Niall McGinn

[Don_Corleone]

When he's on form he's a match winner.

I think we get him to do too much work, as a workhorse he disappears.

Certainly in some of the bigger games where we really want him to create and produce magic in the final third, he's too busy tracking back and helping cover defensive duties that he doesn't always turn in the performances we'd hope.

I think at his age he's probably not going to be able to do both duties at the same time - so you'll either get him doing damage in the final third, or you'll get him appearing to have a fairly quiet game when he'll be using most of his energy on defensive duties. I always wondered whether we'd eventually use him as a striker or in the no10 role at some point when he no longer has the engine to get up and down the flank for 90 mins

[Aldo1983]

I think he works hard enough, he's asked to defend quite a bit. You won't see him swanning about and he's not the arrogant type.

[Pacman1903]

Yes he is.

Why?

Maybe could have done with the break

[RED_JOHN]

I don’t think McInnes gets the best out of McGinn in big matches because of his insistence on being defensive first (Not having a go at McGinn). McGinn is at his best when our team attacks the opposition and in all honesty he is one of the very best in the league when on his game.

[Don_Corleone]

I don’t think McInnes gets the best out of McGinn in big matches because of his insistence on being defensive first (Not having a go at McGinn). McGinn is at his best when our team attacks the opposition and in all honesty he is one of the very best in the league when on his game.

I agree with that - although I do think it's difficult to change it as we need him to do more defensive duties against better opposition. I think if we had a midfield that could retain the ball better in big games to relieve the constant pressure we always seem to be under against the big teams, and to bring players like McGinn and GMS into play more effectively, we'd see more of him as an attacking force in these games. Generally in those matches we punt the ball long, give it away, concede possession and spend the game under pressure which means McGinn is back defending then chasing long punts upfield. When we had Jack (as much as I hate him) we had someone who could just retain possession for a bit, and when we had McLean (who I think we miss massively) we had someone who could retain possession and build play through the midfield much better than we're doing now. I think all of these things affect McGinn and none of them are really his fault.

[rico94]

Maybe could have done with the break

I don’t think he played in the Republic of Ireland game.