[Archived] Paul's Progress

[Beta Ray Bill]

As the original thread's been closed, I guess we need a new one to talk about Ince in a strictly professional manner.

My own view is after 4 games in charge, he seems to be settling in reasonably well and not afraid to experiment. There doesn't seem to be a rigid philosophy of 4-4-2 or a manic decision to sub a centreback as soon as we conceed a goal.

His team selection needs some work on though. For the credit of Treacy featuring so heavily, there's a worrying persistence with Reid.

On transfers, Robbo is a split decision. Carlos should be a gem. Andrews might actually be a very good piece of business in the end (esp at the fee). Grella needs a little time to adjust but will be a better bet than The Axe and can pass better than Savage did.

Some work on the PR side required and he must keep Mathis quiet. The behind the scenes stories of unrest seem to be fading but I guess could reappear if a couple of *stars* start to sulk again...

[Paulo]

No point judging Ince yet. Very early days.

I remember when Newcastle fans were booing Big Sam and then he got the boot and i was thinking to myself what a ridiculos club they are he hasn't had a chance.

As far as i can tell, we are the still ''same old Blackburn Rovers''

Throw away easy points at home, get beat by West Ham and get a great result when not expecting much.

[Martin]

It all started wonderfully at Everton. Roque signed a new deal.

Since then it's all gone flat.

A draw with Hull was poor. West Ham defeat is expected but still I hoped for a change.

Grella is over-priced at £3.5m. Andrews isn't getting me excited. Never heard of Bunn.

4 competitive games. 9 scored. 8 conceeded. We'll certainly be in for an exciting season one way or another.

[OscarRaven]

So far, in my opinion;

Pro-Ince 2 - 2 Anti-Ince.

Lets hope things pick up and silence the doubters, but his signings have to make an impact and we need to be beating the likes of Hull at home.

[bennyboyt11]

Kind of relevant question, probably not though, is he a passionate manager?

I mean does he shout at the sidelines, jump when we score etc.

This is a genuine interest as i dont have the pleasure of getting to see him live, and i havent seen a rovers game on the telly yet either so i was just wondering

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

So far, in my opinion;

Pro-Ince 2 - 2 Anti-Ince.

Lets hope things pick up and silence the doubters, but his signings have to make an impact and we need to be beating the likes of Hull at home.

I am actually slightly pro-Ince after the start we have had. For all the hype around Hughes - we have (on whole) played more exciting football than at most time under Hughes. This without our main right winger from last season.

I have seen a freedom in some of our play - and players obviously encouraged to express themselves.

We have seen youngsters finally given a chance - and interestingly they seem to have the confidence to take their chances (Treacy being the big plus so far).

Looking back at Ince's previous job - his ex-players all seemed to say that Ince encourages his team - I think we have seen some evidence of that.

I actually didn't think he would start this well at Rovers - in both of his previous jobs it seems to have taken him a while to get teams playing his style of football.

I think we will see a different team set up after this international break. I just hope that Chile aren't playing any internationals - as I am sure Carlos is the one player they would like to work on and integrate in the team.

[Faz_Rover]

Kind of relevant question, probably not though, is he a passionate manager?

I mean does he shout at the sidelines, jump when we score etc.

This is a genuine interest as i dont have the pleasure of getting to see him live, and i havent seen a rovers game on the telly yet either so i was just wondering

Constantly on the side lines giving out instructions. Always in his technical area (with a bottle of water). Wouldn't say he jumps but ask MGP and he'd say he strangles people when we score

All in all its a decent enough start to the season. West Ham away is always a nightmare for us. For the record 7 managers have tried at Upton Park, all have failed. Ray Harford, Roy Hodgson, Brian Kidd, Tony Parkes, Souness, Hughes and now Ince. Its just one of them grounds which we hate visiting.

[novella]

Ince on too good too bad

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

That was brilliant.

Ince clutching a diagram of the whole pitch and one word written in the penalty area - "Shoot".

[EwoodGlory]

Has this been posted yet

[Presty On Tour]

He should of written in the other half of the page "defend!"

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

No, but that is what the two posts above you were talking about.

