Dwight ... one trick Pony ?

[GodIsADeeJay81]

As for being a one trick pony, that’s not a bad thing. Arjen Robben was one of the most one footed players I have ever seen and still nobody could stop him.

Exactly this, or Ryan Giggs.

[SaigonClaret]

Daveisaclaret
I think that was rather my point

He is losing his effectiveness out wide
I posed the question
Should he not be played centrally or wide right when he can move inside into space on his good foot.

[wilks_bfc]

Daveisaclaret
I think that was rather my point

He is losing his effectiveness out wide
I posed the question
Should he not be played centrally or wide right when he can move inside into space on his good foot.

So you want us to play our only natural winger available in a more central position?

[Boss Hogg]

Dwight is a great talent. I can’t understand any criticism.

[Stayingup]

Nor several other games and he was absolutely standout in the home win against Bournemouth back in Feb.

Yes and if 'that' goal is the one trick then I for one am happy to see repeats of the trick!!!

Wingers are known for having having in and out games.

[SaigonClaret]

The OP thinks McNeil is a one trick pony based on performances since the lockdown but doesn't remember him being the best player on the field playing central midfield at Palace. Makes you think I guess

One trick pony ?

Question mark

Is DM a OTP ?

I did not say I thought he was

I was raising the question

Thats why there is a question mark


Otherwise I would have said
DW is a one trick pony

Which I didnt.

[Tall Paul]

Is SaigonClaret an idiot?

[ClaretTony]

Wingers are known for having having in and out games.

More than any other position on the field

[burnleymik]

I absolutely love it when he gets the ball at his feet and runs at them and even more so when he hits the byline and still manages to whip in a cross from an unfathomable angle.

I would like to see what he could do in a more free and central role.

Also I am not sure if he is always as knackered as he looks or if it's just his natural demeanour.

It's been a pleasure seeing him come through and I am conviced he has been a significant part of the reason we have avoided relegation battles.

[SaigonClaret]

Is SaigonClaret an idiot?

Do you mean

Saigin Claret is an idiot

[dandeclaret]

One trick pony ?

Question mark

Is DM a OTP ?

I did not say I thought he was

I was raising the question

Thats why there is a question mark


Otherwise I would have said
DW is a one trick pony

Which I didnt.

Well, you asked a question.... and then followed it up with this statement "Lets face it, all our opponents are aware of how totally one footed Dwight is and that if they block that channel between touchline and defender then he inevitable turns 180 ° and plays the ball backwrads."

Thus somewhat answering the question you appear to have set yourself.

[Wellsy1882]

Ive got a better right foot than dwight mcneil - im being serious.

[Jakubs Tash]

I base my opinion on his performances sinve lockdown

Yeah, he was dreadful at Crystal Palace.....

[Jakubs Tash]

Is SaigonClaret an idiot?

There's definitely a couple of villages short of some bodies right now judging by this thread.

[boatshed bill]

Better to have one really good trick than be average at lots of different ones, in my opinion.

[SaigonClaret]

Well, you asked a question.... and then followed it up with this statement "Lets face it, all our opponents are aware of how totally one footed Dwight is and that if they block that channel between touchline and defender then he inevitable turns 180 ° and plays the ball backwrads."

Thus somewhat answering the question you appear to have set yourself.

Accepted, because that is increasingly what I see.

I am really asking is it worth trying to free DM up by shifting his position in the team.

I worry we might be losing what is special about him.

[Dy1geo]

The stand out performance for me was the post lockdown game v Palace when he played inside and was allowed to drift around.

[Bosscat]

I am not having a go at McNeil

Oh yes you are

[Vegas Claret]

first 30 mins Leicester couldn't get the ball off him, he never gave it away. If someone thinks Dwight is a one trick pony then you must have seen some incredible wingers in the 60's and 70's because from the 80's onwards (as much as I loved some of them) most of them have been pretty average !

[ŽižkovClaret]

Laughable thread

[Giftonsnoidea]

If the one trick is like the cross for Woods wrongly disallowed goal then I hope he repeats it regularly.

