87 | James McAtee - 2024/25

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He may as well go on holiday until January tbh… Pep clearly doesn’t fancy him and he’ll move on.

I don’t know if he’s good enough. I don’t judge him on his time in Sheffield, they were shite at the time. Playing with better players here might suit him.

It’s a shame, I reckon I could improve this team at the moment if they had a kit that would fit me. So if he can’t get a look in now he never will.
 
Pep said he asked Tixki three months ago to keep him in the squad instead of transferring him on loan, but he has already lost interest.
 
houraisen said:
Pep said he asked Tixki three months ago to keep him in the squad instead of transferring him on loan, but he has already lost interest.
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This is what he said:

I don't want to sell him because I need his specific ability in small spaces
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Small spaces in the Carabao Cup i guess?
 
One thing I do know is if James had the number of games this season that Rico has had he would have scored 3 or 4 goals and created numerous chances. If he had the game time of either Savinho or Nunes the same. For me we have reached the point where we need to play defenders who defend and allow creative players to do their thing.

McAtee is quite a feisty player as he showed playing in a poor Sheffield team - I have no doubts he would not be a liability in terms of being pushed off the ball so easily. I guess we don't know what goes on in training but the fact he has never been given anywhere near 2 games on the bounce in an injury crisis is baffling to me.
 
He captained the England under 21’s last night to a 0-0 draw against Spain playing just behind Liam Delap. Looked good when on the ball but we did not have enough of it!!
 
We need to keep him, we have had a lot of injuries already and some of the older players are looking leggy, even when fit. We have half a million games to play until summer. Then the club will decide whether to stick or twist
 
Mr HJ said:
One thing I do know is if James had the number of games this season that Rico has had he would have scored 3 or 4 goals and created numerous chances. If he had the game time of either Savinho or Nunes the same. For me we have reached the point where we need to play defenders who defend and allow creative players to do their thing.

McAtee is quite a feisty player as he showed playing in a poor Sheffield team - I have no doubts he would not be a liability in terms of being pushed off the ball so easily. I guess we don't know what goes on in training but the fact he has never been given anywhere near 2 games on the bounce in an injury crisis is baffling to me.
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Injury crisis or no, he’s still behind Bernardo, Gundoğan, Kovacic, Foden & Nunes to be a number 8 and he knows that because he trains with them every day.

It’s the easiest thing in the world to say someone should play more but where do people want him to get this run of games and over which players?
 
domalino said:
Injury crisis or no, he’s still behind Bernardo, Gundoğan, Kovacic, Foden & Nunes to be a number 8 and he knows that because he trains with them every day.

It’s the easiest thing in the world to say someone should play more but where do people want him to get this run of games and over which players?
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Yep I get that when everyone is on form he would be about 6th choice - sadly at the moment we have about 2 or 3 out of form at the same time. Hopefully after this break that will change and maybe the uncertainty of Peps position will be put to bed for a while and we can go on a run.

For me it's the Lewis position that is hurting us as a team - he is not defending well and is tasked with having a ton of possession in the hybrid role - a role where he is not close to scoring or adding an assist or two. For me I would have thought James would be worth having a look at in that role especially if we get a few defenders back to make us solid again. Also good as Nunes has been in spells, he went missing in the final 20 mins of the last 3 games just when we needed to build up pressure.

Anyway it doesn't matter what I think as we have rather a good coach who will sort this little blip out ha!
 
domalino said:
Injury crisis or no, he’s still behind Bernardo, Gundoğan, Kovacic, Foden & Nunes to be a number 8 and he knows that because he trains with them every day.

It’s the easiest thing in the world to say someone should play more but where do people want him to get this run of games and over which players?
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He is behind them but he still should get minutes. Bournemouth away is a game he should have featured in even if 15/20 mins as a sub. There have been other games too.
 
Whilst accepting the quality of players he would need to displace in order to get a regular place in the team, I am still surprised and disappointed that he hasn't managed to get any playing time when the numbers have been depleted.

It must be disappointing for the player, on the one hand to receive acknowledgement of his ability from Pep, and yet not get selected for any meaningful time on the pitch.

It would appear that this, as with Palmer, is a source of frustration and desire to move on.

I see this as a potential on-going problem for young players, but the club seem to accept it and appear happy with the sales with potential add-ons, so my opinion is not going to change that stance.
 
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