"I think I'm more in the box than the centre-forward." I am no Bobby Robson but that may give some indication as to  why we haven't actually scored for 4 matches.. For me, Douglas is missing the point as well as the target. It's not that we are criticising his and Skuse's postional sense being the same, it's that we are critiquing their performances. In my opinion neither are good enough. It's clearly not working at the moment so we would like to see others given a chance

Is he serious?
Really, I mean really......'I don't think we are two deep-lying midfielders. I think I'm more in the box than the centre-forward.'
No goals, no pace, no idea and no hope.
What team has a dynamic goal scoring 35 year old: Answer: none.

Where did Douglas come from wasnt it Brentford ? Well it looks like Brentford are really missng him !

Laughable! Haven't scored lately?! Skuse has only ever scored one! Sadly, this partnership has rarely worked in terms of attacking play. Mick likes it because it helps keep a clean sheet and he would take 23 nil nil draws away from home. We are very boring as is this partnership, and when you add Bru to the mix it's fairly evident why we often fail to score.

Honestly Mick, I was goog to shoot then someone blooming tackled me
Otherwise I would have scored...definitely

Is this what it's come to?

Try to do your talking on the pitch.! That's if your picked to play.hmmmm!!

I agree with the white wizard: however you look at it and whatever criticism you can aim at the midfield (which is a lot) recent results suggest we just need to try something different for once. Go on mick, I dare you: make some changes and have a bloody go for once!

2 good players that do exactly as they're told hence why they sit so deep don't blame them blame Mick!! I actually think Douglas has played some good stuff so far this season just needs Mick to unshackle him!!

Players should learn least said is best.
Any player defending McCarthy appears to be a brown noser in the face of ridiculous team selections, 'tactics', negative anti-football, favoritism and contempt for fans.
McCarthy cannot have much longer.

OUT

I can only imagine what our former goal machine midfielder John Wark must think when he reads this sh!t.

Do you think Douglas is trying everything to keep his place backs Mighty Mick backs Skuless job done he will start today we will lose or draw and Mighty Mick will come out with Dougie different class well McCarthy I certauinly agree with that he is different class just useless

Forget John Wark Blue Hook, even Geraint Williams is laughing at this...

The cluelessness coming out of players and the manager is very worrying ! And I fear things things are going to get worse before they get any better !

Douglas is 🐶💩 end of! His legs have gone.. He's not good enough for this level hence why Brentford shipped him out! We had a poor goals per game ratio when he was in the side last season and so it continues this season.. I've never been this frustrated as a town fan even in the Keane days.. No interest in going.. Hardly cheer any more when a goal goes in (actually forgot what it feels like) we need new ideas and a manager who will pick players who play with no fear and take the game to the opposition.. We are so boring and I fear for our future under an owner who has no ambition and clearly has lost interest!

what on earth is going on at this club, Knudsen is apparently going to bounce back, Douglas is now thinking he's a number 10, Connor grant is versatile and extremely talented but can only make the bench thanks to Pirlo and Iniesta in CM at present. I think Skuse will always be picked and although doesn't contribute to goals he tracks back, is quick to get in to tackles and does his job most weeks. I really hope that the likes of MCG williams and bishop will get there chance but just fear they will all be 20 minute men to come on each week at the end when we're all still bored off our tits with another 0-0 on the board.

I have no issue with Douglas to be honest but I'm afraid for Skuse it's time for MM to drop him. I'm still in support of MM and I hate to single out a player but Skuse has been carried for too long. Yes he tracks back and gets a foot in but that's not enough. You can't justify just one goal from midfield in his town contract. Berra must be doing his nut in every time he wins his defensive headers only to see Skuse not prempting the second drop ball. Never looks for the ball from throw ins, has not got a forward pass ( must have learned that from Grant lead boots) and treats a shot at goal like a hot potato. Skuse being a more experienced player should be giving so much more in our current form. As I said I still support MM but if he can't see that we have carried Skuse for far to long and doesnt has the balls to drop him I'm afraid there will be tougher times ahead.

Totally agree with Barhamblue it is Skuse who us failing more need a dominating defensive midfielder to allow one of the kids more space to play beside him . Skuse is very average , not in good form and offers little to the defence or attack

Im done. Im totally done. The garbage coming out of the club at the moment is ridiculous.
Surely the club knows how 99% of the fans feel about Douglas. He is completely useless, its like playing with 10 men. So why are they sending him out to do these talks with the press to spout crap off? To annoy us?
Im sick of the contempt that the dinosaur and the club are showing towards the fans.
16th in the league, 4 goals in 10 games, zero creativity, and Mick and his unofficial son Douglas are claiming the midfields been undroppable and works well together?
Its just insulting our intelligence im afraid.
If Mick got sacked tommorow we all know the first thing a new manager would do would be to remove Douglas forever and start playing the likes of Bishop, Grant and Dozzell.
Hes not good enough, our midfield is not good enough, the whole negative attitude is not good enough, go now Mick and take your donkeys like Douglas with you.

