[Archived] Sam Allardyce

[47er]

Poor Hughesy, he can't win on here! He supports the manager and he gets called deluded and personally insulted, and has loads of people spending ages trying to convince him he's wrong. When he changes his mind he still gets it in the neck. You'd think after all that effort they'd be pleased?

Poor Hughsey indeed! Gonna have to work on his timing---he jumped too early!

[MeanGreenMachine]

Time to back the manager and the board giving him money to buy a top man!

Its not pretty on the eye and i am not 100% convinced yet, but just thinking about the alternatives makes me sick.

He is the best possible manager for us as today.

Give over, i wouldn't trust him with the half time raffle takings. One result doesn't change the situation, his tactics and attitude towards the football we play is still shocking.

[Eddie]

If anything a result like this raises more questions for me.

He played Benni.

He played two up front.

In general we passed the ball a bit more.

He tried to get some pace into the team.

He did all of those things, things that the "expert" hasn't done up until now, things that us, the wonderfully less informed, have been calling for for ages...he does all of those things and we win. The fact that obvious changes weren't made earlier and get some success once they were made makes me question him more.

Hopefully he'll change his ways now, but I seem to remember thinking the same thing after Bolton, the same thing after Chelsea, the same thing after a few games this season where we've been a little less Allardyce and seen three points as a result.

[Miker]

Give over, i wouldn't trust him with the half time raffle takings. One result doesn't change the situation, his tactics and attitude towards the football we play is still shocking.

Actually, it does. Winning that game puts us in a very good position and given we beat Wigan next week, we could be within reach of the top 10 and quite a few points away from the relegation zone. As it stands we are now 5 points away.

[tony gale's mic]

I think doing the predictor at this stage would be an interesting exercise and see where it has us at the end of February. I have us finishing February 12 points clear of the drop zone.

My predictions for us aren't overly optimistic; winning at home to Wigan, a draw away to West Ham, a draw away to Stoke, a win at home vs Hull, a draw at home vs Bolton, and a draw away to Liverpool. I guess only the away draw at Liverpool is optimistic but well achievable given how they are playing.

For me this is when Burnley with an inexperienced Laws in charge will get sucked in, along with Hull and Wolves who have a tough run of fixtures.

[BuckyRover]

I now don't want a change of manager at this particular juncture.

But I don't want him to stay on after this season. I think we should already be looking for a successor.

[S15]

The way we've been over the last few months, your predictions are very optimistic.

[Miker]

I now don't want a change of manager at this particular juncture.

But I don't want him to stay on after this season. I think we should already be looking for a successor.

Lol I would love to see what people will start saying if we happen to finish the season in the top 10 and our performances largely improve.

[MeanGreenMachine]

What a stupid comment, of course people are going to be happier if we play well and win...

Actually, it does. Winning that game puts us in a very good position and given we beat Wigan next week, we could be within reach of the top 10 and quite a few points away from the relegation zone. As it stands we are now 5 points away.

No it doesn't... go out and loose to wigan and this result is irrelevent. Also one result and half decent performance doesnt mask over the fact we are dogshite to watch.

[tony gale's mic]

The way we've been over the last few months, your predictions are very optimistic.

The only teams I've predicted wins against (Hull and Wigan) are both below us in the table, are doing even worse than us and are home games at Ewood where we have fewer problems than on the road.

[joey_big_nose]

The way we've been over the last few months, your predictions are very optimistic.

I agree. We will be doing well to get 2 draws out of the away games. THe key is winning at home which we should be able to do against Wigan and Hull if we perform adequately.

Looking at the team you have to say if we could go out and buy one very decent midfielder to partner NZonzi with then we look in okay shape. Strikers look better now, defence is a bit more stable, and the young lads are now showing a bit of quality. We just need to pass it better and dominate the midfield more.

[S15]

We just need to pass it better and dominate the midfield more.

And here lies the biggest different between the Hughes and the Allardyce reign.

The initial attacking is very similar, Ie, a lump forward to a big striker. However I think we'd all agree we played more football under Hughes, but why? IMO it's because no attack ever starts through our midfield, as they NEVER WIN IT BACK. If they did, moves could be started by the midfield, as they often were under Hughes.

People lay blame to the fact that we have no creative midfielder, and of course this is a problem, but a bigger problem is we don't have a midfielder in the mould of Flitcroft or Savage to win the ball back and spread it out to our more creative players in that area of the field.

N'Zonzi basically isn't as good as people think, and not a touch on the two names I've mentioned.

[Amo]

And here lies the biggest different between the Hughes and the Allardyce reign.

The initial attacking is very similar, Ie, a lump forward to a big striker. However I think we'd all agree we played more football under Hughes, but why? IMO it's because no attack ever starts through our midfield, as they NEVER WIN IT BACK. If they did, moves could be started by the midfield, as they often were under Hughes.

People lay blame to the fact that we have no creative midfielder, and of course this is a problem, but a bigger problem is we don't have a midfielder in the mould of Flitcroft or Savage to win the ball back and spread it out to our more creative players in that area of the field.

