Stupid decision ? No.

[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.

I don't think it was a "stupid decision". No surprises there then. Your opinion of DF are different ends of the scale to mine. I like to support him. You tend to criticise him at every opportunity. Fair enough that's your prerogative.

Don't forget Macca is an experienced player. In fact the "Scottish manager" said should be playing in the Championship. Should he have played at right wing back ? Maybe not. Stupid decision ? No.

That’s so unfair mate, like you literally have no idea what you are talking about, I’ve spent all day defending him regarding improving players, ie CJ, Pearce, Mellis etc.

I’ll criticise him when I think he’s raspberried up, and I’ll stick up for what he’s done well, I’ve supported him throughout the season and for you to suggest otherwise is a poor attempt at getting out of a decent debate or just a awful amount of ignorance.

[cassellswasmagic]

It’s not just the fact Macca was at RWB, it was also the fact that nobody seemed capable of helping him out when MK time and time again exploited that part of the pitch. The whole team apart from Logan, KP and Turner were poor. Jones should have been RWB, end of. Chadman, don’t even try to justify it. It was a poor decision by DF.

[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.

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.

I don't think it was a "stupid decision". No surprises there then. Your opinion of DF are different ends of the scale to mine. I like to support him. You tend to criticise him at every opportunity. Fair enough that's your prerogative.

Don't forget Macca is an experienced player. In fact the "Scottish manager" said should be playing in the Championship. Should he have played at right wing back ? Maybe not. Stupid decision ? No.

That’s so unfair mate, like you literally have no idea what you are talking about, I’ve spent all day defending him regarding improving players, ie CJ, Pearce, Mellis etc.

I’ll criticise him when I think he’s raspberried up, and I’ll stick up for what he’s done well, I’ve supported him throughout the season and for you to suggest otherwise is a poor attempt at getting out of a decent debate or just a awful amount of ignorance.

If that's the case I apologise Conker. Having supported the Stags for over 50 yearsI think I pretty much know what I'm talking about.

[daddycool]

It was hardly a mistake of biblical proportions as some would suggest. He quickly changed Tomlinson after we went a goal down and altered the set up.
It didn’t lose us the game as the goal came from the other side.
We had lost the last two games so he would have been slated if he had not changed the line up.

[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.

I don't think it was a "stupid decision". No surprises there then. Your opinion of DF are different ends of the scale to mine. I like to support him. You tend to criticise him at every opportunity. Fair enough that's your prerogative.

Don't forget Macca is an experienced player. In fact the "Scottish manager" said should be playing in the Championship. Should he have played at right wing back ? Maybe not. Stupid decision ? No.

That’s so unfair mate, like you literally have no idea what you are talking about, I’ve spent all day defending him regarding improving players, ie CJ, Pearce, Mellis etc.

I’ll criticise him when I think he’s raspberried up, and I’ll stick up for what he’s done well, I’ve supported him throughout the season and for you to suggest otherwise is a poor attempt at getting out of a decent debate or just a awful amount of ignorance.

If that's the case I apologise Conker. Having supported the Stags for over 50 yearsI think I pretty much know what I'm talking about.

I’ll be at the play-offs supporting the team and management promise.

[Amber Andy]

Finger crossed, we can get back to winning ways. We will ALL be relieved.

COYS.

[part time pete]

Look, we didn't lose the game because Macca played at RWB. We lost the game because we didn't have a player to head away an in swinging right wing corner.

Once Turner came on we had that player on the pitch who headed away the vast majority of crosses that came into the box.

[Vice President]

We have 4 good centre backs, but only one good right back (who is injured). DF's ultimate problem is that his squad never had any decent back up for both full backs. If Benning had have been injured as well as White, we would have had no cover at all for the full backs.
I can't help thinking that the obsession with playing 3 central defenders has caused this issue. I am a 4-4-2 man myself.

[Kenwood]

Look, we didn't lose the game because Macca played at RWB. We lost the game because we didn't have a player to head away an in swinging right wing corner.

Once Turner came on we had that player on the pitch who headed away the vast majority of crosses that came into the box.

We also started the game and played most the first half just knocking long balls from back to front and never pressed them high up the pitch. Something we have resorted too in recent weeks

Second half we played more football and our midfielders worked harder to get the ball back. Sadly once we did get the ball our more creative players and forwards produced nothing in the way of clear chances.

I just hope we go back to pressing teams and then play with confidence once we are on the ball

[gazza1988]

We have 4 good centre backs, but only one good right back (who is injured). DF's ultimate problem is that his squad never had any decent back up for both full backs. If Benning had have been injured as well as White, we would have had no cover at all for the full backs.
I can't help thinking that the obsession with playing 3 central defenders has caused this issue. I am a 4-4-2 man myself.

By extension we wouldn't have a backup RB either. So playing 4-4-2 would be irrelevant. Quite how playing a back 3 impacts upon no backup full back, I don't know. Having 2 crocked CB and a right midfielder taking up a good chunk of the wage budget affects it more.

Look, we didn't lose the game because Macca played at RWB. We lost the game because we didn't have a player to head away an in swinging right wing corner.

Once Turner came on we had that player on the pitch who headed away the vast majority of crosses that came into the box.

You could argue if he had played Hamilton at RWB ( that he spent the entire first half of the season playing him there) and started Rose up front, Rose could have been the player to clear it.

[bobbystagsfan]

We have 4 good centre backs, but only one good right back (who is injured). DF's ultimate problem is that his squad never had any decent back up for both full backs. If Benning had have been injured as well as White, we would have had no cover at all for the full backs.
I can't help thinking that the obsession with playing 3 central defenders has caused this issue. I am a 4-4-2 man myself.

maybe if we didn't have wasters such as diamond and Anderson on big bucks we might have been able to bring in some decent backup! if only... we have to make do with what we have for now!

[arsene wengers coat]

The thing is Atkinson and Jones don't get forward. Macca was a gamble bit it was an error in hindsight.

[gazza1988]

The thing is Atkinson and Jones don't get forward. Macca was a gamble bit it was an error in hindsight.

I disagree. I feel Jones gets forwards fairly often. Hayden is quick so can afford to get further up the pitch and make it back. Jones has been in some good positions going forwards and is perhaps a little unlucky not to have 2 goals to his name in recent weeks.

[Spiritater]

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".

They'll not play through us, they'll play it over us and will set their stall out to create chances to get balls into the box from free kicks and corners, and will be hoping as usual Conrad has superglued his own boots to the goal line.
Possession will be hard for us to maintain on the morass that is RP, it's gonna be tough.

[tillydog123]

I am not worried today for Stags

We could loose 3 nil and then win 4 nil at the One Call!!
If Liverpool and Spurs can do it why not us lol.

[oldweststander]

Jones was doing well, surprised he was dropoed but the manager knows best.

[tillydog123]

Jones will probably be back but maybe Atkinson would be a wild card gamble tonight!

[gazza1988]

I can see Macca playing ahead of tomlinson in midfield. Either Rose starting and CJ at RWB. Or Rose on the bench and Jones at RWB.