| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... 08:48 - Oct 4 with 3376 views | itfcjoe |
From start of L1 to end of L1 to start of Champ to end of Champ to start of PL.
Some enforced, some via injury, but I'd make it something like this
GK - Walton-Walton-Hladky-Hladky-Muric
RB - Donacien-Clarke-Clarke-Tuanzebe-Tuanzebe
RCB - Woolf-Woolf-Woolf-Woolf-O'Shea
LCB - Edmundson-Burgess-Burgess-Burgess-Greaves
LB - Davis-Davis-Davis-Davis-Davis
CM - Morsy-Morsy-Morsy-Morsy-Morsy
CM - Evans-Luongo-Luongo-Luongo-Phillips
RW - Burns-Burns-Burns-Burns-Ogbene[?]
10 - Chaplin-Chaplin-Chaplin-Chaplin-Omari
L10 - Harness-Broadhead-Broadhead-Broadhead-Clarke
9 - Ladapo-Hirst-Hirst-Hirst-Delap
Age wise, we've tended to get better, younger players each time we've recruited
Ages at start of this season
GK - 28 to 33 to 25.....and arguably Hladky wasn't part of any plan
RB - 29 to 22 to 26.....Clarke been hurt by injuries
RCB - 25 to 25....O'Shea slightly younger than Woolf
LCB - 26 to 28 to 23
LB - 24
CM - 32
CM - 30 to 31 to 28
RW - 29 to 27
10 - 27 to 20
L10 - 28 to 25 to 23
ST - 31 to 25 to 21
I think it's gone a bit under the radar how much younger our team has got, it was always a very experienced one in L1, then fairly in the Champ.
Massive room for growth from here, and lots of potential for next season whichever division we are in - have put ourselves in a fantastic spot |  |
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| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 08:56 - Oct 4 with 3271 views | NthQldITFC |
That's a great way to efficiently show team evolution, ta. I think I'd tend to use 'age difference at changeover point' as the metric in the second bit so it reflects ongoing trajectory of change rather than where we are now vs. where we would have been without change (if that makes sense!). |  |
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| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:08 - Oct 4 with 3191 views | DarkBrandon |
That is an excellent way of looking at things.
Although Omari was definitely in our end-of-championship side |  | | |
| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:12 - Oct 4 with 3158 views | NthQldITFC |
| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:08 - Oct 4 by DarkBrandon |
That is an excellent way of looking at things.
Although Omari was definitely in our end-of-championship side |
I thought that too, but I think it's right to say that Omari flitted between 10 and RW (and subs bench earlier) in that last half season, so Chappers and Burns were the de facto mainstays in those slots even Omari probably had at least as much game time as them, especially right at the end. | |
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| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:12 - Oct 4 with 3160 views | textbackup |
I see Burns and Ogbene getting pretty much 50/50 game time. Thought Ogbene was bang average be Villa. (Obviously plenty of time to improve)
Seeing Morsy on there throughout 😍 |  |
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| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:18 - Oct 4 with 3093 views | homer_123 |
| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:12 - Oct 4 by textbackup |
I see Burns and Ogbene getting pretty much 50/50 game time. Thought Ogbene was bang average be Villa. (Obviously plenty of time to improve)
Seeing Morsy on there throughout 😍 |
You've always got to think about what Ogbene was being asked to do - is it the same as Burns or is he being asked to do something different? |  |
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| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:27 - Oct 4 with 3025 views | JammyDodgerrr |
| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:18 - Oct 4 by homer_123 |
You've always got to think about what Ogbene was being asked to do - is it the same as Burns or is he being asked to do something different? |
Think it was the same but him and TZ didn't really understand each other quickly enough and we seemed to pass up on the good runs that Ogbene did make. Was a tough game for him.
