[Archived] Benni Mccarthy - Gone

[Billy Castell]

Smith has always been overated. As for Benni to the Red Satanists, I doubt it. They'd want a big name star like Torres, or Villa rather than someone who can be a bit lazy at times.

And don't mention release clauses again.

[RevidgeBlue]

This mboard was in a state of suicidal angst when Bellamy was sold. There was an almost audible gnashing of teeth and rending of clothes BUT Hughes more than adequately replaced him didnt he?

No. that's why we're likely to finish 10th - 12th this season as opposed to 6th last.

FLB is spot on with this. Clubs weren't exactly queueing up to sign McCarthy last close season so there was no obvious reason to let him have a ridiculously low release clause. If anything we were taking a risk on him at this relatively late stage in his career.

Despite that and his obvious shortcomings, 5m after 18 goals in all competitions falls into that "ridiculously low" category. From our point of view it should be 10m or the potential suitor should go and whistle.

Edited March 31, 2007 by RevidgeBlue

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Christ almighty!

Our Manager says he wants to manage Utd, rumours abound that McCarthy/Derbyshire/Bentley/Pedersen are all being eyed up by bigger clubs.........no wonder they dropped the ruddy season ticket prices!

....................

[Fife Rover]

Try and look on the bright side folks. The way Benni played today at OT (where he has delusions of being as a player next season) they will now have lost all interest in signing him; assuming they ever had any!

[Eddie]

He'd be a fantastic buy at £5m (bearing in mind the resources they have at their disposal) - having Benni come off the bench as the third striker would be a huge upgrade over what they have now.

No doubt, but then with United's buying power and their expectations I would imagine that the plan is to bring in a big name and have Saha firmly as third choice. Benni would probably do very well for them, I just can't see them buying him.

[Paul]

This mboard was in a state of suicidal angst when Bellamy was sold. There was an almost audible gnashing of teeth and rending of clothes BUT Hughes more than adequately replaced him didnt he?

If this is a direct comparison of Bellamy and McCarthy the answer has to be No. Bellamy was far superior to McCarthy in every sense. Give Bellamy the ball in the opposition's half, under almost any circumstances, and you could sense the buzz in the crowd, he was always likely to create real danger. McCarthy has been missing in action for at least two months. Yes Benni's a good player, he has ability, class, lots of tricks but he seems to lack either motivation or the desire to win. I don't think you can compare the two players. I only saw MOTD briefly last night but don't know if McCarthy played or not, I can't recall his name being mentoned in commentary, you would never say that of Bellamy.

If one is talking about the team in this context then we have more options up front and players more likely to score from other positions. So possibly Yes Hughes has at least replaced Bellamy, "more than adequately" suggests we are doing better and we aren't, as Rev says we'll finish 10-12th and we are still 12 points worse off than this stage last season?

[thenodrog]

If this is a direct comparison of Bellamy I only saw MOTD briefly last night but don't know if McCarthy played or not, I can't recall his name being mentoned in commentary, you would never say that of Bellamy.

McCarthy set up Peds run and cross for the goal. Apart from that he appeared (from a prob biased MoTD edit) to be awol for the rest of the match. BUT that laid back temperamental, lazy style appears to be the nature of the beast with very many highly talented black players (as Big Ron famously opined once). I've got to say that with in-form Bentley suspended he was never going to get much support from 2 naturally very deep lying central midfielders either. But if you want pure effort then maybe we could swap him and get Kuqi / Dickov back come summer? Our biggest match of the season is at OT and against Chelsea and whether in form or not I would still go for a McCarthy / Roberts starting pairing.

If one is talking about the team in this context then we have more options up front and players more likely to score from other positions. So possibly Yes Hughes has at least replaced Bellamy, "more than adequately" suggests we are doing better and we aren't, as Rev says we'll finish 10-12th and we are still 12 points worse off than this stage last season?

Last season we were dumped out of the FA cup at the first hurdle, did not have a period of relative success in Europe and did not have a horrific catalogue of mid-season injuries to our engine room. btw If you want to comment further on lazy players how about including Dunny?

Edited April 16, 2007 by thenodrog

[Paul]

I don't quite follow that one theno.

[thenodrog]

Maybe I've not woken up properly yet.

[Jan]

I wouldn't have Roberts on the bench. I get the injuries, but he's been trogginly useless whenever I've seen him play this season. He was no improvement on Benni yesterday AT ALL. At least Benni, when he gets the balll CAN pass to our own team. If, by some miracle Roberts does, it goes straight to the opposition.

As a team, we have to stop the "waiting in front of the man to slip him when the ball comes" play. Good defenders can read that and simply come in front of the player to get the ball. I lost count of the number of times that happened yesterday.

