DCFC Kicks

We were nowhere near as good though, were we? We scraped into 6th, with Mac we blasted our way into 3rd and thrashed half the league in the process. I enjoyed the Lampard season, but it doesn't compare to the McClaren one.

People say ''time to move on'' all the time about Martin and McClaren, but the reason people haven't moved on is simple. We've never brought in a manager that has close to achieved what Mac did, and we've never signed a striker half as competent as Martin in the time he's been here. When we do that, people will move on.

He had a plan B. 
He just didn't play 5 different formations per match with 3 different styles using 25 players per month. Nobody successful compromises their philosophy. They adapt. And we did. 
Injuries are what tested Mac's depth. Injuries to key positions he then tried to fill with inadequate replacements. 

I’d rather a short term Mac than some panic appointment.
As said,Bielik at CDM out of contract striker.
Mac’s personality would lift the squad,short term.
Enough under performing talent in our squad.
And let’s have Simmo off Bristol please.
 

McClaren certainly wouldn't be my first choice manager, but in this very odd position and specific circumstance, it does actually make a lot of sense.
Assuming that we get new owners and they want to pump in a lot of cash, they are likely to want a big name manager - eg Benitez. The problem is that we are so low at present that promotion from this position is unprecedented - indeed, I don't think any team has even finished in the top half from being last with 11 games gone. That means that any long term manager is going to have to spend two seasons in the Championship as a minimum. I think such a manager might be prepared to 'rough it' for one season, but not two. 
That means that the next manager could well be an interim appointment. I can't think of anyone better qualified to give us a short term boost than McClaren. Give him contract until the end of the season, with a guarantee of another two years if he can achieve the 'impossible' and get us promoted - he's not doing much else at present. Assuming he doesn't pull off a miracle, he's likely to steer us well clear of relegation, make the fans want to return to the stadium when it finally re-opens and shoe DCFC to be a rising club to potential new players and sponsors. 
Whoever the new manager is, they need to very quickly turn things around or the future could look very bleak. I really don't think McClaren is the long term solution, but as a short term fix he looks ideal.

I wonder how much of our 13-14 play was down to McClaren and how much Simpson?
I don't remember him being completely 433 before us - but in truth I didn't pay that much attention. He wasn't known as an all out attacking manager with Boro or England. 
I remember Simmo being credited (by McClaren) with quite a few of the brave attacking substitution ideas at the time. He also advised McClaren not to try to see out a couple of games early on - the idea is that we were leading through our attacking play so why change it? It is possible that we credit McClaren for a lot of Simpson's work.
That said, McClaren was very into 'doing the right thing'. He believed that the manager should take the blame, but the staff and the players should get the credit - using his 'broad shoulders' to take the pressure off others. It is possible that he deliberately 'bigged up' Simpson's input. I also think that's why the Newcastle thing destroyed morale. McClaren set himself up as the club's 'moral compass' which the players bought into. That meant they felt betrayed once it became clear that he was considering jumping ship.
FWIW I think that McClaren would probably get us higher up the table this season than any other manager - maybe 10th. The problem is that we'd also finish 10th next season too. 

with this squad,  yes.

That's the thing though, that team should be able to compete at this level. It's better, on paper, than the one that got us promoted.

yes i do, thanks

McClaren would bring back Hughes in Jan or next summer if he were made manager. He's only got 18 months left on his contract come Jan. 

Given a lot of people seem to be wanting Mac3, What would he do with the current team, and would it work?
This would be my prediction.

The main problem is obviously the absence of the icon Chris Martin. I think he'd try and get Rooney to play a similar role. He has the vision and passing ability to play there and his pace is probably similar to Martins. But no one can hold the ball up as good as CM. But as we saw last season, Martin was ineffective without players around him up top and Rooney would be the same.
The other main problem is the 3 midfielders. During Mac1, the midfield was so good it could dominate other teams midfield even if they were outnumbered.
I actually think we have better quality wingers now than under Mac and I think they'd flourish playing his style. 
 

'What would Mac do with this team'?
give them confidence and an identity. Play good football, score goals, probably concede some too but we seem to do that no matter who's in charge anyway. 

It was such a good team

i think he might go something like this.

he would find a way to get that front 4 on the pitch together i'm sure

So, you clicked on the thread titled ''What would McClaren do with this team'' and thought it wouldn't be discussing, well, McClaren.... this one is on you.

Bielik = Thorne
Bird = Hughes
Knight/Sibley = Bryson/Hendrick 
Shinnie in the Eustace role, Holmes as cover for the advanced two.
Lawrence, Jozwiak  Ibe, Whittaker vs Ward, Russell, Dawkins, Bamford
Waggy, Rooney, Kazim vs Martin, Sammon
Keogh and Buxton vs Clarke and Evans/Wisdom/te Wierik/Davies
Grants's distribution vs Marshall's

I’d rather have Bielik in the ‘Thorne’ role. Shinnie as the Bryson and then take ya pick for the Hughes role (Knight, Sibley, Holmes?)
Other than the gaping void that is Chris Martin. What we currently have is much better strength in depth than we had when Steve first came in. When Hughes or Martin or Thorne/Eustace were out for a month or 2 we had v little back up. Whereas now we do have many more options. Would love to see him get the best out of this lot. But I’m also mindful of his shortcomings.

Probably take a look at the squad and say 'where's Chris Martin'?

Given a lot of people seem to be wanting Mac3, What would he do with the current team, and would it work?
This would be my prediction.

The main problem is obviously the absence of the icon Chris Martin. I think he'd try and get Rooney to play a similar role. He has the vision and passing ability to play there and his pace is probably similar to Martins. But no one can hold the ball up as good as CM. But as we saw last season, Martin was ineffective without players around him up top and Rooney would be the same.
The other main problem is the 3 midfielders. During Mac1, the midfield was so good it could dominate other teams midfield even if they were outnumbered.
I actually think we have better quality wingers now than under Mac and I think they'd flourish playing his style. 
 

You said it yourself. I don't think Lawrence can play CM, especially with his disciplinary record and defensive work rate. 
People seem to have written off te Wierik after 3 games, I think he'll actually turn out good in the end, or Bielik could play there as he's previously said it's his favoured position. Also Wisdom's still recovering from his injury, he was arguably our best player before he got attacked. I don't think Evans and Davies are good enough.
You've also included 2 players we don't even have but yes, I would pick them if they were here.      
                           Marshall
Byrne       te Wierik      Clarke     Forsyth/New
                   Bielik            Bird
     Ibe                 Lawrence           Jozwiak
                         Waghorn/New
I'd like to see us change between 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 in game e.g. one of the front 3 comes off for Holmes.
 

I'd play him in Midfield but that lineup was meant to be players in there preferred position. Bielik has been quoted as saying he prefers playing CB.

I'd play him in Midfield but that lineup was meant to be players in there preferred position. Bielik has been quoted as saying he prefers playing CB.

Marshall
Byrne      Bielik       Clarke       Forsyth
                       Shinnie
               Holmes        Knight
      Ibe           Waghorn       Jozwiak
 
 

Marshall
Byrne      Bielik       Clarke       Forsyth
                       Shinnie
               Holmes        Knight
      Ibe           Waghorn       Jozwiak