[Archived] Paul's Progress

[Blue n White Rover]

How the hell can you say 7th is a European spot when we finished 7th last season?!

Isn't this the last year of the Intertoto as well? So that would rule 6th out too. 5th is the only guarantee European spot, you can't go claiming things like that based on wild (and probably inaccurate) assumptions.

I know and you know for a fact that if we had finished 7th in any of the other season we would have got a European Spot. We got a European spot when we finished 10th FFS! Sparky himself said that any other season we would have been in Europe. We all expect the top 4 to win won of the domestic cups. Another note, most other teams would be regarding 5th,6th and 7th as an European place. Anyway just to rephrase for your sake " WE ARE JUST 2 POINTS AWAY FROM LAST SEASONS POSITION". Now do I get the answer to my question as to why you don't look at it in that way?

[T4E]

I know and you know for a fact that if we had finished 7th in any of the other season we would have got a European Spot. We got a European spot when we finished 10th FFS! Sparky himself said that any other season we would have been in Europe. We all expect the top 4 to win won of the domestic cups. Another note, most other teams would be regarding 5th,6th and 7th as an European place. Anyway just to rephrase for your sake " WE ARE JUST 2 POINTS AWAY FROM LAST SEASONS POSITION". Now do I get the answer to my question as to why you don't look at it in that way?

We finished 10th and got in to the Intertoto, which no longer exists, so forget that.

As I said before, 7th would only be a place if top 4 teams win BOTH cups, not one. Even making the big assumption that you are, we're still 6 points off Europe (in 6th). We're 8 points off 5th.

[BuckyRover]

We are 2 points away from where we finished last season after losing our manager and our entire backroom team.

I am sorry to disappoint many people but John Williams won't be offering anything other than support to Ince.

[RevidgeBlue]

Well after tonights defeat, its clear ince is out of his depth, the defence is getting worse and he's either doing nothing about it or not capable of doing anything about it, playing with 1 striker isnt working and a central midfield comprising of a left back and a league 2 Andrews is only gonna get us relegated. Grella is a waste of time if he's gonna play 1 game and then miss the next month. Time for him to go if we lose against WBA.

What a load of crap. You got back quickly from the game tonight posting at 22.15 btw.

The entire midfield played well last night and is it Ince's fault Grella is doing a passable impression of Darren Anderton?

[Paul]

2 POINTS FROM A EUROPEAN SPOT!!!

Why not look at it that way?

I don't feel we will get involved in the relegation scrap but to suggest we have any chance of Europe is daft. We're 8 points off 5th spot and not showing any sort of form or consistency to allow us the chance to push for Europe, not that I understand the glory in finishing 5th.

To my mind the worrying thing about this season is the lack of excitment and passion. Since Ince was appointed I don't recall any buzz surrounding the club, myself I feel the season has been very flat so far. I'm not against Paul Ince, I thought we played very well last Saturday and seem to have played well again at Villa, but he completely fails to inspire me as a fan and I don't see us achieving anything under his management. Sparky was the reverse. I may be reading too much into this but as an example there's a blond guy, wears a blue top and has a huge belly on our coaching staff. I've no idea who he is but when I watch him run on the pitch I'm immediatley thinking Sunday league. I can't help wondering if the coaching staff don't even look fit how do they help to inspire the players?

Philip sums things up well, Hughes had authority and personality which made one feel something was going to happen. Hughes was a star player in his career whereas Ince was generally seen as annoying, arrogant player - he may have been successful but he was never a star. When Hughes signed for Rovers as a player I was excited, Ince would not have had that effect. Someone posted Ince was Utd's 39th greatest player, I think that sums it up perfectly. It's really amusing to think there's even been a poll to show who is Utd's 39th greatest player.

[Bobby G]

I don't feel we will get involved in the relegation scrap but to suggest we have any chance of Europe is daft. We're 8 points off 5th spot and not showing any sort of form or consistency to allow us the chance to push for Europe, not that I understand the glory in finishing 5th.