[67splitscreen]

Obviously Ince, seems to think everthing else is fine. Um

[DingleBaiter]

Ah the wonders of technology, surely a fake? Reckon thats as real as Jordan's funbags.

TBH I'm thinking Ince is doing better than I thought I would be at this stage to be fair.

Transfers - we'll have to wait and see at end of window, and over time - as with things like will the defence settle?

I don't agree if we don't sign a replacement of bentley stature it's a failing; it's just unreasonable to expect him to do. Hughes never had one lined up either did he? Plus people rush to criticise/applaud too hastily with regards to transfers. I'd be more bothered if i) they weren't looking to find a replacement and ii) they just signed someone for the sake of it. There is a place for Pennant, but only at the right price.

Think he has actually shown some sound acumen and long-sightedness with regards to his business on transfers. He spent long enough looking around and didn't buy Annan or Castillo for the sake of it; they were either too expensive, not good enough, or both.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Sadly, it isn't a fake. I remember it being shown live (although it didn't turn it round so I couldn't see what it said), and I doubt MOTD would go to that much trouble to photoshop it.

[DingleBaiter]

Sadly, it isn't a fake. I remember it being shown live (although it didn't turn it round so I couldn't see what it said), and I doubt MOTD would go to that much trouble to photoshop it.

Was it the turnaround bit on MOTD? It's only that bit I'm hoping is a fake

Maybe its an acronym for Stop Hogging Our Offensive Threads

He's got nice writing, will give him that.

Suppose it's a better, clearer message than all that motivational crap & naff quotes Allardyce used to put up all over the dressing rooms etc.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Yeah, when it was live I could just see a smudge, but MOTD turned it round and it becomes clear - the great tactic which nobody thought of.

[DingleBaiter]

Yeah, when it was live I could just see a smudge, but MOTD turned it round and it becomes clear - the great tactic which nobody thought of.

cool how he got 2 colours with one pen!

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Looks all black/blue to me.

If you mean the red, you can see from the side that the whole notebook has pages of red pitches.

[ebenrocks]

Not impressed that we have failed to keep a clean sheet during once since he took over. Defensivly we look terrible, so much for that defense coach eh. I dunno, Ince is really frustrating me. I get the feeling that he's far more intent of helping out his mates than moving the club forward. No premiership manager in their right mind would ever even consider Robbie Fowler as a serious target, and lets not mess about, if he wasnt a good mate of the guvnors, neither would Ince. Same goes with Andrews, Ince came in saying 'we aim to improve on last seasons position', sorry mate, not even my grandma would think a good way to improve on 7th position is to buy has-beens and league 2 players.

Robinson i feel was also a mistake... I think we should have pushed harder for someone like Green. Ok, Robbo has made some decent saves over the last 3 games, but hes also made some ridiculous mistakes that have cost us goals, and at the start of the season keeping clean sheets should be a main priority.

We have less than a day of transfer window left now and there still seems to be somuch to do. I think we need a really decent central defender, Samba is looking absoutly awful and needs some real competition, because i get the feeling that at the moment he thinks hes invincible.

We need a new Right sided mid to replace bentley. I think Ince failed a bit on this too, that should have been a number one priority as soon as Bentley left, but we seem to have done very little. We got 16 million from bentley, and i think a large amount of that should ave been used to replace him. Ok Joaquin was expensive, but who cares! id rather get someone expensive and good than have our first decent transfer budget in years spent of a total load of pensioner, lower league @#/?.

Honestly, the only player im happy about being here is Villanueva and Ince wont even play him. Ok it was only grimsby, but he looked really good, why not try him out? Its no bigger risk than trying out Andrews. Id far rather see Carlos than Andrews.

this was a very poorly written rant, and before people start jumping on me telling me to back my manager, i do. I dont agree with the majority of stuff hes done, and im getting increadibly frustrated by him, but i do back him, and will continue to do so.

On the plus side i like how he comes out with criticism after games, Hughes used to blame everyone and everything but the players, and sometimes its too much of their fault to ignore.

Who knows, am not particularly happy/excited about how the club i love is being run at the minute, but i'll wait and see how things pan out, and i am perfectly happy and even eager to eat my hat.

[RevidgeBlue]

That 1-4 reverse at West Ham could EASILY have been a victory and should certainly have been no worse than a draw in which case we would have remained unbeaten and psychologically things would have felt a lot better.

