David Wheeler

[Shania]

You know what Shan I've seen him at full back and he looked moor that capable

Ok, and that wasn`t against Liverpool, by any chance?

[Olly]

Forest?

[Stanley]

I get the desperation in terms of Mackie being picked week in week out but what I don't get is the double standards of so many on here.

I read how Pavel has had his confidence ruined by being played "out of position" but because of the desperation to replace Mackie with Wheeler, people want to overlook the fact that he is a winger and play him out of position too. Whilst accepting that he has played up front briefly in his career, Pawel has done the same (played as a wing back) and so both would be described as playing out of position. I suggest that a lot of otherwise rational fans on this board are contradicting themselves without even realising it, simply because they need to find an answer to not playing the current failure.

Pawel and Wheeler is an unfair comparison mate. Wheeler was absolutely banging the goals in last season for Exeter (just check his figures). So not playing him this season when we have an impotent strike force of CW and JM makes no sense.

As for Pawel there's simply no denying he's not the player he was since switching to WB.

And as for Mackie (as Dogsrrs also says) he was actually very effective playing at FB in his previous stint at the club (arguably more so than as a striker). So there's even a case for playing him at FB behind Pawel when employed soley as a winger.

[Jimmy Floyd Rabbit]

That the players actually aren't better than last season ?

I disagree.

Scowen, Wheeler, Freeman in his first full season for us are all much better than what we had last season with the same crap results.

Manager and coaching team has to take the rap for this one I'm afraid in my book.

[Tarbie]

Exactly Tarbs, my point was more to try and get some focus on peoples anger at the Mackie issue. I'm sure many will now come and say they wanted that change of formation but they actually didn't. There would be rants galore at playing one up at home and the majority just wanted Wheeler to play up because he scores goals.

Gotta be careful not to hype Wheeler up too much in my opinion. Looks like he has goals in him, but he's also stepping up a a fair bit in terms of level having never played higher than League 2 before this season. Wouldn't be fair to pin all our hopes on him.

For me, there is a bigger issue at play in that we seemed to have signed totally the wrong players for the formation we are currently utlising. Rather than crying out for 1 particular player being selected, I'm more inclined to call for the manager to simply pick a system that he has the correct personnel for. Whether is is Pawel, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Lua Lua, Wheeler or even Shodipo he utlises on the wings doesn't really bother me, I'd just like to see us pick a formation that allows these players to play their natural game.

[Shepherds Mush]

I disagree.

Scowen, Wheeler, Freeman in his first full season for us are all much better than what we had last season with the same crap results.

Manager and coaching team has to take the rap for this one I'm afraid in my book.

I know what you are saying as we do have better players in some areas and we have been unlucky with long term injuries at the back, but the fact of the matter is we are currently only lying 1 place above where we finished and 8 places lower than this point last season.

I think we are playing better and showing more spirit to not lose games we would have in the past but similarly we aren't sneaking wins where perhaps we shouldn't be (like at Fulham last season).

So for me, at the moment, we aren't really all that much better than last season as if we were, we would quite simply be further up the table. I just hope that we can turn it up a notch and get the wins once we have a settled first choice XI.

[Bluehoop]

Pawel and Wheeler is an unfair comparison mate. Wheeler was absolutely banging the goals in last season for Exeter (just check his figures). So not playing him this season when we have an impotent strike force of CW and JM makes no sense.

As for Pawel there's simply no denying he's not the player he was since switching to WB.

And as for Mackie (as Dogsrrs also says) he was actually very effective playing at FB in his previous stint at the club (arguably more so than as a striker). So there's even a case for playing him at FB behind Pawel when employed soley as a winger.

So what you are saying is that it's ok to play Wheeler out of position because he scored loads of goals last season but that doing the same with Pawel has killed his confidence? I'm a bit lost mate. What if we play Wheeler as a striker (out of position) (and at a higher level than he scored his goals last season) and he misfires - does that not destroy his confidence and will that also be the manager's fault?

[Bluehoop]

I should add by the way that I'm as annoyed as anyone when I turn up and see the team sheet each game - Mackie clearly isn't the answer but I'm just looking for the logic and balance. I would like to see Washington given a run with Sylla rather than Mackie

[MYU]

I'd love to know Hollowheads thinking behind this one.

He is a very good footballer. Good brain, fit, can shoot & score yet gets almost no time in the hoops.



Game 1 - he gets 13 mins (sub)

Game 2 - he starts & gets taken off after 68 mins despite scoring on his first full start. (Subbed)

Game 3 - he gets 6 mins (one game after starting & scoring away to Boro?!) (sub)

Game 4 - he gets 5 poxy mins. (Sub)

This kid looks a player to me yet this useless manager is completely bypassing him & giving him zero time to impress.

The stats make embarrassing reading. Especially when you're accommodating that plank Spackie up front. And yes I'm p!ssed off!

Wtf is going on?

I'm glad I'm not the only one... I just don't get it?

He'll be another player whose career we'll mess up!

[Kevin Mcleod]

I should add by the way that I'm as annoyed as anyone when I turn up and see the team sheet each game - Mackie clearly isn't the answer but I'm just looking for the logic and balance. I would like to see Washington given a run with Sylla rather than Mackie

Or even Smith and Sylla would be worth a try

[Stanley]

So what you are saying is that it's ok to play Wheeler out of position because he scored loads of goals last season but that doing the same with Pawel has killed his confidence? I'm a bit lost mate. What if we play Wheeler as a striker (out of position) (and at a higher level than he scored his goals last season) and he misfires - does that not destroy his confidence and will that also be the manager's fault?

What I'm suggesting is to play Wheeler in the same position he scored goals in abundance for Exeter. Currently it's not clear (to me at least) if that was as a winger or a striker, but I'm sure our esteemed coaches would know (not to mention the player himself). Either way there is at least nothing to lose by trying him there in a run of games, ahead of the consistently misfiring Mackie and/or Washington.

[Bluehoop]

What I'm suggesting is to play Wheeler in the same position he scored goals in abundance for Exeter. Currently it's not clear (to me at least) if that was as a winger or a striker, but I'm sure our esteemed coaches would know. Either way there is at least nothing to lose by trying him there in a run of games, ahead of the consistently misfiring Mackie and/or Washington.

I am told he scored them playing as a winger although I also understand Tisdale likes his team to set up quite narrow. I was confused by that but the person who summarised it is an old man and said he's kind of like an inside forward
I don't think the manager wants to change the set up but a lot of us agree he needs to change that as quickly as some of his selections

[Stanley]

I am told he scored them playing as a winger although I also understand Tisdale likes his team to set up quite narrow. I was confused by that but the person who summarised it is an old man and said he's kind of like an inside forward
I don't think the manager wants to change the set up but a lot of us agree he needs to change that as quickly as some of his selections

Agreed and thanks for the clarification mate

[MYU]

Just put him in the team, he is the sort of player that finds himself in the right place at the right time.

If he was playing last few games, we would've won and got us more points.

If I was him I'd request a transfer in January, he needs first team football.

[72bus]

would love holloway to come out with his reason for not starting him , he's tried and swapped mackie, sylla, wash and smith many times and it's not been great