Just how good were/was/is/are (Wolves Edition)

[North Shropshire Lad]

I'm sure, in fact I hope, that in retirement when KM looks backs as his career as a whole, he realises that he wasted what talent he had. Yes he's played more games than me, yes he's earnt more money than I could ever dream of, but every club he's ever played for (and left sourly) won't generally have too many nice things to say about him. Application of any degree when aligned with his talent would have achieved so much more. A waste and a League One flat track bully.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

He gets extra positive points from me as during a Sponsors meal when Paddy was trying to get pics of a few players and couldn't understand why he could only see his own mush on the camera screen, K-Mac ever so politley told him "You have it on selfie mode you dumb fuck"

I think that cancels out at least 2 of his shit performances...

Hahhahahaha - I remember that well!

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I'm sure, in fact I hope, that in retirement when KM looks backs as his career as a whole, he realises that he wasted what talent he had. Yes he's played more games than me, yes he's earnt more money than I could ever dream of, but every club he's ever played for (and left sourly) won't generally have too many nice things to say about him. Application of any degree when aligned with his talent would have achieved so much more. A waste and a League One flat track bully.

Very much so.

He can't make himself quicker but he could have worked so much harder, both in games and on his weaknesses (the aforementioned one footedness for a kick off).

I actually don't think he'll care though.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I've slagged him off a lot here. He is evidently a bit of a knob. He could play a bit though. Compared to some of the nonsense we've had in midfield over the years he probably still does scrub up fairly well, despite everything.

There are two lovely passes in here and a farcical goal.

Bonus points for the very first thing you see being Badge Kissing Ben unable to control the ball, and later on Badge Kissing Ben actually kissing the badge :icon_lol:

 

[MARKakaJIM]

I've slagged him off a lot here. He is evidently a bit of a knob. He could play a bit though. Compared to some of the nonsense we've had in midfield over the years he probably still does scrub up fairly well, despite everything.

There are two lovely passes in here and a farcical goal.

Bonus points for the very first thing you see being Badge Kissing Ben unable to control the ball, and later on Badge Kissing Ben actually kissing the badge :icon_lol:

Assuming the two assists are the two lovely passes I'd put the second down as very generous, he's not looked in that direction at any point just found himself a bit of space and hooked it down the line to safety as much as anything else.

The pass for Le Fondre's dive is the real beauty, what the fuck is their left back playing at there?!

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

:icon_lol:

That's not a dive either! They showed a replay later and he was caught (whether he was looking for it or not). Ridiculous decision.

Bit uncharitable on the second assist there mate, I think he knew what he was doing. At his best Ben (and we'll get to him at some point) would always make that run. It's not an aimless hoof. It's why it defied belief that Ken started allowing him to do his rubbish Bergkamp impression.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

:icon_lol:

That's not a dive either! They showed a replay later and he was caught (whether he was looking for it or not). Ridiculous decision.

Bit uncharitable on the second assist there mate, I think he knew what he was doing. At his best Ben (and we'll get to him at some point) would always make that run. It's not an aimless hoof. It's why it defied belief that Ken started allowing him to do his rubbish Bergkamp impression.

He might have been caught but he's put himself in there for no reason, he can easily skip around the keeper and knock it into an empty net if he wants to.

It's not a complete fluke by McDonald, I wouldn't do it that level of disservice, you obviously have those situations where you sort of know what to expect from your team mates and take a bit of a chance, so he's hooked it down the line in the hope that he gets enough on it to beat the fullback and that Afobe is alert enough to give chase if/when it does. That's by no means on the same level as if he'd took another touch, looked up and seen Afobe about to make the run and floated one majestically over the defence right into his path, he's played a percentage ball and it's paid off, it's no pin point pass in my eyes.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

First assist is good though. Well, assist to the assist

He loved a good old point as well, did Kev. Brought back memories of Ince and Anderton.

 

[darlowolf64]

First assist is good though. Well, assist to the assist

He loved a good old point as well, did Kev. Brought back memories of Ince and Anderton.

The second assist isn't a fluke imo. In the initial video, the "goals and assists" highlights, he does that exact same pass for another goal.

 

[White Wolf]

Ah, finally one I can talk about!

When he first signed for us I thought he was quality. League One yes but he was clearly already too good for that divison, probably the best player in the league that year. Was key for us building the style of play Jackett wanted (when he actually had an idea of how to play) with keeping the ball. Looked comfortable on the ball and good vision, could pick out a pass really well sometimes. Following season at the start when we beat both Cardiff and Blackburn at home I thought him and Lee Evans were developing a very good partnership too - I do recall them switching play often, lot of cross-field passes? In retrospect because of Neves it doesn't seem as good, but at the time I liked what we were doing.

When things went bad his head dropped. Most of his performances in 15-16 were completely unremarkable, brought nothing. Tackling has been mentioned and he was slow but his shooting was also terrible! Reminded me of Karl Henry sometimes, I can remember him fucking up a lot of opportunities - way he would strike the ball could be odd.

Obviously a bit of a nob as has been said. Ran off to the pub after being subbed off against Man City and if I remember right Sheffied United fans weren't happy with the manner in which he left them for us; David Weir wanted to build the team around him, though considering how his time went probably would have been shit anyway. Properly slagged off Ranieri too, in the programme notes he said something along the lines of 'I didn't leave because I figured the manager wouldn't be here for very long anyway'.

Pre-Nuno he still stands out as one of the better CMs I have seen though, a lot of the people in the middle we have had were fucking dire. But then considering that, even in 16/17 when our central midfield was abysmal - you never felt like you were missing him. Ultimately he'll be remembered here more for his laziness than his ability.

 

[Alan]

McDonald is the first player we had since O'Hara's initial time on loan who made me feel like he just always had more time on the ball than he had a right to. At least in League One, when he picked up the ball, he almost seemed untouchable (at least in that first season).

Would it be inaccurate to say that he was the best passer we had out of midfield until Neves came? I'm not sure it would be. Not a patch on Ruben overall, of course, but a player we needed at just the right time for us.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Depends how far back you're going. Simon Osborn was better in that respect. As was Paul Cook. And Gordon Cowans.

Saiss as well now I think about it.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Cook was a mile better, although I openly admit my bias there.

 

[AndyWolves]

Chris Marsden has to be in there too

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Marsden was never a range passer tbf. He kept it simple.

 

[White Wolf]

Of those I've seen O'Hara, Jones, and Saiss were better.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Jones definitely.

 

[Johnny75]

Huddlestone was one of the best I've seen down here.

 

[sycophantia]

Good in L1, massively over rated (mainly by himself) could hit a cracking long pass.......provided he had acres of space and loads of time. Couldn't/wouldn't run, didn't tackle, didn't score goals, don't ever remember him heading a ball, the very epitome of a one trick pony, I wasn't keen to be honest.

 

[Tony Towner]

A top half Championship player which is why he looked too good for league one and decent in the Championship but with his one footed and sloth like limitations shown up more. Can't remember which game it was but there was one goal where he was run past by someone so quickly it didn't look like he was moving, akin to Barry against Germany in South Africa.

Came to us acting like a nob, left us acting like a nob. At least I didn't let him shag my wife.