EDIT: Also a really good comparison, thanks Joe. [Post edited 4 Oct 2024 9:28]
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| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:31 - Oct 4 with 2993 views | DanTheMan |
| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:18 - Oct 4 by homer_123 |
You've always got to think about what Ogbene was being asked to do - is it the same as Burns or is he being asked to do something different? |
I think they are both being asked to play a more defensive game, not sure what you'd call it as a role but a defensive winger?
We have a back five with Burns or Ogbene at right back with Tuanzebe moving more central at times.
Not that they don't get forward, just that they've got way more defensive responsibilities than say Clarke.
Might be reading the game wrong a bit or just noticing it more but...
This is just before both of Villas goals, Ogbene firmly in a right back position with Tuanzebe more central. |  |
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| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:33 - Oct 4 with 2968 views | Len_Brennan |
| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:18 - Oct 4 by homer_123 |
You've always got to think about what Ogbene was being asked to do - is it the same as Burns or is he being asked to do something different? |
I think it will be the same for both this season, whereas we'll all think of Burns marauding down to the end line & getting on the end of balls from deep, from his time in Leaguec1 & the Championship.
A bit like Ogbene v Villa, I wasn't overly impressed with Burns in the Liverpool game when watching it live, but when I watched it back I thought he did a really decent job, particularly given that he was tasked with limiting Andy Robinson's influence in the game.
I'd personally start Burns over Ogbene because I think he has the better final ball in, but I wouldn't dismiss Ogbene based on the Villa game; yes he got cheaply hustled out of possession which ultimately led to a Greaves error & the Rogers goal, but overall I don't remember Jacob Ramsey having much influence over the game, which was largely down to Ogbene playing deep & often doubling up with Tuanzebe. |  | | |
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| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:35 - Oct 4 with 2947 views | itfcjoe |
| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:08 - Oct 4 by DarkBrandon |
That is an excellent way of looking at things.
Although Omari was definitely in our end-of-championship side |
Yep, he played 90 mins of the last 9 games or something silly - but Burns was obviously out for the majority of that so didn't felt like he'd replaced Burns int he XI, but more that he was just a chess piece at the time that we would use wherever suited best (and was our best player, and prob best in the division).
Now very obvious where we see him role wise | |
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| POST OF THE DAY on 10:08 - Oct 4 with 2800 views | unstableblue |
Brilliant analysis and deets Joe, good work.
What jumps out for me is that there are constants in Davis and Morsy (and I think Burns who will swap regularly with Ogbene), but that we’ve made wholesale change to the team AND lowered the age, whilst increasing the squad quality.
AND incredibly it seems to have settled quickly as a first team into the massive test of the Premier League - remarkable from McKenna. I watched Bristol City v Owls the other night and whilst there were moments of quality, or individual technical quality, it seemed way way below the level Town are now playing.
In summary and as you state Joe there is huge potential for this team to get better, and prosper, if we can just stay up. And maybe keep McKenna for another season.
Sadly McKenna’s stock is becoming ridiculously high - just listen to Phillips waxing lyrical in a podcast this week - I just hope the lure of a statue, vociferous home support, new training ground and stand, huge wage, and family settled is enough for a season more or two. [Post edited 4 Oct 2024 10:38]
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| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 10:13 - Oct 4 with 2759 views | RobTheMonk |
Individually, I think Burns has probably been the biggest success story from where he was and where he now is. |  | | |
| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 10:41 - Oct 4 with 2603 views | Kieran_Knows |
| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:12 - Oct 4 by textbackup |
I see Burns and Ogbene getting pretty much 50/50 game time. Thought Ogbene was bang average be Villa. (Obviously plenty of time to improve)
Seeing Morsy on there throughout 😍 |
le2blue's comment in this thread about Ogbene last week...
Ogbene by BlueMoon 29 Sep 2024 20:03Noticeable how little of our play went down our right hand side with him on the pitch whereas we played numerous balls over the top to Davis on the left.
Ogbene has got pace but we didn’t seem to want to use him which left him isolated and gave Villa no problems down that side in the first half. He’s looked ok in other games so not sure what was going on there today - Burns was much more involved when he came on.