Things are positive on balance so far imo but it is all subject to us being able to shut up shop at the back. If we can stop leaking goals the style of play is more entertaining and I think we'd be looking very good. So far it's seven goals coceded in three games though and we will find things awkward if we can't improve on that ratio.

[AussieinUk]

I should have waited a bit longer on this, but it is spring here. Yes, things could have gone a little better (results-wise), but PI seems to be settling in well at BRFC.

So far;

Robinson - Buy (lacks confidence, but still a decent purchase)

Simpson - Loan (Jury is still out on this fella, so lets see by christmas)

Andrews - Buy (cheap acquistion and another that is a wait & see)

Grella - Buy (needs to settle, he should do a decent job as a DM)

Villenueva - Loan to buy (could be a very shrewd purchase)

J. Santa Cruz - Buy (if he is as half as decent as his brother, this will be a good move)

Paul, IMO, seems a lot more savy with the camera's and his interviewing technique.

So far 6.5* out of 10.

* this score drops to a 5, if we dont get the right sided midfielder we need.

[imy9]

Not impressed that we have failed to keep a clean sheet during once since he took over. Defensivly we look terrible, so much for that defense coach eh. I dunno, Ince is really frustrating me. I get the feeling that he's far more intent of helping out his mates than moving the club forward. No premiership manager in their right mind would ever even consider Robbie Fowler as a serious target, and lets not mess about, if he wasnt a good mate of the guvnors, neither would Ince. Same goes with Andrews, Ince came in saying 'we aim to improve on last seasons position', sorry mate, not even my grandma would think a good way to improve on 7th position is to buy has-beens and league 2 players.

Robinson i feel was also a mistake... I think we should have pushed harder for someone like Green. Ok, Robbo has made some decent saves over the last 3 games, but hes also made some ridiculous mistakes that have cost us goals, and at the start of the season keeping clean sheets should be a main priority.

We have less than a day of transfer window left now and there still seems to be somuch to do. I think we need a really decent central defender, Samba is looking absoutly awful and needs some real competition, because i get the feeling that at the moment he thinks hes invincible.

We need a new Right sided mid to replace bentley. I think Ince failed a bit on this too, that should have been a number one priority as soon as Bentley left, but we seem to have done very little. We got 16 million from bentley, and i think a large amount of that should ave been used to replace him. Ok Joaquin was expensive, but who cares! id rather get someone expensive and good than have our first decent transfer budget in years spent of a total load of pensioner, lower league @#/?.

Honestly, the only player im happy about being here is Villanueva and Ince wont even play him. Ok it was only grimsby, but he looked really good, why not try him out? Its no bigger risk than trying out Andrews. Id far rather see Carlos than Andrews.

Robinson has made mistakes but the first goal for West Ham was clearly Samba's fault. He let his marker go and if you look carefully Robinson would never have got to the ball anyway which is why he stopped half way and tried to save it. The defence needs to readjust after a number alterations and it will take time, lets give it time.

Ince has not signed Fowler, plain and simple. If he was helping out mates then he would have signed already.

Andrews looks a good player and I think he will improve what we have got. Ince and Andrews are not friends, far from it they had a very public row at Wolves- it is a professional relationship.

I agree a right sided player is a priority but the rest of the world knows that too, so I am sure £5 million players are being values at £10 million because people know that we have money, patience is the key, lets wait til the end of the window before judging.

During the West Ham game we were being over run in midfield, Carlos would have been slaugtered in that environment and would have probably lost a lot of confidence, Andrews was the correct option for that game.

[Majiball]

During the West Ham game we were being over run in midfield, Carlos would have been slaugtered in that environment and would have probably lost a lot of confidence, Andrews was the correct option for that game.

TBH I would have brought him on for RSC in the hole would have given WH another body to worry about in midfield. Andrews did OK not stand out but no worse than others so far this year, hopefully he can step it up as well.

[M-K]

Paul, IMO, seems a lot more savy with the camera's and his interviewing technique.

Saw him on Sky Sports the other day and his voice was trembling quite noticeably, like a child being forced to read something out loud in class when he doesn't want to.