To my mind the worrying thing about this season is the lack of excitment and passion. Since Ince was appointed I don't recall any buzz surrounding the club, myself I feel the season has been very flat so far. I'm not against Paul Ince, I thought we played very well last Saturday and seem to have played well again at Villa, but he completely fails to inspire me as a fan and I don't see us achieving anything under his management. Sparky was the reverse. I may be reading too much into this but as an example there's a blond guy, wears a blue top and has a huge belly on our coaching staff. I've no idea who he is but when I watch him run on the pitch I'm immediatley thinking Sunday league. I can't help wondering if the coaching staff don't even look fit how do they help to inspire the players?

Philip sums things up well, Hughes had authority and personality which made one feel something was going to happen. Hughes was a star player in his career whereas Ince was generally seen as annoying, arrogant player - he may have been successful but he was never a star. When Hughes signed for Rovers as a player I was excited, Ince would not have had that effect. Someone posted Ince was Utd's 39th greatest player, I think that sums it up perfectly. It's really amusing to think there's even been a poll to show who is Utd's 39th greatest player.

Excellently put Paul. The excitement leading up to games is no longer there this season...Personally during the last two years of Hughes tenure, we went into every game where I felt we had a chance of getting something out of it. Now, when we play the teams around us, I dont even feel it anymore.

[CrazyIvan]

I may be reading too much into this but as an example there's a blond guy, wears a blue top and has a huge belly on our coaching staff. I've no idea who he is but when I watch him run on the pitch I'm immediatley thinking Sunday league. I can't help wondering if the coaching staff don't even look fit how do they help to inspire the players?

That's the club doctor and he has been there for years! He was there when Souness was around. He's put on a bit of timber recently though. I've met the bloke a few times. Chatted to him about Matt Jansen at services on the M6 after he got injured at Newcastle away years ago, that was very interesting at the time...

[broadsword]

Yeah, that's the doc, Phil Batty!

Although admittedly, he's not a shining beacon of fitness.

[Bennisfromheaven]

Dr. Phil - 3 down, last to the right!

[ABBEY]

i know ince saved (oh no listening to people last night it wasnt ince it was his players) a team from relegation but i dont think he has any sort of seige mentality ,battle or get in em installed into this team.We may play fancy dan football but we need a tougher streetfight approach if we get caught in the relegation scrap and like it or lump it after the chelsea game there is a distinct reality that that is where we will be and you dont get out of it without guts.

[DanLad]

Is anyone else sick of seeing Ince pally-pallying up to opposition managers?

On MOTD it should Ince virtually hugging O'Neill on the sideline.

You've got a job to do, Ince! You can do your crawling to other managers behind the scenes!

[Amo]

Is anyone else sick of seeing Ince pally-pallying up to opposition managers?

On MOTD it should Ince virtually hugging O'Neill on the sideline.

You've got a job to do, Ince! You can do your crawling to other managers behind the scenes!

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

[CrazyIvan]

Is anyone else sick of seeing Ince pally-pallying up to opposition managers?

On MOTD it should Ince virtually hugging O'Neill on the sideline.

You've got a job to do, Ince! You can do your crawling to other managers behind the scenes!

Huh? You've never seen any other managers do that?

[John]

Hughes had authority and personality which made one feel something was going to happen. Hughes was a star player in his career whereas Ince was generally seen as annoying, arrogant player - he may have been successful but he was never a star. When Hughes signed for Rovers as a player I was excited, Ince would not have had that effect. Someone posted Ince was Utd's 39th greatest player, I think that sums it up perfectly. It's really amusing to think there's even been a poll to show who is Utd's 39th greatest player.

I think Paul almost perfectly sums up while so many people have been 'anti Ince' from the start.

[speeeeeeedie]

10 games 12 points. It's not ideal but there are plenty of other teams about the same. As some pointed out earlier we can finish anywhere from 7th to 17th. Overall we'll be OK, but not worldbeaters. Not having Bentley has hurt us along with Roque's niggles, the slow start (gamewise), and unfortunately some dodgy defending.

I'll keep with Ince, he will be OK.

Is anyone still on the Zola bandwagon? He's lost 4 straight.

[DanLad]

Huh? You've never seen any other managers do that?

