Sawyer Must Start Campaign

[OldBlueLady]

Have they ever actually played together ?

Dont think they did last season as Sawyer was here when Macca was out injured.

Think there's been a couple of 10/15 min slots this season when they have, Scott.

 

[Pubey]

Think there's been a couple of 10/15 min slots this season when they have, Scott.

and normally Sawyer has impressed, and Macca has looked knackered

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Think there's been a couple of 10/15 min slots this season when they have, Scott.

Hasn't been in the middle though has it? when Sawyer has gone wide right. I personally dont think they would work well together in the middle, If Sawyer was going to start I'd have him on the right with Macca and Grant (or JFC) in the middle.

 

[Pubey]

Hasn't been in the middle though has it? when Sawyer has gone wide right. I personally dont think they would work well together in the middle, If Sawyer was going to start I'd have him on the right with Macca and Grant (or JFC) in the middle.

Stick Sawyer in the Grant in the middle (Grant is excellent defensively and improving aerially), both can pass the ball and have pace. Macca can play on the right (setting up more goals) and Moussa can continue on the left. Laurent can be an attacking threat from the bench, as he needs to find more consistency

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Stick Sawyer in the Grant in the middle (Grant is excellent defensively and improving aerially), both can pass the ball and have pace. Macca can play on the right (setting up more goals) and Moussa can continue on the left. Laurent can be an attacking threat from the bench, as he needs to find more consistency

I think Laurent can make more of an impact from the bench, he didn't really do alot in the second half on Saturday after an impressive second half, he looked knackered when he came off, problems with his fitness maybe ? he's not coming back from an injury and he always seems to be exhausted in the second half.

 

[GNH]

What evidence do you have for that, other than your own belief? They've only had short spells together, and there's nothing I've seen to convince me it's a no go. Something some of us have been saying it's worth trying for some time.

At this level of football, playing 2 central midfielders of the physical stature of Macca and Sawyer is suicide. You need the "Profesional Big Bloke" to win those all important aerial battles in the middle of the park or you will get crucified all day long. I think the only reason Tilly keeps playing Macca and JFC as a partnership is because he simply wont drop Macca and cant afford to drop JFC as mentioned above. FWIW i dont think playing Macca and Grant works for the same reasons.

 

[BoyWonder2]

What evidence do you have for that, other than your own belief? They've only had short spells together, and there's nothing I've seen to convince me it's a no go. Something some of us have been saying it's worth trying for some time.

Central midfield, above all other positions, requires balance for it to work. Look at a higher level to us, Gerrard and Lampard has never worked for England because they are basically the same player and like to support the attack and chip in with goals, but they lack a defensive midfielder in there, hence the introduction of Barry and shifted Gerrard to the left.

Sawyer and Macca both like to bomb forward in support of the front men, and try and score goals. Neither of them are strong enough defensively, and therefore have to be paired with a holding midfielder like Grant or JFC. Macca has done well for us in the middle of midfielder previously but when paired with Maher who used to sit in front of the back four, or Nicky Bailey, who had a good enough footballing brain to sit in front of the back four when Macca went forward.

You say Macca can be a holding midfielder, but that would be taking away one of his main strengths. In creating the second goal for us on Saturday, me broke from midfield for a quick free-kick. Playing as a holding midfielder he wouldn't be allowed to make them kind of runs. Plus we have two more than good enough holding midfielders at the Club in JFC and Grant.

In my opinion its a straight choice between Macca and Sawyer to be paired with JFC or Grant. I've been saying for a long time that Macca can "do a job" ala Petts on the right of midfield, but we would then have to drop Moussa in favour of a natrual left sided midfielder to give us that width.