[Archived] Steve Kean

[True Blue & White]

Has made some dodgy calls with our line-up.

His substitutions are far more of a concern though. Is yet to make a good one.

He was right to take Jones off tonight when he did but then 5 minutes later took off Dunn who'd been one of our best players.

[jim mk2]

Has made some dodgy calls with our line-up.

His substitutions are far more of a concern though. Is yet to make a good one.

Correct but be careful and you will be accused of being a non-believer. Kean was hailed as a highly intelligent coach by the Daily Mirror's Brian Glanville yet some of his selections and substiutions make no footballing sense at all. We had a golden opportunity tonight to beat a weakened Spurs team and we blew it because of the manager's poor decision-making.

[roversmum]

Jones was injured and Dunny and Mame were very tired.

[chris]

and if we beat Wigan he is a god again.

He'll learn from his mistakes

Hope he drops Andrews for a start

[Tom]

Correct but be careful and you will be accused of being a non-believer. Kean was hailed as a highly intelligent coach by the Daily Mirror's Brian Glanville yet some of his selections and substiutions make no footballing sense at all. We had a golden opportunity tonight to beat a weakened Spurs team and we blew it because of the manager's poor decision-making.

Or we made one mistake at the back and came up against a keeper who played a blinder.

I wouldn't have started Keith personally but the first two substitutions were essential.

[Parsonblue]

Whilst the diamond midfield and two man attack, that Kean employs, might look to be more attacking, the problems are caused when the attack breaks down and the opposition get possession. There appear to be acres of space in and around our midfield and good sides, like Tottenham, will simply pass the ball around without coming under any pressure.

I also don't think we have the players who can operate this system particularly well. Pedersen, who had previously been playing well, has struggled to get to grips with it and neither Andrews nor Dunny appear to have the pace necessary to get up and down the pitch. I would be much happier with a couple of holding players, thus enabling Salgado and Olsson to get forward in the knowledge that there is cover behind them. This would allow three attacking midfielders to back up the lone striker.

I think the honeymoon period is now well and truly over for Kean. Hopefully, he can learn from these past couple of defeats and find a plan 'B' that enables us to continue to attack without leaving the defence exposed.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

I would be much happier with a couple of holding players, thus enabling Salgado and Olsson to get forward in the knowledge that there is cover behind them. This would allow three attacking midfielders to back up the lone striker.

I think the honeymoon period is now well and truly over for Kean. Hopefully, he can learn from these past couple of defeats and find a plan 'B' that enables us to continue to attack without leaving the defence exposed.

Agreed - and possibly kean wants to go this way. A fit Santa Cruz as a target man with Formica, Hoilett and Ruchina as an attacking 3 behind him would be potentially explosive IMO - especially with Olssen bombing on. We can then sit Jones/Nzonzi in front of the defence. Plenty of pace and guile in that line up.

[neekoy]

Jesus H Christ, when was the last time we had 18 shots on an opposition goal, we blew a great opportunity against a keeper who had a blinder with a team on paper that looks nowhere near in ability.

Dissapointed but extremely happy that we are down to arguing about substitutions instead of style.

[John]

Needs to maybe go on a tactics course - he said himself, we are too loose. Being a novice he's clearly going to mistakes, let's hope he is a quick learner

Meant too loose not compact...

[True Blue & White]

Jesus H Christ, when was the last time we had 18 shots on an opposition goal, we blew a great opportunity against a keeper who had a blinder with a team on paper that looks nowhere near in ability.

Dissapointed but extremely happy that we are down to arguing about substitutions instead of style.

We had 17 according to football-data.co.uk (9 on target), the last time we did that? Against West Brom on 23rd January (with 12 on target).

[Bobby G]

Didnt have a plan B last night.

Poor selection. Poor substitutes (at the very least left them too late). Whats Benjani going to do in 5 minutes?

Yes, we are playing expansive football. However, there are big spaces in midfield which better teams will exploit. Its wide open especially centrally. The width from midfield is also limited, exposing full backs defensively, although they handled it relatively well yesterday. We are lucky that Lennon is a one footed player. Too many times did a Spurs player have a free run straight from inside their half towards our penalty area. Jones was average at best, but he covered a lot of ground, more than he probably should have.

[neekoy]

We had 17 according to football-data.co.uk (9 on target), the last time we did that? Against West Brom on 23rd January (with 12 on target).

Ok, but what about prior to Steve Kean, his style of football is creating opportunites, surely this is better then 2 shots on goal and a 1 all draw.

[ada2020]

Or no shots on goal, I believe this was the case against Stoke at their place, in fact I'm pretty sure that we had a run of games around that time where we only mustered around 5 shots on goal. I stand to be corrected of course.

[XLM]

We outplayed a Spurs side who, man for man, had a far better side everywhere except defence (and keeper).

Andrews was a justified selection. Covered the full backs' runs forward. He gets a sickening amount of stick for someone putting his all in. He isn't good enough, we all know he isn't the best player around but he puts it in. Who else would people have picked? He was there to double up on Lennon.

