[Archived] Michael Appleton - New Rovers Manager

[Rover_Shaun]

DJ Fecking Campbell is the standard of bellend Appleton will sign this summer. Do we really want him p*ssing the last few coppers in the transfer kitty THEN have to pay him off and employ another manager who is stuck with Appletons assortment of loser mentality numptiods until January?

[Stuart]

Posted this in the match thread but this is what I think of Appleton's tactics:

From what I've seen, I can't help but think that Appleton actually has several plans...

At 0-0: keep things tight and if possible nick a winner.

At 0-1: keep things tight and try to nick an equaliser.

At 0-2: keep things tight and try to avoid a cricket score.

At 0-3: get on the blower to your PR firm to discuss manly soundbites to keep the fans on side.

[Rover_Shaun]

Posted this in the match thread but this is what I think of Appleton's tactics:

From what I've seen, I can't help but think that Appleton actually has several plans...

At 0-0: keep things tight and if possible nick a winner.

At 0-1: keep things tight and try to nick an equaliser.

At 0-2: keep things tight and try to avoid a cricket score.

At 0-3: get on the blower to your PR firm to discuss manly soundbites to keep the fans on side.

Don't be daft Stuart. It's not ickle wickle Appys fault it's those nasty professional footballers who are to blame

[philipl]

Balaji personally appointed Appleton didn't he?

Is there a repeating pattern of looking safe then getting relegated after a bunch of inexplicably rank performances?

[martonrover]

I had a good feeling about Appleton but am now having major doubts.

In principal I agree he should be given time and that constantly changing managers is futile and counter productive.

I also sympathise with some of the problems he's inherited.

However, none of the above excuses the drivel we're currently being subjected to and it simply isn't acceptable.

Even the injuries can't just be put down to bad luck. These are always a symptom of a troubled club.

There has to be a marked improvement between now and the end of the season.

Not holding my breath.

[Gav]

Don't be daft Stuart. It's not ickle wickle Appys fault it's those nasty professional footballers who are to blame

I'm sure I recall a time when your posts had substance and well thought out content, then again, maybe I can't.....

[Rover_Shaun]

Kean was given time. Let's not make that mistake again.

Appleton will not fix or progress this club.

[LeChuck]

Absolutely appalling last night. Even after calming down I can comfortably say it's the most inept performance I have ever seen from a Rovers team.

What is very worrying is that Appleton seems to want games to go this way. Nothing wrong with getting a solid base to build from, but ultimately it has to be more ambitious than that. I am very concerned that this is the height of Appleton's ambitions for the team.

The only hope I am hanging on to is that;

a] surely nobody can think pumping straight balls down the middle is a good long-term tactic

b] why would he target the likes of Bentley/Thomas etc if he didn't want to play through midfield (eventually)

Other than that I'm struggling to find anything. I've always said judge Appleton from next season. Changed my mind now, he has to show signs of improving performances before the end of the season, otherwise he'll lose the fans.

[Parsonblue]

DJ Fecking Campbell is the standard of bellend Appleton will sign this summer. Do we really want him p*ssing the last few coppers in the transfer kitty THEN have to pay him off and employ another manager who is stuck with Appletons assortment of loser mentality numptiods until January?

So who do you think will take the job if there are only a few coppers left in the transfer kitty and in the knowlege that if results don't go well in the first ten games the sack awaits? Venkys have turned us into a circus so why be surprised by the standard of appointments they make? The surprise will be when they actually get a decision right.

[Rover_Shaun]

Like with Berg we are way beyond things meerly not going well.

[G Somerset Rover]

Absolutely appalling last night. Even after calming down I can comfortably say it's the most inept performance I have ever seen from a Rovers team.

What is very worrying is that Appleton seems to want games to go this way. Nothing wrong with getting a solid base to build from, but ultimately it has to be more ambitious than that. I am very concerned that this is the height of Appleton's ambitions for the team.

The only hope I am hanging on to is that;

a] surely nobody can think pumping straight balls down the middle is a good long-term tactic

b] why would he target the likes of Bentley/Thomas etc if he didn't want to play through midfield (eventually)

Other than that I'm struggling to find anything. I've always said judge Appleton from next season. Changed my mind now, he has to show signs of improving performances before the end of the season, otherwise he'll lose the fans.

Lose on Sunday and I think he'll be done for. And so will we most probably, to League One and beyond.

[Mike E]

Appleton did very well when he came in and now it looks to have all gone to pot. Wtf is happening? Injuries galore to half our frigging squad too! Gues we're relying on Dave Jones to keep us up (yes, I think we're in a relegation battle).