[Conroysleftfoot]

If the one trick is like the cross for Woods wrongly disallowed goal then I hope he repeats it regularly.

Absolutely, what a cross that was. Pity Wood was offside it would have been a cracking goal.

[AlargeClaret]

Very much a work in progress and imo a real talent . He’s never exactly pulled up trees for us but he has a bit of something special . Put a few decent players round him and he’ll thrive alright

[Giftonsnoidea]

Absolutely, what a cross that was. Pity Wood was offside it would have been a cracking goal.

Was it Woods hand or something, I remember it was the slimmest margin imaginable

[Zlatan]

he can keep being a one trick pony for me, its a fantastic trick that running through established Premier League defences like they're not there...

https://youtu.be/DGFG0Pff9LM

[Conroysleftfoot]

he can keep being a one trick pony for me, its a fantastic trick that running through established Premier League defences like they're not there...

https://youtu.be/DGFG0Pff9LM

Nice video Zlatan, I think he actually touched the ball with his right foot on a few occasions.

[JohnDearyMe]

Nor several other games and he was absolutely standout in the home win against Bournemouth back in Feb.

Thought he was outstanding against Spurs at home too. Best player on the pitch even with all the talent Spurs had on show

[ClaretTony]

Thought he was outstanding against Spurs at home too. Best player on the pitch even with all the talent Spurs had on show

He was

[Bordeauxclaret]

It’s a bit “what have the Romans ever done for us” is this thread.

[Stan Tastic]

It makes a hell of a difference if you can use both feet when taking defenders on. I can't believe there are so many one-footed footballers that have been playing since they were kids and haven't worked on their weaker foot during all those coaching sessions.
Just because a one-footed player is good doesn't mean he shouldn't work on his weaker foot to make himself even better.

Someone mentioned Leighton James and Dave Thomas earlier and they were much harder to stop because whichever wing they played on they could cut inside and hit a shot.Robbie Blake is a a more recent example. If McNeil added that to his game he'd obviously be more of a threat. Just because he's good doesn't mean he can't improve and be even better.

If Jay Rodriguez hadn't worked on his weaker foot he wouldn't have scored our goal of the season at Old Trafford. It makes a difference.

[jurek]

Hopefully there's still more to come from McNeil but at present
he's not looking like a 30m player other clubs will come for which some
pundits (including Dyche) were suggesting he was.
It's not inevitable he will move on to bigger and better things
unless he starts imposing himself on games and scoring a few more goals
and creating a few more chances.

I do hope he does as it's important for the club that he does
come good again.

[dandeclaret]

It makes a hell of a difference if you can use both feet when taking defenders on. I can't believe there are so many one-footed footballers that have been playing since they were kids and haven't worked on their weaker foot during all those coaching sessions.
Just because a one-footed player is good doesn't mean he shouldn't work on his weaker foot to make himself even better.

Someone mentioned Leighton James and Dave Thomas earlier and they were much harder to stop because whichever wing they played on they could cut inside and hit a shot.Robbie Blake is a a more recent example. If McNeil added that to his game he'd obviously be more of a threat. Just because he's good doesn't mean he can't improve and be even better.

If Jay Rodriguez hadn't worked on his weaker foot he wouldn't have scored our goal of the season at Old Trafford. It makes a difference.

It has been like that since the dawn of time..... and either the coaches haven't ever thought "Lets coach him to be 2 footed" or they've thought, look how much work is needed to create a professional footballer, who is incredibly strong on one side"..... I don't know which it is, you may have stumbled on something here.

[LoveCurryPies]

Really annoyed at the need for a thread criticising a young talented player who injects excitement into our team. Jez, are you really trying to undermine his confidence? Some fans are total kn@bs!

[Steve1956]

Build someone up..then kick him in the bollockss some of our support really are losing the plot...one game and one of our best players is being called a one trick pony!

[superdimitri]

Superfan alert. It's a topic on a discussion forum. The op isn't hurling abuse at McNeil and even said he wants him to do well.

