(That long since we've had any, couldn't find the thread)

Alan Nixon: "Top Liverpool starlet Cameron Branagan will Ben allowed out on loan in Jan.

Bolton lead the race for the 20 year old midfielder"

Edited December 11, 20169 yr by Ratwhite

15 minutes ago, DazBob said:

Furry muff.  No issue with that.

I just don't understand when posters such as TMGJ accuse him of going into hiding, not putting the effort in, whingeing about being tackled, etc.

What I see is a player who always wants the ball, regardless of where he is on the pitch and who is up his arse, so to speak. That's not a quality too many of our players have.  The only criticism I'd have, and it is a fair one, is that a couple of  times last season he bottled out of  50/50 challenges that led to us conceding ... but I'd not be wanting shut of him because of that. 

How many times last season did we concede because we had players not bother to try and win a header further up the pitch, or because they tried a stupid, fancy flick rather than ensuring we kept the ball, or because they couldn't be arsed busting a gut to close a man down or track him back.

A lot of folk often forget how many times last season Sheehan was our last defender and got the rest of the AWOL defence and midfield out of the shit.

 

That is exactly what a lot of people reckon he doesn't do, when the going gets tough.

Plenty of time Tomo will do it, and doesn't have the technique but still shows.

If Sheehan is being targeted, then he also has to be prepared to work, run and take those players with him, and leave gaps for others to fill. 

He can have all the technique in the world, but if he is largely going sideways and backwards, then it means nothing.

We'll see soon enough what SS thinks he can bring to the new style.

 

1 hour ago, boltonboris said:

McAtee's hungry to impress this season. Hated how he was perceived last season and wants to make it here. He's been having 1-1 and group fitness work all summer.

Not sure Schumacher likes him personally, as he can be "hard work" but he's going to make a fist of it this season. 

I think we need to back him. 

Pretty much every player now has 1-1 and group work over the off season, so McAtee is no different there. He just likes to post about it on social media! I hope you're right about him wanting to change people's perceptions though. I'm a little sceptical as he could have made that decision at any point last season, but let's see.

Unfortunately for him, he's slightly easily led, and when Evatt created the old boys club at the start of last season, a certain culture permeated through the coaching staff (aside from Gilks (still the only one of them to find new employment)) and fed into some of the team. McAtee was part of this. I don't think him and Collins (and Lolos) were a particularly good influence on each other and McAtee could never really get himself fit. 

He's a local lad and I'd love him to make it with us. I do think there is some talent there, and I do think he can be effective playing off a strong centre forward. But it's fair to say this season is a big one for his career.

2 hours ago, boltonboris said:

McAtee's hungry to impress this season. Hated how he was perceived last season and wants to make it here. He's been having 1-1 and group fitness work all summer.

His Insta suggests otherwise

2 hours ago, Steejay said:

Matete has gone back to Sunlun hasn’t he?

I'd genuinely forgotten about him. Which tells you about the impact he had!

3 hours ago, boltonboris said:

McAtee's hungry to impress this season. Hated how he was perceived last season and wants to make it here. He's been having 1-1 and group fitness work all summer.

Not sure Schumacher likes him personally, as he can be "hard work" but he's going to make a fist of it this season. 

I think we need to back him. 

Id like to bloody well think so too, been some "bad" and toxic rumours about the lad, but everyone should get a fair crack, he didn't perform last season; which, after the hype of him being so good at Barnsley and a hefty transfer fee felt like a let down, lets hope a decent pre-season and new manager brings the true potential our of him. You don't get to sing for a premier league outfit, if you are shit.

4 minutes ago, Ratwhite said:

Id like to bloody well think so too, been some "bad" and toxic rumours about the lad, but everyone should get a fair crack, he didn't perform last season; which, after the hype of him being so good at Barnsley and a hefty transfer fee felt like a let down, lets hope a decent pre-season and new manager brings the true potential our of him. You don't get to sing for a premier league outfit, if you are shit.

