TheRam wrote: ↑Tue Feb 03, 2026 5:25 pm
Find the reaction to it totally insincere tbh.
So much on social media or from the pundits is performative nonsense. So yes.
However, looking past all of that element it can still be true that dude has had some serious struggles behind the scenes and it's seemingly not about "lapses in judgement" like with some problem players, we're talking about stuff like dealing with cancer. Not fun for anyone and while clearly a lot of people deal with that kinda thing, it doesn't mean it can't hit people differently and significantly and when someone's job is to perform in the PL you have to be at elite levels both physically and mentally and dropping from those can quickly make you look off it. Doesn't mean anyone has to feel any particular way about him as a player, anyone can see his form has largely been in the toilet, but I think maybe it could at least give the club and some fans a little more perspective and possibly more so from the clubs point of view perhaps reevaluate how he's being used.
Heard a clip of Simon Jordan on talksport ripping in to the poets his missus made. Said that if things like this are going to cause him such upset he's in for a wake up call when something truly bad happens to him in his personal life (paraphrasing here but essentially that).
You mean like your partner getting cancer and being extremely unwell in hospital for months? Fucking prick, at least do your homework before coming out with shit like that
AjaxAndy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 03, 2026 6:13 pm
Heard a clip of Simon Jordan on talksport ripping in to the poets his missus made. Said that if things like this are going to cause him such upset he's in for a wake up call when something truly bad happens to him in his personal life (paraphrasing here but essentially that).
You mean like your partner getting cancer and being extremely unwell in hospital for months? Fucking prick, at least do your homework before coming out with shit like that
They talk about Mateta then so jump to
Starts at 5.00 in
He's such an horrible twat on this...
Goldstein on Drive was just as bad tonight bringing up wealth etc .
Think people are being a bit ridiculous. Weren't you all dancing about calling him names last night. Can't have it both ways.
For me he probably does need to be moved on, hes certainly not been good enough this season but he deserves plenty of respect for his efforts as 1 of our better players at an awful time for the club. That respect was in short supply last night though. We cant be coming on today complaining about what people outside the club are saying when last night he was a waster and this was the best transfer window ever
Thought most in here last night were happy about the transfer amount, and ultimately we were getting rid. Didnt help that he had his worse 45mins in a shirt only last week...
But
The two things are totally different footballing wise and his personal life.
Audrey Horne wrote:Also isn't it common knowledge about his partner? I know I mentioned it most weeks last season. I think she had cancer treatment or something similar
I spoke about it often as a way of understanding why he looked so ill himself and so off his game.
Tbh i am more angry with Moyes picking him when it is clear he is not in the right headspace and hasn't been for a long time.
Maybe the fact he had to hold it together whilst his partner was ill, and now she's well again, he has broken a little.
He needs protection if that's the case, not being in the team and putting in disgraceful performances, getting dogs abuse and hooked at half time.
I'm gutted he is still here because I don't want him in the team. But I feel for him alot. And hope he gets some support
Good post. Maybe he needs time to himself and with his partner. Time out for a wee while might be the best thing for him to take stock
I don't think there was anything untoward said last night, certainly no harsh name calling or anything, most of it was obviously just a bit of a fun. You can have it both ways, you can be happy with £20m for a fringe player who hasn't featured much or appears to have much future here while also having sympathy that something has been or still is going on in his personal life.
TheRam wrote: ↑Tue Feb 03, 2026 5:25 pm
Find the reaction to it totally insincere tbh.
I think its fair to take stock, reflect and maybe collectively tone it down a bit. If someone is not good enough or having a shit game, then 100% nothing wrong with expressing that. Dont like when it gets more personal, theres just a line isnt there. Most well rounded adults know where that is... and yes we're all capable of crossing it time to time.
20 million for a move to Palace would have been a great outcome for club and player though, no disguising that.
777Kidnappings wrote: ↑Tue Feb 03, 2026 7:33 pm
Think people are being a bit ridiculous. Weren't you all dancing about calling him names last night. Can't have it both ways.
For me he probably does need to be moved on, hes certainly not been good enough this season but he deserves plenty of respect for his efforts as 1 of our better players at an awful time for the club. That respect was in short supply last night though. We cant be coming on today complaining about what people outside the club are saying when last night he was a waster and this was the best transfer window ever
Some were, I certainly wasn't and others weren't too.
