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McCarthy Delighted With Dougie
Thursday, 26th Nov 2015 06:00

Town boss Mick McCarthy is delighted that Jonathan Douglas has got his name on the scoresheet in recent games with too few goals having come from midfield in recent seasons.

The Blues' engine room contributed only 12 goals during 2014/15 but with Ryan Fraser on four, Douglas on two and Kevin Bru, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Jay Tabb all on one, this year’s midfield should surpass that total before this campaign has hit its halfway mark.

Douglas, who joined the Blues on a free transfer from Brentford in the summer, scored his first Town goal in the 5-2 win at Rotherham before the international break and opened his Portman Road account during Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Wolves.

“I think he’s great, Dougie,” McCarthy said. “He gets about the pitch, he does his shift and he has got a goal in him. I knew that when I signed him. I think he’s playing very well for us.”

Speaking at the weekend, Douglas, 34, revealed that McCarthy has encouraged him to get forward more regularly of late with the balance of the Town team having changed in recent games.

“To be fair we had two wingers [Fraser and Ainsley Maitland-Niles] on the pitch so we had two sitters," the Town boss added.

“Now we’ve got Kevin Bru playing a bit narrower we’ve got three midfield players and Freddie Sears with a bit more of a licence to roam, and he’s been great.

“Freddie’s relishing that role and he’s had more chances than anybody in games, I think. The fact that he’s not playing up front hasn’t meant he’s not getting chances.

“Freddie’s been brilliant, he’s been great. But Dougie’s got a bit more licence to get forward because Skusey’s sitting.”


Photo: Action Images



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BrettenhamBlue added 07:21 - Nov 26
So he should be delighted. Think he is going to get 10 goals this season.
1

ArnieM added 07:27 - Nov 26
Douglas has always been a very good midfielder. It was just the role Mick asked him to play. Pity so many on here were to thick to see that. Oh well, that narrows down the scapegoats in the team for some on here now, doesn't it!

COYBs
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PYBlue added 08:31 - Nov 26
Put's a good shift in does Dougie just like Tabby. This league is bonkers and anything could still happen
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theipswichman added 09:07 - Nov 26
Agreed ArnieM, Mick said in this interview that he asked him to play a sitting role. No Idea why when you buy a player that can score from midfield I'm not sure why you'd play him as defensive player.

Only concern is when Fraser returns that Mick will ask Douglas to do the same ineffective job he was doing before the 3 man midfield. Can't wait for Fraser to come back but the effect on Douglas concerns me.
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vanmunt added 09:14 - Nov 26
ArnieM 'One swallow doesn't make a summer'.. its also a bit ingenuous to call people 'Thick' if you don't agree with them. I don't rate him at all, so I guess i'm a thicko'.
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MattinLondon added 09:32 - Nov 26
MM natural conservatism must have got the better of him in regards to Douglas. Just a shame it had to take so many games for him to admit that he was wrong.
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Devereuxxx added 09:48 - Nov 26
Douglas has always been the sort of player who gets goals with late runs into the box, so good to see that when allowed to play his natural game he gets goals!

Is there any word on Fraser? He's been out for a while, but his name isn't even being mooted for a potential return to training.
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SouperJim added 09:52 - Nov 26
@ArnieM the minute Fraser is fit and we revert back to 4-4-2, Dougie will once again be a very poor man's Cole Skuse.

It is possible to be critical of a player while recognising he is doing his best in a position which doesn't entirely suit him (Chambo springs to mind), or are you too thick to see that?
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ArnieM added 10:06 - Nov 26
Being critical of a player playing out of position or in a role that is not his best one is not the same as stating a player is "crap and has no place in the team" , which has been posted on here more than once. If you can't see the difference, then sadly I guess you must indeed be thick ;)
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SouperJim added 10:11 - Nov 26
I would say Dougie is crap as a holding mid and has no place in the team in that position. Regardless, branding other fans as thick if they don't share your opinion is a bit thick, you thicky.
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ArnieM added 10:14 - Nov 26
Oh dear, I touched a nerve. Blub.
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Surco72 added 10:58 - Nov 26
MM was playing him out of position which made him look like a poor player in my opinion and got a lot of supporters questioning the pairing in the centre at the start of the season . He is doing the same with Chambo and Smith hence they get the same amount of criticsm as they continue to make mistakes or perform below their ability as they are not in natural roles .
I believe the same happened to Anderson he was an out and out winger who liked to stay wide and was changed into a narrow player which stopped his good features which led to supporters criticising for lack of product ?
Also disagree with MM over Sears he scored 4 goals in 6 games at the start of the season playing up front and has been switched to accomodate and has not scored since , works hard for the team but is not the same threat he was earlier in the season
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Lathers added 11:28 - Nov 26
Sears should be up top and Douglas is doing Ok, I wouldn't say better than that. Personally I'd play DM behind Murph and Sears, or Bishop when he's back. With Douglas in the team alongside Skuse we lack any real creativity and are unlikely to push for top 6. I'd give Andre Dozzell a chance in the middle.
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bedsitfc added 12:15 - Nov 26
He does seemed to of turn the corner, jury is still out for me.
The games I have seen Brighton in particular he was repeatedly caught in possession and never found a teammate when he wasn't.
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afrodids added 12:46 - Nov 26
Arnie M before you go calling people thick you should proofread your comment!! It's too thick not to thick, enough said.
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Seasider added 12:47 - Nov 26
Lathers,not sure if you have seen young Dozzell play;but when I have seen him seemed a bit lightweight,unlike his dad;so don't think he is ready for first team yet.