Jones went off through a back complaint I think, Dunn was out on his ass and Mame never really found his stride.

Why does everyone have to be so melodramatic?

[DE.]

Andrews was a justified selection. Covered the full backs' runs forward. He gets a sickening amount of stick for someone putting his all in. He isn't good enough, we all know he isn't the best player around but he puts it in. Who else would people have picked? He was there to double up on Lennon.

I agree completely that the abuse Andrews gets is out of order, but your description of what he was supposed to do was not what he actually did. He kept drifting into the centre and left Salgado totally exposed against Lennon numerous times. We were fortunate that this wasn't taken advantage of more often. Playing on the right isn't Andrews' natural role, but at the very least he should be able to stick at that position if asked to play there. It's worrying when he even gets the very basics of positioning wrong. I'd put almost anybody else in the squad ahead of him.

[XLM]

I agree completely that the abuse Andrews gets is out of order, but your description of what he was supposed to do was not what he actually did. He kept drifting into the centre and left Salgado totally exposed against Lennon numerous times. We were fortunate that this wasn't taken advantage of more often. Playing on the right isn't Andrews' natural role, but at the very least he should be able to stick at that position if asked to play there. It's worrying when he even gets the very basics of positioning wrong. I'd put almost anybody else in the squad ahead of him.

I think Lennon playing on the left was a bit of a fly in ointment tacticaly. I don't think Lennon realy got that much joy though, there was only the counter when Jones gave him the ball and then when Andrews gave the ball to him on the edge of the box. Two mistakes. You can't really account for those kinds of errors in your tactics.

Nzonzi wouldn't have worked there, nor Grella. Pedersen maybe, but Kean wanted someone more defensive minded. We have nobody else who could have done that job, regardless of how well you think he did.

[47er]

Ok, but what about prior to Steve Kean, his style of football is creating opportunites, surely this is better then 2 shots on goal and a 1 all draw.

Am I reading you wrongly? How is losing 1-0 better than drawing 1-1?

[Gav]

Kean can't afford to keep making team selections like he has in the last two games.

He built up trust initially but it's still very fragile given his time in the job. It wouldn't take many more of those weird decisions for people to think he's not cut out to be a manager after all.

Nothing wrong with his team selection against Spurs LeChuck.

[LeChuck]

Nothing wrong with his team selection against Spurs LeChuck.

Andrews and Roberts? Talk about killing the 'feel good' factor created by deadline day signings!

[G Somerset Rover]

Andrews and Roberts? Talk about killing the 'feel good' factor created by deadline day signings!

Roberts is the one who worries me most out of the two having just signed a new deal. As you say, he offers very little when starting but is effective from the bench. I'd imagine though by signing a new deal that he'll start matches more often than not.

We should have let his contract run down and been shot of his 25k p/w (minimum) come the summer.

[Gav]

Andrews and Roberts? Talk about killing the 'feel good' factor created by deadline day signings!

I’ve not seen us give a top 4 side the run around like that since the glory years of the 90’s.

Surely this fact alone justifies Keans section.

[XLM]

Andrews and Roberts? Talk about killing the 'feel good' factor created by deadline day signings!

Both easily justifiable. I've already said why Andrews was there and Roberts was picked to bully their crocked defence. I wouldn't have started with Roberts either, I think he's only really effective off the bench, but I can see why he was.

[jim mk2]

I've not seen us give a top 4 side the run around like that since the glory years of the 90's.

Surely this fact alone justifies Keans section.

Um, unless I missed something we lost the match so by definition the manager got his selection, substitutions and tactics wrong. I would agree managers cannot legislate for individual mistakes such as Samba's in the 3rd minute but over the course of the match Kean should have been able to spot the cracks in a weakened Spurs team and direct his players accordingly. With regards to individuals the selection of Roberts brought instant groans from supporters who know he should never start a game except in an emergency while the selection of Andrews over Pedersen defied logic and belief. The manager got it badly wrong on Wednesday and not for the first time since he took over.

[braddock]

Um, unless I missed something we lost the match so by definition the manager got his selection, substitutions and tactics wrong. I would agree managers cannot legislate for individual mistakes such as Samba's in the 3rd minute but over the course of the match Kean should have been able to spot the cracks in a weakened Spurs team and direct his players accordingly. With regards to individuals the selection of Roberts brought instant groans from supporters who know he should never start a game except in an emergency while the selection of Andrews over Pedersen defied logic and belief. The manager got it badly wrong on Wednesday and not for the first time since he took over.

Describe to us Allardyce's performance for the 7-1 against Man U please.

[sambo]

Describe to us Allardyce's performance for the 7-1 against Man U please.

I wouldn't be expecting a response, although I'm sure you weren't anyway!

And if he does, he will say how it doesn't matter what happened before etc, even though he can't realise how hypocritical it is to criticise Kean for things Big Sam did on a regular basis.