I've no problem with shaking hands, having a quiet word, sharing a quick joke etc before and after a game.

The footage last night also showed the 'pally' moment during the game. I don't think that's common, no. Also, it always just looks like Ince is fawning over the other managers.

Admittedly, there could be a bit of the old BBC editting going on...

[vintageadidas]

Tony Adams, Zola, Phil Brown, Tony Mowbury, Roy Keane, Scolari and Pulis all had no experience of the Premier League at the start of this season.

I am happy with Ince. Season One - Stay up, season two - push on.

[tcj_jones]

THe defence needs sorting quickly. It's been a massive problem and undermined the team's performance for close to five seasons now. Hughes couldn't sort it, let's hope that Ince can before it sees us in a relegation scrap. I'd be tempted to sell every defender, except Olsson and Warnock) on our books and start afresh. Nelsen, Ooijer, Samba, Zurab; all make error after error and that means that none of them are good enough for a top half Premier League side.

We look shaky on every single corner and every single free kick that we defend and have done for as long as I can remember. Our defenders keep making silly mistakes, we have no pace at all. There has been a lot said about needing a new striker, better central midfielders and, of course, the gap left by Bentley, but until we sort out the back, we will continue to ship goals.

[waggy]

now then pompey appiont TONY ADAMS,he says it will be next season before we see a TONY ADAMS team.now that is from a man who has been at pompey for how long.paul ince is stuck till jan with the players that hughes left,it will take him this season to realise that some are plianly not good enough.ie samba/nelsen/pedersen/benni many on here will say that is rubbish,but i would like to think all 4 will not be here next season

[RevidgeBlue]

now then pompey appiont TONY ADAMS,he says it will be next season before we see a TONY ADAMS team.now that is from a man who has been at pompey for how long.paul ince is stuck till jan with the players that hughes left,it will take him this season to realise that some are plianly not good enough.ie samba/nelsen/pedersen/benni many on here will say that is rubbish,but i would like to think all 4 will not be here next season

Samba is our best central defender by a country mile waggy.

Ooijer is somewhat of a liability imo and I can understand why Zurab is getting frustrated at not getting a fair crack.

[waggy]

all about opinions rev i think he is over rated,the best central defence pairing is oojer and zurab

[RevidgeBlue]

Philip sums things up well, Hughes had authority and personality which made one feel something was going to happen. Hughes was a star player in his career whereas Ince was generally seen as annoying, arrogant player - he may have been successful but he was never a star. When Hughes signed for Rovers as a player I was excited, Ince would not have had that effect. Someone posted Ince was Utd's 39th greatest player, I think that sums it up perfectly. It's really amusing to think there's even been a poll to show who is Utd's 39th greatest player.

I disagree completely that Ince wasn't a star player Paul, When I think of outstanding ball winning midfielders over the last twenty years Batty and Ince were head and shoulders above anyone else I ever saw. Do you not remember him playing for England in Rome with his head soaked in blood through a large Basil Fawlty style bandage?

Sure Hughes was also a brilliant player but I rather think the reason he finished so much higher in the poll than Ince was that the RFW branded (wrongly he now admits) Ince "a champagne charlie" and he went on to play for Inter and more to the point their arch rivals Liverpool.

[broadsword]

Ince was streets ahead of Batty, he was more than a ball-winner. Whereas batty was more of a give-and-go player. Not bad, but nowhere near Ince.

Put it this way, I can't imagine any Italian team would've wanted him! But he could certainly put his foot in. Although how about Roy Keane?

[rover6]

all about opinions rev i think he is over rated,the best central defence pairing is oojer and zurab

Barring a calamitous collapse in form, Samba has to start. He's the only CB we've got who has a chance of keeping up with Agbonlahor and the like.

Ooijer, Zurab and Nelsen are slow.

Yes, the Tiny-Berg partnership was quite good for us despite the manifest lack of mobility but that was in a more defensive team. If Ince wants us to play further up the field and have full backs getting forward etc. etc. we need pace at the back.

[waggy]

watch the 2nd goal last night,he was stood watching