Midfield without Deegan

[The Sea-gull]

Though I am a fan of Deegan, I have to admit that the midfield has performed better without him in it. Has he been injured or just fallen out of favour?

Said a few weeks back that I felt that the signings of Cairney, Deegan, Taiwo, Robertson, Done and Craig (though not until the summer) along with the return to form of Wotherspoon (in patches) and the emergence of Claros has given us our strongest midfiled since the mid 2000s when we had Brown, Boozy, Thomson, Stewart, Zemmama, Shiels, Glass on our books.

My one criticism of Fenlon in this area is that he doesn't seem to believe in creative central midfielders. All our creativity has come from out wide through Wotherspoon and Cairney and now Done. All of whom seem a little inconsistent.

One or two posters on here were quite scathing and condesending towards people who didn't rate Deegan as highly as they did, saying Deegan will always be first name on Pat's team sheet. Apparently not anymore.

[IWasThere2016]

We have looked better with Claros, Robbo and TT - no doubt IMHO.

[Beefster]

Although some posters seem to take it personally, I think that Deegan slows us down. One of his first instincts when he's in possession of the ball seems to be to pass it back.

[Thecat23]

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Although some posters seem to take it personally, I think that Deegan slows us down. One of his first instincts when he's in possession of the ball is to pass it back.

Have to agree with this as well. He's not a bad player but he really slows things down for me and isn't as direct as the rest. He's good to have as a squad player IMO.

[haagsehibby]

I'd have him in against the hammer throwers on Sunday though.

[Shrekko]

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Although some posters seem to take it personally, I think that Deegan slows us down. One of his first instincts when he's in possession of the ball seems to be to pass it back.

Is it not just one poster who thinks he's head and shoulders above the rest of our midfielders?

Agree with what most folk seem to think- he's ok as a player but in a midfield that already includes similar but better players such as Claros he's not a good fit.

I don't mind players taking their time on the ball if they're lining up an incisive pass but he just twists and turns and either loses it or plays a square ball more often than not. Also think it's incorrect to say he's a good tackler just because he flies in!

The evidence is quite obvious that the midfield is better without him.

[Judas Iscariot]

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I'd have him in against the hammer throwers on Sunday though.

Yes, this

[Elephant Stone]

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Although some posters seem to take it personally, I think that Deegan slows us down. One of his first instincts when he's in possession of the ball seems to be to pass it back.

Claros slows us down as well. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, up until now we'd completely by-passed the midfield, now we can hold on to possession and do things with the ball.

[Paisley Hibby]

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We have looked better with Claros, Robbo and TT - no doubt IMHO.

[DAVE1875]

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Although some posters seem to take it personally, I think that Deegan slows us down. One of his first instincts when he's in possession of the ball seems to be to pass it back.

And what happened the one time he didn't pass it back?

[hibee_girl]

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Although some posters seem to take it personally, I think that Deegan slows us down. One of his first instincts when he's in possession of the ball seems to be to pass it back.

Have to agree

[JMac]

I like Deegan a Lot because he gives us a real fighter which could be useful against the yams, however Claros is better but will be leaving in the summer so Deegan will be more involved next season

[Heisenberg]

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I like Deegan a Lot because he gives us a real fighter which could be useful against the yams, however Claros is better but will be leaving in the summer so Deegan will be more involved next season

Is Deegan not leaving in the summer too? Thought he only got a year.

[Thecat23]

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I like Deegan a Lot because he gives us a real fighter which could be useful against the yams, however Claros is better but will be leaving in the summer so Deegan will be more involved next season

Don't be so sure.

[jeffers]

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Don't be so sure.

Please tell me you have information that he is staying beyond this season ?

[allmodcons]

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I'd have him in against the hammer throwers on Sunday though.

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Yes, this

Who you going to drop if he's playing? Why do have to play a hammer thrower versus the 'hammer throwers'?
Midfield middle 3 of Robertson, Claros and Taiwo for me versus them. No room for Deegan. Some say he adds steel to the side, IMO he doesn't play with his head up and for a midfielder is a piss poor passer of the ball.

[adhibs]

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Don't be so sure.

Would be delighted with that. Get the feeling he'll get a good move to england though, hes certainly good enough

[sesoim]

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Claros slows us down as well. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, up until now we'd completely by-passed the midfield, now we can hold on to possession and do things with the ball.

If people put the Cup aside for a minute, we have only picked up 14 points in our last 15 games (which would usually have us about 11th over the course of the season), and would barely have scored if it wasn't for Griffiths staying with us. Clearly, the team/midfield balance isn't right, otherwise we'd be winning more games.

[LaMotta]

Poor player, shouldn't start for us.

[Dashing Bob S]

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Poor player, shouldn't start for us.

Nonsense! The man's a genius!

[LaMotta]

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Nonsense! The man's a genius!

How can you say that!

[hibeemikey21]

Prob have him in ahead of Taiwo. Tidy player but just doesn't offer the drive that Deegan shows at times.

[GlenrothesHibee]

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I'd have him in against the hammer throwers on Sunday though.

Was thinking the same. Id play him on Sunday

[allmodcons]

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If people put the Cup aside for a minute, we have only picked up 14 points in our last 15 games (which would usually have us about 11th over the course of the season), and would barely have scored if it wasn't for Griffiths staying with us. Clearly, the team/midfield balance isn't right, otherwise we'd be winning more games.

Recent form without Deegan (i.e. - last 4 games) has been VG.

[Shrekko]

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Recent form without Deegan (i.e. - last 4 games) has been VG.

This is the crux of the matter.

[HibeeN]

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Recent form without Deegan (i.e. - last 4 games) has been VG.

Was also very good earlier in the season when he was out with his broken jaw.

Of course, I'm not saying that our bad form was all down to Deegan, I just prefer the balance of the midfield with Claros, Robertson and Taiwo

[dangermouse]

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Prob have him in ahead of Taiwo. Tidy player but just doesn't offer the drive that Deegan shows at times.

Taiwo offers so much more than Deegan at the moment. He can tackle, pass, chase down. All that's missing is a goal. Deegan likes to do wee pirouettes with the ball which are nice to look at but don't get the team anywhere. Since the incident in George Street, Deegan has lost something about him and Taiwo quite rightly should be starting ahead of him.

[Beefster]

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If people put the Cup aside for a minute, we have only picked up 14 points in our last 15 games (which would usually have us about 11th over the course of the season), and would barely have scored if it wasn't for Griffiths staying with us. Clearly, the team/midfield balance isn't right, otherwise we'd be winning more games.

Or we've lost one of the last six and won three of them. Clearly, the team/midfield balance is now spot on.

[J-C]

Deegan's another crab and a slow one at that, a very average player who has not lived up to the hype when he first came, thought we were getting a no nonsense midfield general type, instead we got an ok at that side passing midfielder. Keep the midfield as is and let Deegan go in the summer when his contract is up, until then he's purely there as cover.

[Elephant Stone]

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Deegan's another crab and a slow one at that, a very average player who has not lived up to the hype when he first came, thought we were getting a no nonsense midfield general type, instead we got an ok at that side passing midfielder. Keep the midfield as is and let Deegan go in the summer when his contract is up, until then he's purely there as cover.

A crab? Jeez-O, the positivity hasn't lasted long.

He's calm on the ball, rarely loses the ball, and won't be bullied. I would definitely be keeping the midfield as it is for now but I'd be looking to keep him on past the summer.