Not sure why those of us who weren't can't then condemn shit like the memes and what Simon Jordan said?
AjaxAndy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 03, 2026 8:30 pm
Some were, I certainly wasn't and others weren't too.
Not sure why those of us who weren't can't then condemn shit like the memes and what Simon Jordan said?
Was just an overview. If you didnt then of course you can
For me the issue isnt really what was said but who it was said to. I think it was all very disrespectful of his contribution. I know hes not a great player but at a bad time he contributed. Hes 1 who should leave with a lot of respect and goodwill.
I mean it's not like people get on him because he's had a bad game here and there, he's been awful pretty much all season and not put the effort in most games. Like that effort for the Leeds goal was abysmal for a top level footballer. Yeah he's been through a lot and maybe still going through stuff but that's no different to lots of people day in and day out.
If you're a footballer for any club then the minimum you need to show is commitment on the pitch. He hasn't been doing that and that's why he's received criticism and people jumping for joy that we were selling him for more than he's worth. There's nothing wrong with that.
Shogun wrote: ↑Tue Feb 03, 2026 8:58 pm
I mean it's not like people get on him because he's had a bad game here and there, he's been awful pretty much all season and not put the effort in most games. Like that effort for the Leeds goal was abysmal for a top level footballer. Yeah he's been through a lot and maybe still going through stuff but that's no different to lots of people day in and day out.
If you're a footballer for any club then the minimum you need to show is commitment on the pitch. He hasn't been doing that and that's why he's received criticism and people jumping for joy that we were selling him for more than he's worth. There's nothing wrong with that.
Could be that he is fully committed though, and genuinely giving it everything he's got at the moment. Maybe what we're seeing, and the levels do differ game to game, is his ceiling right now.
In that case as others have said, it's not on him, it's on Moyes.
I'm not sure there's a simple answer to any of this, but ultimately his performances should have been enough to get him dropped and keep him on the bench regardless of any other factors.
TheRam wrote: ↑Tue Feb 03, 2026 5:25 pm
Find the reaction to it totally insincere tbh.
It is for sure, but part of it is people probably wrestling a bit with their own guilt. We’ve all contributed, posted snarky stuff, chuckled at the jokes about getting shut of him or others in similar situations. Seeing the human side of it does have an impact understandably and it’s easier to tut at others than examine yourself honestly.
UnsyisaRhino wrote: ↑Tue Feb 03, 2026 9:14 pm
Could be that he is fully committed though, and genuinely giving it everything he's got at the moment. Maybe what we're seeing, and the levels do differ game to game, is his ceiling right now.
In that case as others have said, it's not on him, it's on Moyes.
I'm not sure there's a simple answer to any of this, but ultimately his performances should have been enough to get him dropped and keep him on the bench regardless of any other factors.
Completely agree with the first and last paragraphs.
Not sure we can blame Moyes though, or anyone really... Dwight playing might well have been an approach to improve things for him, he might have been doing well in training. We don't know the thinking, and things don't always work out especially with so many variables.
It might have been to get him in the shop window for a new start elsewhere, especially if Moyes wasn't going to play him much in the future, and Dwight wanted the move.
None of us really know, and I'm not sure it matters or blame needs be attributed anywhere.
brap2 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 03, 2026 9:18 pm
It is for sure, but part of it is people probably wrestling a bit with their own guilt. We’ve all contributed, posted snarky stuff, chuckled at the jokes about getting shut of him or others in similar situations. Seeing the human side of it does have an impact understandably and it’s easier to tut at others than examine yourself honestly.
Has anyone really been that critical that they should feel guilty or examine themselves? It's not like they've run up to him in the street and called him a useless cunt, it's opinions in a forum that he'll never see or hear.
It's very black and white on here, like it's okay for people to have moaned about him but also have sympathy for him and his partner, seems some people are saying that's not the case.
It's quite interesting though, this place has frequently had threads regarding mental health and posters opening up about it and how's affected them, their family and their work etc so it's quite surprising to see the comments basically dimissing McNeil's issue, maybe they're the ones that need to examine themselves? Having said that, I'm sure it would be different if it was a more popular player.