N'Zonzi basically isn't as good as people think, and not a touch on the two names I've mentioned.

Do you think Salgado could play that role? He doesn't look at all comfortable out wide.

[S15]

Do you think Salgado could play that role? He doesn't look at all comfortable out wide.

No. I can understand a central defender adapting into the role ala Hierro, and they are used to having the game 'around them' as it were, but an ageing fullback I really can't see making the transition.

[MarkBRFC71]

I now don't want a change of manager at this particular juncture.

But I don't want him to stay on after this season. I think we should already be looking for a successor.

Agree entirely. Sam is NOT the man to take us forward - this season should now be about all about keeping us in the Prem for the new man.

[Hughesy]

You shouldnt worry though, these things will all be known shortly anyway I am sure.

If a player like Dunn is unhappy and willing to tell you about it: the whole dressing room must be in a bad way. I can only asume that is why you have made the drastic U-turn on your support of the manager.

Fair play to you for seeing the light when given good evidence.

Not seeing the light - just dont think a manager will get far without the backing of his team...it remains to be seen if he has lost them or not. The last few hadnt looked good - but today was an improvement

Poor Hughsey indeed! Gonna have to work on his timing---he jumped too early!

I didnt jump anywhere - I simply said lose to Fulham & he should go - he didnt, do therefore he has probably bought himself some time (at least until West Ham away).

12th isnt bad at this stage, but our position is skewed by the game in hand most have on us.

[mellison24]

I think Shillito's point about a ball-winning midfielder is why we appear more solid and more creative with Grella. While he isn't quite as good as Sav or Flitty, he can win the ball back more than most and start moves again. I think if he started more games, he'd be something of an unsung hero!

On to Sam, I agree that we should be looking to replace in the summer. It may even be his plan to retire in summer, what with the health scare he had in october/November.

[1864roverite]

Sam now knows how his season has to pan out. For all fans it is now very clear 5 more wins should see us safe or a total of 15 points from the remaining games.

For me its simple, like before its 3 sets of games, must win, must not lose and bonus games.

Must win games include:

wigan

hull

birmingham

everton

bolton

All of these are home games which we must be taking the full house of points.

Must not lose games include :

wham

stoke

burnley

pompy

wolves

A series of away games where we can easily offset home points by taking maximums away from Ewood.

Bonus games :

Chelsea

manure

liverpool

arsenal

villa

spurs

A series of very tough games no matter they be home or away. Any points out of that lot would be a welcomed bonus.

[RovertheHill]

but a bigger problem is we don't have a midfielder in the mould of Flitcroft or Savage to win the ball back and spread it out to our more creative players in that area of the field.

On a positive note I think I saw signs of that today in Reidy's performance. He put himself about and although slightly off the pace he certainly let the Fulham midfield know he was there, which is often half the battle

[Kelbo]

On a positive note I think I saw signs of that today in Reidy's performance. He put himself about and although slightly off the pace he certainly let the Fulham midfield know he was there, which is often half the battle

Yes RTH, I agree, put tackles in as well that 'Did' their 2 most effective players, Konchesky and Dempsey!!

[DeadlyDirk]

Sam now knows how his season has to pan out. For all fans it is now very clear 5 more wins should see us safe or a total of 15 points from the remaining games.

For me its simple, like before its 3 sets of games, must win, must not lose and bonus games.

Must win games include:

wigan

hull

birmingham

everton

bolton

All of these are home games which we must be taking the full house of points.

Must not lose games include :

wham

stoke

burnley

pompy

wolves

A series of away games where we can easily offset home points by taking maximums away from Ewood.

Bonus games :

Chelsea

manure

liverpool

arsenal

villa

spurs

A series of very tough games no matter they be home or away. Any points out of that lot would be a welcomed bonus.

You're sounding like Sam, we should go into every game thinking we can take 3 points otherwise why bother turing up.

[unluckymorton]

Agree entirely. Sam is NOT the man to take us forward - this season should now be about all about keeping us in the Prem for the new man.

If we finish midtable and get to Wembeley then he has took us forward. Or of course we could do a West Ham or west Brom and play free flowing football of the 'pretty' type and hang around the relegation zone.

Sam is not ideal but it could be a hell of a lot worse.

[JAL]

Yes RTH, I agree, put tackles in as well that 'Did' their 2 most effective players, Konchesky and Dempsey!!

IT was Nelsen, who 'did' Dempsey about three or four minutes before he actually went down.

[LeChuck]

My predictions for us aren't overly optimistic; winning at home to Wigan, a draw away to West Ham, a draw away to Stoke, a win at home vs Hull, a draw at home vs Bolton, and a draw away to Liverpool.

Not overly optimistic...yet have us to go on a six game unbeaten run!

I know what you're getting at because, in isolation, we can get points from all those games, but we're not going to go unbeaten in six. We'll do very well to get anything from West Ham and Liverpool.

[thenodrog]

Sam is not ideal but it could be WAS a hell of a lot worse.