He is not up to playing championship football week in week out and even if he was we have better players. The midfield has always been the biggest concern since mm came to club. May ultimately prove to be his downfall

Its clear from Douglas comments that he doesn't realise that he's slowed down and can't play at this level. I accept that he does get up field ( esp early in games) but is too slow to take any chances and when the attack breaks down he's nowhere to be seen at the other end. Conversely when he's helping out defense he hasn't got the energy to get forward and so becomes part of defensive midfield, usually watching Skuse do the work. Just call it a day and concentrate on coaching.

As deluded as his manager. Dump them both (and Skuse, who i even worse)

Hilarious - the utter drivel that comes out of the club every week just vindicates the decision of so many of us who didn't renew season tickets. Thank god I don't have to watch the turgid sh*t - it's bad enough having to listen to the club spouting it...

Cue the down arrows..... I've had them before so bring them on!!! (As long as you tell me what's wrong!!)

I've said it before - NEITHER of our midfield two (Skuse and Douglas) are deserving of being singled out. Yes, of course I agree that now is NOT the time for someone who the crowd are skape-goating/blaming to be the one to come out and try to defend the situation ... even MmC says that only results and performances can stop the malaise.... so for JD to even be allowed to say such things at a time such as this beggars belief ... he's a brave man.

BUT I agree with whoever said that the fault is with MICK not with either player.... bear with me ....
Skuse is there to TACKLE and that is what he does ... I personally don't have a problem with him there in that role - but NOONE ELSE is there beside him often enough to build an attack ... that is not Skuse's fault but the team shape. For too long we play some wobbly sort of 4-2-4 not an effective 4-3-3 nor 4-4-2 - strikers can't score goals if there isn't enough in midfield to create them. (as an aside - John Wark was rightly a legend - but didn't he play in a team of legends where others were doing their bit in a well organised, well staffed team?? Douglas would never have got into that team, but nor is the team he is playing in set up well enough to make any such comparison totally fair)

Douglas HAS been right up there in the box several times per game ... and whether he is good enough or fast enough is a different debate ... the story is about the POSITIONAL set up .. and I have no problem with the WAY Douglas is playing ... (but he IS NOT THE FUTURE)


For me the problem isn't in the midfield TWO - it is in the THIRD ... Bru .... SURELY, if you have a tackler and a "not the fastest by far" in front you MUST have creativity from the third ... AND set the front three free to show flair and pace going FORWARD .... I think Sears is BRILLIANT at tracking back, but this should be a far smaller part of his overall game than we are seeing ! Douglas DOES get into the box more than some give credit for ... but WHO IS CREATING THE CHANCES FOR HIM AND OUR FRONT THREE TO LATCH ON TO ???

Bishop, Lawrence and Dozzell should all get a start before Bru in this "third midfield role" in my ignorant opinion ... and in a week or so you can add a fit (once we convince him that he is, apparently!) Williams to that list ... I'd dare to hope that if we sort out the creativity then Douglas will score goals, and so will the front three .... but for ME - (as in raymondovic, not Marcus Evans!!!) - it is Bru who is failing the team most in his specific role - NOT Skuse nor Douglas. They may not be the BEST in their roles, but they play THEIR roles better than Bru is and THIS is what is lacking.

So if you have Bru in ... then I agree with the moans that our midfield is far too boring and lacking in creativity for the front three (so they might as well back track because they wont get any forward ball to play with !)

Best, Ward and Sears are a pacey front three who SHOULD be given the ball they need to rip up this league ... no, they aren't the best combination in the league, but they aint arf ok .....

But for me... it is BRU who needs to go, not Douglas or Skuse (unless of course they both go and someone else is able to give that extra bite in midfield and to be the "hey, Skusey, great tackle now let me take the ball forward to whoever has replaced Bru" .

Sorry it's waffle and more muddly than usual (even more!!) , but it does give a slightly different take .... YES, we're ALL fed up with the lack of creativity, but we just see the base problem slightly differently ...

Beg to differ to some above but Skuse is the best we have at the defensive role. He can't play with Douglas though as we have all seen. Add Bru in as well and it is a disaster of a midfield..

Skuse should play with flare players around him - Bishop, Williams etc - add in Ward, Lawrence, Grant we are not exactly short of potential creativity & goals from midfield we just never pick any of them..

I dont want to sound like his agent but Skuse would be in my team full-stop!

COYB!

Btownie, you may be right that Skuse is the best we have, which is one of the reasons we are so bad. He's not capable of doing the job on his own and so we have everyone else defending too.