[OJRovers]

It pains me to say this, but Steve Kean had better tactical sense that Appleton.

[mhead]

The Gary Bowyer period now seems like an oasis!

At least he is still at the Club. What were all our Assistant managers doing in the last few weeks.

We need a left full back to push the real Olsson forward; we need King moving the ball fast; we need 'outlet' balls when the defence is under pressure;we need to throw the ball out from the goalkeeper;we need to treasure holding/passing the ball.

But we need desire like Shittu showed last night.

[rog of the rovers]

Appleton - Postives v Negatives

Positives

• Trying to change the ethos at the club.
• Kept Shebby quiet since his arrival.
• Brought in a whole new backroom staff (first time since Kean's reign).
• Got rid of a good chunk of Kean's 'deadwood'. Formica, Vukcevic, Jorge, Edinho etc.
• Victory at The Emirates, surely the best Rovers win in recent times.
• Early run of victories and performances, clean sheets. Wins against Ipswich, Bristol City and but for a moment of madness Brighton.
• Finally a manager to stand up to Murphy, Robinson and Givet.
• Finally a manager that has aired some of the taboos and negativity that will all felt existed in the squad.
• Finally a manager that won't be held to ransom in the transfer market, so far loaning (rather than buying) Campbell looks like the right move.
• Finally a manager that realised how imbalanced the squad was, and told those who wanted to leave (namely Rochina) to go.

Negatives

• Changes changes everywhere! Too Many in such a short space of time?
• Signings have been mixed, Rekik and Campbell yet to impress, jury out with Stewart, Jones.
• Probably two of the most dire performances in recent years (home to Peterborough and Millwall).
• Shortage of goals in his games.
• Direct style looks very predictable and at times desperate.
• Some questionable statements following recent defeats.
• Humbled away at Hull and Leicester.
• A lot of injuries under his management, particularly muscular problems like hamstring injuries. Training too intense?
• Seemingly no Plan B

[Tom]

I still like the approach he has taken behind the scenes and hope he can turn it around.

I'm not writing him off yet and don't want him sacked but I am worried at this point and feel a loss on Sunday will make the damage irreversible for him

As I've said before and many others have then what happens if we sack him? Anyone with any self worth won't touch us with a barge pole, you can imagine them lining up to get 10 games in charge here.

[LDRover]

Appleton - Postives v Negatives

Positives

• Victory at The Emirates, surely the best Rovers win in recent times.

Pains me to say it but Kean's win at Old Trafford is probably better.

[Mike E]

I still like the approach he has taken behind the scenes and hope he can turn it around.

I'm not writing him off yet and don't want him sacked but I am worried at this point and feel a loss on Sunday will make the damage irreversible for him

As I've said before and many others have then what happens if we sack him? Anyone with any self worth won't touch us with a barge pole, you can imagine them lining up to get 10 games in charge here.

I'm just hoping Jones and Dunn in midfield can make a difference vs Burnley. We've not had a chance to play Jones since Peterborough, have we? It's only one man, but if he plays as we saw for those 45mins, then he can be the difference between being on the back foot and at least tentatively working the ball forward.

Straw-clutching at it's finest, but I think the best approach right now is to hope to God Appleton succeeds. If we sack him, what then?

[Andy]

It pains me to say this, but Steve Kean had better tactical sense that Appleton.

He really, really didn't.

If Appleton is struggling to get the senior players motivated, then drop the lot of them and play some Academy kids.

I would, by far, rather see 11 young lads doing their best and putting a real shift in than watching the likes of Murphy waddling around the pitch without a care in the world.

[John]

I just can't get over how bad some of the performances have been - I am not bothered about silky football as long as we're picking up some results along the way but this just seems odd.

Plus no indication the manager wants to put some urgency into things during certain matches - and I always worry when they stand there like a lemon on the touchline.

Then again, I've not seen that many games under Appleton so maybe I am missing something which is obvious about "what we are trying to do".

[Kennys Magic Hat]

The answer is not to sack Appleton, what we need now as a club is stability.

Whilst I am massively disappointed that we aren't going to get a day out in the Wembley sunshine, this set of players quite simply do not deserve it. For them the FA Cup has been a distraction from the league, it would have been far better to have been thrashed by Arsenal to give them a reality check than grab a lucky victory to further inflate their massive egos.

Negative tactics are not what we as fans want to see but what do people expect with all the players we have missing due to various reasons. We're having to throw players who aren't fit in at the deep end which then results in yet more injuries. The only players who weren't injured were cup tied. As a result we had a midfield not fit to play in the conference nevermind the quarter final of the FA Cup.