Stop bullying others. They are free to post what they want

[BenWickes]

For a 20 year old with time to get even better. To suggest he's a one trick pony is strange. Even more strange. The OP suggests he would be better suited to a central midfield role, where ideally; you are two footed. Seeing him dribble his way past three, four international class players down the flank and through the middle on many occasions suggests he isn't one footed. Predominantly left footed maybe but definitely not one footed.

[dandeclaret]

Superfan alert. It's a topic on a discussion forum. The op isn't hurling abuse at McNeil and even said he wants him to do well.

Stop bullying others. They are free to post what they want

Is only the OP allowed to post what they want? Or does that freedom extend to those who disagree?

[claretonthecoast1882]

Is only the OP allowed to post what they want? Or does that freedom extend to those who disagree?

Save your energy Dan, dimitri is another who loves to criticise players so no surprise he is leaping to the OP defence. His speciality is the youth team players, he is quite happy to write players off at a young age despite not watching them, Jimmy Dunne has copped it quite a few times from him.

[superdimitri]

Save your energy Dan, dimitri is another who loves to criticise players so no surprise he is leaping to the OP defence. His speciality is the youth team players, he is quite happy to write players off at a young age despite not watching them, Jimmy Dunne has copped it quite a few times from him.

Good to know I've irked you just a little too much that you had to resort to my posting history. Yeah, I've been openly critical of the youth setup, don't see what's wrong with that. If you or I were a player, we wouldn't get very far without critisism. Just don't see what is wrong with critising one of our players, its not like we're at the touchline hurling abuse at them. I'm always welcome to debate and happy to accept opinions from others. Very different to what regularly happens on this forum, with many fans resorting to name calling and ridiculing others just because they don't agree. Its the equivalent to a little baby throwing there toys out of the pram.

Is only the OP allowed to post what they want? Or does that freedom extend to those who disagree?

The OP made a point, which was met with opposition citing he shouldn't critisise others. If someone comes in and disagrees with his point, fair enough, but to use names and discredit others as fans because they are critical is just bullying. I think people need to give there heads a wobble if they don't see what's wrong with this.

I can only think these posters are unfamiliar with the message board format, and can't understand why it even exists. Why do you even post if it annoys you so much when someone else gives an opinion you disagree with you have to resort to cheap tricks?

[dandeclaret]

Good to know I've irked you just a little too much that you had to resort to my posting history. Yeah, I've been openly critical of the youth setup, don't see what's wrong with that. If you or I were a player, we wouldn't get very far without critisism. Just don't see what is wrong with critising one of our players, its not like we're at the touchline hurling abuse at them. I'm always welcome to debate and happy to accept opinions from others. Very different to what regularly happens on this forum, with many fans resorting to name calling and ridiculing others just because they don't agree. Its the equivalent to a little baby throwing there toys out of the pram.


The OP made a point, which was met with opposition citing he shouldn't critisise others. If someone comes in and disagrees with his point, fair enough, but to use names and discredit others as fans because they are critical is just bullying. I think people need to give there heads a wobble if they don't see what's wrong with this.

I can only think these posters are unfamiliar with the message board format, and can't understand why it even exists. Why do you even post if it annoys you so much when someone else gives an opinion you disagree with you have to resort to cheap tricks?

Always happy to debate, but surely it’s better to debate from a higher point. Had the OP said do you think Dwight might be more effective in central
Midfield because of his predominantly one footed approach, it would be a better discussion than provoking an emotional response by labelling him a one trick pony. It people understood that, then it would be more of a discussion board.

[DCWat]

Our first youngster to make an impact in the first team since Jay Rod and at the games top level.

Remember when Owen can through and was played and played. Eventually he broke down. We need to give Dwight time - to expect 9 out of 10 performances from him, week in week out, is ridiculous.

He’s still learning his game and to be fair to him, he’s actually carried our team on a few occasions. That’s a lot of expectation on an inexperienced Pros shoulders.

[Burnley1989]

He’s having a great game tonight is the lad

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Looked really sharp tonight fantastic attacking talent we have.

[Fez]

He was absolutely everywhere tonight. Passing was exceptional.

[Slurpy]

I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.