Southampton fans who saw Aly Dia may disagree, but i take your point 🙂 

8 minutes ago, Ratwhite said:

You don't get to sing for a premier league outfit, if you are shit.

For whatever it's worth, they weren't in the Premier League when they signed him

6 hours ago, Rival Son said:

Sheehan also has a good shot and finish, which was woefully underutilised under Evatt’s defensive midfield role. A more advanced role, with Morley and Simons behind him, would likely see the best of him.

 

Evatt tried him in a more advanced role though and it didn’t work.

edl craig seems to think clubs are looking at thomasson 

hopefully this is true 

3 hours ago, kent_white said:

I'd genuinely forgotten about him. Which tells you about the impact he had!

Matete was to be the next seasons Maghoma. Well, tbf to him he was exceptionally 'bang average'.

33 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

Evatt tried him in a more advanced role though and it didn’t work.

The first two words mean the rest can probably be ignored.

2 hours ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

For whatever it's worth, they weren't in the Premier League when they signed him

Perfect, thanks for the clarification................ It may makes absolutely no difference (to me).

25 minutes ago, Ratwhite said:

Perfect, thanks for the clarification................ It may makes absolutely no difference (to me).

Well, it does make a bit of a difference but not to worry

Lies seems to think we can expect some incoming this week, but there seems to be an issue with NMai. The issue being they’re taking the piss on asking price. But with players already returning for training, hopefully we’ll get our business done early.

7 hours ago, boltonboris said:

McAtee's hungry to impress this season. Hated how he was perceived last season and wants to make it here. He's been having 1-1 and group fitness work all summer.

Not sure Schumacher likes him personally, as he can be "hard work" but he's going to make a fist of it this season. 

I think we need to back him. 

Fuck that. 
 

He’s shit and indicative of everything that was wrong with last season. 

And it was nowt about perception. 
 

His attitude stinks. It is exactly how it was.  He’s a wrong un who we should be offloading asap. 

Mullin signed on loan for Wigan and I think that’s a cracking signing for them. Maybe a bit of risk from his injuries but if he stays fit he’ll definitely score goals for them. Could’ve been useful here up top with Dalby again?

6 minutes ago, mickbrown said:

Fuck that. 
 

He’s shit and indicative of everything that was wrong with last season. 

He's a no 10 being played as a no 9, in a team where the midfield has been rendered non existent.

Ofcouse his attitude stunk, he's pissed off! He was sold chicken curry and got haitian mud cookies. 

Certainly wasn’t hungry last season , looked well overweight. Also runs like he’s shit himself, when he’s not pointing and shouting at folk. 
 

Would love to get rid of the useless prick. 

2 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

Evatt tried him in a more advanced role though and it didn’t work.

He's a forward. You can't really get more advanced than a forward. He's a forward that likes to drop a bit deeper but he's not a midfielder. 

The problem was when you play Collins and mcatee together,Collins drifts out wide and mcatee drops deeper. So nobody was the focal point. Too many times there wasn't enough bodies in the box. They weren't suited to play together. 

At least with Dalby , he will be the focal point and Mcatee or whoever can play off him. 

2 minutes ago, Arrested development said:

Senior moment. Again FFS.

Edited June 23, 2025Jun 23 by Wanderlust

2 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

Sheehan? A forward?

Think he's talking about JM.

41 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

Lies seems to think we can expect some incoming this week, but there seems to be an issue with NMai. The issue being they’re taking the piss on asking price. But with players already returning for training, hopefully we’ll get our business done early.

He obviously watched the same club interview as me in which SS said hopefully a couple more this week.

 

4 minutes ago, TrickyTrotter said:

He obviously watched the same club interview as me in which SS said hopefully a couple more this week.

 

Polo shirt with a zip? Schuey out

30 minutes ago, Zog1 said:

He's a no 10 being played as a no 9, in a team where the midfield has been rendered non existent.

Ofcouse his attitude stunk, he's pissed off! He was sold chicken curry and got haitian mud cookies. 

So when it’s not quite going his way he chucks his toys out of the pram?

Thats not the sort of bloke we need about the place. Fuck him off.