We now need to ensure Championship safety as soon as possible and then build a balanced squad for next season so we can give ourselves the best possible chance of automatic promotion.

For me Appleton is doing a good job under the circumstances and if we win on Sunday and end up finishing midtable then it's acceptable.

[moerpho]

I quite honest don't know what to think anymore. Seems our downward spiral is neverending. One baffling decision after another behind the scenes, players not performing (or caring), no gameplan and no action taken by the management when well-paid players like Gamst perform well below accepted standards. After the Peterborough game Appleton said he would've made 5 or 6 changes at half time if he could - why only make two significant changes in the next game i.e. Murphy and Orr out? It must be time to let some youngsters have a go like the much talked about Fernandez. Players like Murphy, Gamst, Lowe, Orr, both Olssons, King, Rekik and DJ Campbell (9 players!) hasn't delivered as promised. Should be easy: bench them for the next game to give them a kick up the @rse and give the young players a chance to impress.

Also....games come quick and fast in this division so why insist on playing close to the same 11 game after game no matter how they perform? You could see last night that Rhodes obivously is frustrated and need to be rested at game or two. Earlier in the season you got the feeling that every time he got a shot on goal it would hit between the posts - now they go over or to the side.

We should go with 4-5-1 for the rest of the season. Put Best up top and then change it up to 4-4-1-1, 4-3-2-1 or Appletons beloved 4-4-2 if the game demands it. Keep going with 4-4-2 and the same hapless 11 and we will not only lose to Burnley but also be relegated at the end of the season.

[EgyptianPete]

The answer is not to sack Appleton, what we need now as a club is stability.

Whilst I am massively disappointed that we aren't going to get a day out in the Wembley sunshine, this set of players quite simply do not deserve it. For them the FA Cup has been a distraction from the league, it would have been far better to have been thrashed by Arsenal to give them a reality check than grab a lucky victory to further inflate their massive egos.

Negative tactics are not what we as fans want to see but what do people expect with all the players we have missing due to various reasons. We're having to throw players who aren't fit in at the deep end which then results in yet more injuries. The only players who weren't injured were cup tied. As a result we had a midfield not fit to play in the conference nevermind the quarter final of the FA Cup.

We now need to ensure Championship safety as soon as possible and then build a balanced squad for next season so we can give ourselves the best possible chance of automatic promotion.

For me Appleton is doing a good job under the circumstances and if we win on Sunday and end up finishing midtable then it's acceptable.

Givet wasn't and hasn't been injured for ages yet can't get a game, much better than some who played last night, c'mon Appleton give us a reason you won't play him.

[onlyonejackwalker]

I quite honest don't know what to think anymore. Seems our downward spiral is neverending. One baffling decision after another behind the scenes, players not performing (or caring), no gameplan and no action taken by the management when well-paid players like Gamst perform well below accepted standards. After the Peterborough game Appleton said he would've made 5 or 6 changes at half time if he could - why only make two significant changes in the next game i.e. Murphy and Orr out? It must be time to let some youngsters have a go like the much talked about Fernandez. Players like Murphy, Gamst, Lowe, Orr, both Olssons, King, Rekik and DJ Campbell (9 players!) hasn't delivered as promised. Should be easy: bench them for the next game to give them a kick up the @rse and give the young players a chance to impress.

Also....games come quick and fast in this division so why insist on playing close to the same 11 game after game no matter how they perform? You could see last night that Rhodes obivously is frustrated and need to be rested at game or two. Earlier in the season you got the feeling that every time he got a shot on goal it would hit between the posts - now they go over or to the side.

We should go with 4-5-1 for the rest of the season. Put Best up top and then change it up to 4-4-1-1, 4-3-2-1 or Appletons beloved 4-4-2 if the game demands it. Keep going with 4-4-2 and the same hapless 11 and we will not only lose to Burnley but also be relegated at the end of the season.

Agree with much you say, especially the bit in bold, which I have been saying it for a few weeks now.

On a different note, PNE have just replaced their manager with Simon Grayson and have enjoyed 4 wins and a draw from the last 5 matches using much the same players.

[LeChuck]

Givet wasn't and hasn't been injured for ages yet can't get a game, much better than some who played last night, c'mon Appleton give us a reason you won't play him.

Why should he? We're solid in defence and battle well there, that's not in the issue with the team. Defensively (45 mins against Peterborough aside), Appleton doesn't have anything to answer for in that department.

It's what we do with the ball that needs to change drastically. Gael Givet isn't going to fix that problem.