[Archived] Paul Clement

[K-Hod]

You can keep your Flamenco footy TG4. The most exciting match that I have seen for some time was City v Man Utd yesterday. Terribly wrong sending off but the action and quality was breathtaking..... and defenders on both sides were lumping it clear time and time again.... in fact City's 2nd goal wouldn't have come about if Scholes had put his foot through the ball when he should have!

Fergy was not best suited at MU's 2nd half performance and I'd wager a boot would have been flying at Snr Pique's head if he had been playing for MU and had tried those stunts yesterday.

Definitely agree with this, one of the best games in ages. City started well, but Manure's first goal knocked the stuffing out of them. 2nd half they were terrific as Manure faded.

I think the loss of Yaya Toure will prove massive tbh.

[LeChuck]

You can keep your Flamenco footy TG4. The most exciting match that I have seen for some time was City v Man Utd yesterday. Terribly wrong sending off but the action and quality was breathtaking..... and defenders on both sides were lumping it clear time and time again.... in fact City's 2nd goal wouldn't have come about if Scholes had put his foot through the ball when he should have!

That's such an amazingly short sighted view.

The amount of times you would give away possession using that mentality would result in FAR more goals being conceded overall. Neither approach is flawless, but you don't have to look very far to see that making possession the priority is the way to succeed at the very highest level. Yes, sometimes you will concede attempting it (like Scholes yesterday) - but how many goals will you concede constantly submitting possession by lumping the ball for a corner/a throw-in or to opposition defenders? Possession is a precious commodity at the highest level.

It's that kind of outdated philosophy which holds the England national team back, we simply don't have the technical ability to match the possession football of the best teams because we have a "safety first" attitude that is ingrained into players at a young age. We never fully develop the skills to play our way out from the back, or play possession football in our own half to relieve pressure.

I concede it's less entertaining to try and retain possession, the "safety first" approach certainly adds to the speed and excitement of the Premier League and watching teams play triangles in defence can be very dull. However, as you are someone who steadfastly backs Allardyce using the principle that results are all important, I am left confused by your last post.

[kingsleyamis]

Hope I'm wrong, but might there be some significance in the fact that Kean's old mate (and an ex-Rover) is about to resign his overseas post at the same time as we are looking to appoint a new assistant manager?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16472159.stm

Apologies if someone has already posted this.

[rovers11]

Hope I'm wrong, but might there be some significance in the fact that Kean's old mate (and an ex-Rover) is about to resign his overseas post at the same time as we are looking to appoint a new assistant manager?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16472159.stm

Apologies if someone has already posted this.

Don't think he'd want to be a number 2

[EwoodDawn]

Hope I'm wrong, but might there be some significance in the fact that Kean's old mate (and an ex-Rover) is about to resign his overseas post at the same time as we are looking to appoint a new assistant manager?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16472159.stm

Apologies if someone has already posted this.

2 questions spring to mind

- why would he want to go from one financial mess to an (alleged) other one?

- is he an SEM/Kentaro man?

[kingsleyamis]

Don't think he'd want to be a number 2

He hasn't got much chance of getting a manager's job at Premiership level again though, has he? Hardly set the world alight at Coventry before moving to Greece.

2 questions spring to mind

- why would he want to go from one financial mess to an (alleged) other one?

- is he an SEM/Kentaro man?

Hmm. Well, he'd have a job for life at Ewood if the answer to number 2 is "yes"! Anyone know if he is with SEM/Kentaro?

[davulsukur]

Gone quiet on the assistant front. Is Keans, we are quite far down the line appointing someone, the same as "junior will sign a new deal in 48hrs" and "We will get our business done early in january"??

[T4E]

btw whats this about.........

Sorry Gord, not avoiding it, I had missed this.

Fair does, can't really deny that can I? Having said that though and as a asterisk to the point, the title of the video is revealing. I made the point before that Pique would try to go back to Valdes where possible in that situation rather than clearing the ball into the stands. In that situation the video shows Valdes would usually give Pique an angle to pass it back to him rather than being attracted to the ball, thus giving Pique two options - pass back to Valdes, or if the striker covers that, move away to his right and advance with the ball at his feet and/or find Abidal or Busquets who would have dropped back in to space to give Pique an outlet. This is how Barca get themselves out of these situations on almost every occasion without giving the ball away - watch the next game and you'll see it happen.

The fact that Pinto did not give Pique the space to do this is in my view down to the difference between players trained at La Masia and players that arent - which takes us back to the previous point.

[John]

New assistant manager appointment close

[andyrover]

New assistant manager appointment close

it would read better without the word assistant in the sentance

[JAL]

New assistant manager appointment close

We dont want a new assistant we want a fooking new manager FFS!

[broadsword]

We want a new start.

[davulsukur]

it would read better without the word assistant in the sentance

[thenodrog]

That's such an amazingly short sighted view.

The amount of times you would give away possession using that mentality would result in FAR more goals being conceded overall. Neither approach is flawless, but you don't have to look very far to see that making possession the priority is the way to succeed at the very highest level. Yes, sometimes you will concede attempting it (like Scholes yesterday) - but how many goals will you concede constantly submitting possession by lumping the ball for a corner/a throw-in or to opposition defenders? Possession is a precious commodity at the highest level.

It's that kind of outdated philosophy which holds the England national team back, we simply don't have the technical ability to match the possession football of the best teams because we have a "safety first" attitude that is ingrained into players at a young age. We never fully develop the skills to play our way out from the back, or play possession football in our own half to relieve pressure.