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| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 10:44 - Oct 4 with 2572 views | unstableblue |
| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 10:41 - Oct 4 by Kieran_Knows |
le2blue's comment in this thread about Ogbene last week...
Ogbene by BlueMoon 29 Sep 2024 20:03Noticeable how little of our play went down our right hand side with him on the pitch whereas we played numerous balls over the top to Davis on the left.
Ogbene has got pace but we didn’t seem to want to use him which left him isolated and gave Villa no problems down that side in the first half. He’s looked ok in other games so not sure what was going on there today - Burns was much more involved when he came on.
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This was more to do with Villa being weak on their right defensively and more open. | |
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| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 10:57 - Oct 4 with 2521 views | C_HealyIsAPleasure |
Think your age steps there miss out the fact the mainstays have (obviously) got progressively older
As I’m bored at work this morn ive just done a spreadsheet with what I think are the 5 ‘teams’ since the start of 2022/23 (H1/H2 of the last 2 seasons and then start of this one) and their average age (based on age at the start of the season):
2022/23 H1 - Walton, Donacien, Davis, Edmundson, Woolf, Morsy, Evans, Burns, Harness, Chaplin, Ladapo. Average age 26.0
2022/23 H2 - Walton, Clarke, Davis, Burgess, Woolf, Morsy, Luongo, Burns, Broadhead, Chaplin, Hirst. Average age 24.9
2023/24 H1 - Hladky, Clarke, Davis, Burgess, Woolf, Morsy, Luongo, Burns, Broadhead, Chaplin, Hirst. Average age 26.4
2023/24 H2 - Hladky, Clarke, Davis, Burgess, Woolf, Morsy, Luongo, Burns, Hutch, Broadhead, Moore. Average age 26.3. (Trickiest team to do given injuries but felt Hutch was a must)
2024/25 - Muric, Tuanzebe, Davis, O’Shea, Greaves, Morsy, Phillips, Burns, Hutch, Szmodics, Delap. Average age 25.5
So a slight drop in average age but only by .5 of a year from start to finish, and generally hovering around 25-26 throughout (which I would say is the more telling point on how McKenna likes to structure the squad!) |  |
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| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 10:58 - Oct 4 with 2514 views | SE1blue |
Am I the only one that read the RW evolution to the tune of Ring of Fire?
“And it’s Burns, Burns, Burns, Oooogbene!” |  |
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| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 11:08 - Oct 4 with 2422 views | Cafe_Newman |
Great thread.
The stand out question for me is why has KMcK waited until now to use a draught excluder, especially when we've had arguably the league's best for all 5 evolutions?
EDIT: Not sure if this is the right thread to post this question. Apologies if it isn't. [Post edited 4 Oct 2024 11:11]
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| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 13:10 - Oct 4 with 2144 views | textbackup |
| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 10:41 - Oct 4 by Kieran_Knows |
le2blue's comment in this thread about Ogbene last week...
Ogbene by BlueMoon 29 Sep 2024 20:03Noticeable how little of our play went down our right hand side with him on the pitch whereas we played numerous balls over the top to Davis on the left.
Ogbene has got pace but we didn’t seem to want to use him which left him isolated and gave Villa no problems down that side in the first half. He’s looked ok in other games so not sure what was going on there today - Burns was much more involved when he came on.
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Also, vs Soton, burns/Omari looked slightly reluctant to get on overlaps etc down that right hand side.
KM knows what he’s doing, so I’ll just shut up and watch | |
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| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 09:32 - Oct 5 with 1574 views | forrestsfringe |
| 5th evolution of the McKenna team now.... on 10:58 - Oct 4 by SE1blue |
Am I the only one that read the RW evolution to the tune of Ring of Fire?
“And it’s Burns, Burns, Burns, Oooogbene!” |
I also read Joe’s original line about the RCB as:
“Woolf-Woolf-Woolf-Woolf- Who let the dogs out!” | | | |
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