I went expecting a tonking. We got less of a tonking (performance wise) than I expected.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Quite frankly Roberts hasn't got a goal in him!

[thenodrog]

Quite frankly Roberts hasn't got a goal in him!

We need his physical presence solely to rough up the Chelsea centre halves and hold the ball up. Otherwise they will have our usual two in their back pockets from the off.

[Paul]

Ah that makes more sense

I'd agree McCarthy / Roberts for the Chelsea game could be the combination to upset Chelsea, I'm not sure Derbyshire will prove much of a threat to Chelsea over 90 minutes but he might prove a match-winer in the last 20 or so as a sub.

I haven't talked about lazy players. McCarthy is a player who just disappears for long periods, I'm not sure he's lazy. I haven't suggested we need "pure effort" players what I have said is bellamy is a player who makes things happen, McCarthy is not, he feeds off what others create for him.

[CAPT KAYOS]

I wouldn't have Roberts on the bench. I get the injuries, but he's been trogginly useless whenever I've seen him play this season. He was no improvement on Benni yesterday AT ALL. At least Benni, when he gets the balll CAN pass to our own team. If, by some miracle Roberts does, it goes straight to the opposition.

As a team, we have to stop the "waiting in front of the man to slip him when the ball comes" play. Good defenders can read that and simply come in front of the player to get the ball. I lost count of the number of times that happened yesterday.

I went expecting a tonking. We got less of a tonking (performance wise) than I expected.

Christ Jan, for once I actually agree with you - I have said it before about our laboured atttacking style.

As for Roberts, to a degree I concur but personally would just forget about him until next season and see what he is like after some pre-season training. IMO hyghes has to start making use of Gallagher.

As for McCarthy - mystic Kayos told you all at the beginning of the season

It might have been UTD yesterday.... but certain basic football abilities should show themselves more in these type of games, need I say more.

[thenodrog]

IMO hyghes has to start making use of Gallagher.

I agree Capt! ....... our current set of ball boys are piggin useless!

btw "I have said it before about our laboured atttacking style." There was nothing laboured about our goal yesterday.

[rover6]

We need Roberts back on form. He troubled the best defenders when at Wigan and scored goals. Even at West Brom, when he couldn't find the net, he was always a major handful for opposition defenders.

He's surely the best partner for McCarthy but obviously with Derbs in rich-form (and Roberts far from), it'd be a brave man to drop him.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Drop Derbs for 'run-around' Roberts?.....nice April fool rover6!!

He's surely the best partner for McCarthy ....what the hell do you base that opinion on?

Edited April 1, 2007 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[trs]

Personally, I'd drop Benni mac.

Lazy players really p*** me off!

[Guest shoppybrfc]

Roberts has gone how many minutes without scoring, hes not going to score from coming off the bench, Gally should have his place in the first 16 at least. These excuses about injuries are just people thinking he'll come good, What about Nondas previous seasons of Injuries? People just slate the guy, Yet hes came to a new country, a tough league and hes scored goals in the Premiership. I'd rather we keep Nonda and see how he improves next season, at least with Nonda we know he has the talent,class and has shown it in the past.

Fact - Roberts didnt even do that well last season! 8 GOALS ( 2 PENALTIES ) in 34 PREMIERSHIP STARTS, Are these good stats? Hell lets go buy Rob Hulse if we're buying strikers with that kind of Strike rate.

We should just write off Roberts as a bad buy hes 29 now, lets sell him to a newly promoted and get our money back. If hes still here next season and keeping Gally out of the squad I'll be very dissapointed in Hughes.

Edited April 1, 2007 by shoppybrfc

[John]

Unfair to judge Roberts until he starts a few games.

He has come on as a sub recently in difficult conditions.

[Fife Rover]

Don't know which match you were watching Theno, but for me Dunn had probably his best game since returning to the fold.

Whereas Benni who is reputedly interested in a move to OT (must love RFW more than MH) was virtually invisible for the entire match apart from his admittedly excellent 1 sec contribution in the build up to the Rovers goal.

Edited April 1, 2007 by Fife Rover

[waggy]

when mccarthy said him and roberts were the next yorke and cole,i laughed benny is that himself.he has the goalscoring touch of cole,and the skill of yorke.

what odds he is not at ewood at the beginning of the season,i think the board might take a 10 million pound bid for him,i'm sure sparky would.

looks like benni is playing for his dream move

[gazsimm]

the bbc gossip page are saying Benni wants to move man utd according to the mirror

[revolutionrock!]

the bbc gossip page are saying Benni wants to move man utd according to the mirror

he says he love to play for utd as there the biggest team in south africa and hes always supported them.to sum it up he says one day hed love to play for them.

[roversmum]

Sky's picked it up now