I concede it's less entertaining to try and retain possession, the "safety first" approach certainly adds to the speed and excitement of the Premier League and watching teams play triangles in defence can be very dull. However, as you are someone who steadfastly backs Allardyce using the principle that results are all important, I am left confused by your last post.

Having seen the expansive tactics of Kean playing 6 lightweights in front of a back four you can do nothing else but admit that Allardyce's principles were perfect for Premier league paupers BRFC (and Bolton). Who knows how he would be perceived if he had had a decent run at a wealthy club. imo Allardyces principles are very very similar to those of Mourhino. JM bought the two best wingers in Europe and didn't allow them to play wide but harnessed their talents in support of Drogba remember. His version of 4-1-4-1 made Allardyce look adventurous. Difference being that each of his squad were £20m players. Abromovich had his head in the clouds too and sacked him cos he wasn't entertaining enough. Good move eh? 'A fool and his money are soon parted' and he's certainly found that out.

As has been said before Barcelona keep possession marvelously....until they lose it (and that is when it all sours imo) when invariably the player who has lost possession goes to ground with a girly scream and some stage struck goon with a whistle nearly always comes to their aid. This is then modern world though and it's not good imo, get back to real football played on real pitches with real referees applying real rules and Barca's light would not shine quite so bright.

As I said whilst I find their ability and work rate enthralling and admirable I'd draw the curtains if they were playing on my front field. Put another way Le Chuck if there were 20 Barca's 3 would still be relegated but they'd do it in empty stadiums. It's football for tarts and the play station generation these days. I prefer the real thing. And before you scoff Real Madrid managed to play real football in breathtaking fashion 50 years ago, LUFC and Ajax did the same 40 years ago and Lpool and AC did it 30 years ago.

[thenodrog]

Hope I'm wrong, but might there be some significance in the fact that Kean's old mate (and an ex-Rover) is about to resign his overseas post at the same time as we are looking to appoint a new assistant manager?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16472159.stm

Apologies if someone has already posted this.

Don't think so kingsley.......

"The former Wales defender, 41, told BBC Wales Sport that financial problems at the club means he could no longer continue in his position."

[Silencio]

It's football for tarts and the play station generation these days. I prefer the real thing. And before you scoff Real Madrid managed to play real football in breathtaking fashion 50 years ago, LUFC and Ajax did the same 40 years ago and Lpool and AC did it 30 years ago.

Although the Playstation/FM manager/Tim Lovejoy crew are the kind of entitled morons who wanted Allardyce sacked, I can't really see how Barcelona are related to that set of people.

Barcelona are big enough to have a conveyor belt of good players and are therefore able to train their players to play in the best way. Pressing high up the pitch and keeping possession. That template is a continuation of Ajax, Dinamo Kiev and AC Milan.

I doubt the coaches and managers have any thought of computer games in mind when they train the players, it will just be about making sure they play well in the pressing/possession model, as I'm sure it was with Michels, Lobanovski and Sacchi.

[John]

Any news on who the new assistant manager might be?

[Hekla]

Any news on who the new assistant manager might be?

Jerome Anderson.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Although the Playstation/FM manager/Tim Lovejoy crew are the kind of entitled morons who wanted Allardyce sacked, I can't really see how Barcelona are related to that set of people.

Barcelona are big enough to have a conveyor belt of good players and are therefore able to train their players to play in the best way. Pressing high up the pitch and keeping possession. That template is a continuation of Ajax, Dinamo Kiev and AC Milan.

I doubt the coaches and managers have any thought of computer games in mind when they train the players, it will just be about making sure they play well in the pressing/possession model, as I'm sure it was with Michels, Lobanovski and Sacchi.

How come we don't play like that ? A good pressing game shouldn't be beyond any team, it's more about hard work than skill.

[Andy]

Indeed - the more successful English sides press and hassle from the front backwards.

Man U have been doing it for years.

[thenodrog]

Only talking about defenders are we? I thought we were talking about defending not defenders.

You don't think Xavi should ever "get rid"?

If so, we are both on the same page.

Of course he does it sometimes. The discussion is about whether it is good practice to teach young kids to "get rid". Like every over enthusiastic patent does at kids football.

Theno / Jim think it is good practice to teach it, whereas the Barcelona football academy does not.

Well after Barca spewed La Liga to their deadliest rivals Real by Puyol deeming it beneath himself to put his foot through the ball and hit it into Row Z and by succumbing to a last minute hoofball of monumental proportions and exiting the Champions League against 10 man Chelsea all within a few short days I think the footballing brains at Barcelona's Academy might be having a major re-think about 'giving it some leather' this morning in the cold light of day.

Knowing you as I do Bucky I'm quite confident that you will not.

I'm certainly no Chelsea lover thats for sure but it was sheer bloody magic wasn't it?

[speeeeeeedie]

I read this BBC article on Paul Clement; http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24032226.

He is now Carlo Ancelotti's assistant at Real Madrid.

2 years ago he was working for Steve Kean. I wonder who he rates higher?

[RevidgeBlue]

I read this BBC article on Paul Clement; http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24032226.

He is now Carlo Ancelotti's assistant at Real Madrid.

2 years ago he was working for Steve Kean. I wonder who he rates higher?

There was no noticeable improvement to our play when he was coaching us though. Just used to stand off the opposition and give them the freedom of the pitch.

Strange seeing how apparently he's so highly rated.

[Reedy You're A Star]

How good a presser does Ancelotti do?