You are of course entitled to your opinion,as we all are;although ArnieM thinks that anyone who doesn't agree with him is thick.

Wonder if he has letters after his name like some of us on here lol !!!
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Keaneish added 12:48 - Nov 26
Is Cole Skuse the player much heralded and deserving of automatic selection week-in week-out or does he flatter to deceive? Discuss.
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TR11BLU added 12:53 - Nov 26
@vanmunt

You should know by now that if you have an opinion than differs in any way from the majority on here....you are thick/an idiot etc

BTW I dont agree MM, Freddie is wasted out wide. His goals per game at the back end of last season and the begining of this emphasise the point.
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JimmyP45 added 13:15 - Nov 26
Does anyone know when Fraser is due back? Will it be by the end of this year or Jan?
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Devereuxxx added 13:23 - Nov 26
@Keaneish

Skuse would always be my first name on the teamsheet, it has been proved before how much we miss him when he doesn't play.

The issue has always been who he plays alongside. In the championship you have to have a player like breaking up play and doing the simple things, and then the player next to him will have a different job. Hopefully Douglas can start pushing up and grabbing goals. We seemed to be conceding too many at the start of the season due to committing too many players forward, but I think that was more becuase we were playing with far more attacking wingers who over committed. Anderson and Tabb didn't do that last season, despite their failings.

In a couple of months we'll have a solid midfield 4 of Skuse, Douglas, Hyam and Bru. That quartet is a very handy set of central midfielders indeed.
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Devereuxxx added 13:25 - Nov 26
Blimey i've just remembered Teddy Bishop still exists as well.
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Surco72 added 14:29 - Nov 26
Keanish ..good topic . I am in the flatters to decieve camp regarding Skuse ,as all teams need a defensive midfielder to protect the back four and break up play I just don't think Skuse does this enough and offers very little going forward at all . I cannot recall many big hit tackles or games that he has really dominated over the last two seasons but can recall a lot of players doing it to us especially the Scum in Tettey and Johnson last year .

And Devereuxxx ... when has it been proved how much we miss him ? The only time he was absent last year was one of our best periods of the season last November with some high profile wins and points against the promoted sides ? Apart from that he is another untouchable who will be selected whatever his form .

The players that it is noticeable when they are missing are Bishop and Fraser as without them we are lacking that touch of real class
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ArnieM added 14:37 - Nov 26
It's not about agreeing with anyone. It's about the simple fact that Douglas was, I believe, something like the 8th highest scorer in the Championship from midfield with Brentford last season. So is hardly a "waste of space, crap or shouldnt be anywhere near team", as I have seem posted on this forum. The way some fans on here trash our players without giving them a chance or indeed looking beyond the role McCarthy has asked them to play stupid. Maybe thick was the incorrect term to have used and I'm sorry if I've offended some. Perhaps idiot would be a fairer descriptor? I'm not sure. But my comment in my OP in this thread is nothing compared to some of the insults and personal attacks posted by some on here!
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Keaneish added 14:39 - Nov 26
@ Devereuxxx - i can't think of too many games he has missed and what the outcome of those games were to comment but for a Defensive Mid i want a real leader on the pitch.

I need more from Skuse to be convinced. Busier in his work rate and getting people's heads down, stronger in the tackle, better at reading the game and breaking up the play, a lot more vocal and more incisive and quicker with his passes.

On the flip side, he's calm, confident and comfortable on the ball. He has quality but feels a bit laboured.
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ArnieM added 14:43 - Nov 26
Seasider : for what it's worth, yes I do happen have two degrees. A BSc ( hons) and an MSc. So now you can take the piss out of that if you like. But I don't have 6 fingers or shag a sibling / relative. So guess we have something in common!
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