[Archived] Blackburn Rovers FC v Plymouth Argyle FC

[Blue blood]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

No-one is desperate to defend Mowbray but you enjoy a moan and whinge about him. Suggest you look at Spurs who has played 2 different formations throughout the season and I would majority hasn't affected their performance. even on Saturday whilst playing Bournemouth they played 4-2-3-1 formation in 1st half and second half changed to 3-4-2-1 formation and won the game. so it can work. 

The difference is that Spurs win games. We don't. Also Spurs have a higher quality of player who are able to adapt to new formations, whereas our lot struggle to master one. In fact we haven't really looked comfortable in one yet. You could also factor in that some of TM's formations have been utterly off the wall and players are playing numerous positions that they shouldn't (Whittingham out wide for example) which doesn't help at all. TM is not the tactical genius he thinks he is. 

PS it's patronizing to say people enjoy winging about him. They don't, and often start with I like the bloke but... But if it makes you feel like the criticism isn't valid then do think we all love seeing him get it wrong. 

 

unnecessary signings? who and why?

Gladwin is attacking midfielder who can play wide or in the 10 role. We have Bennett, Chapman and Conway who can wide and Antonsson has played wide left and done well there. But No-one apart from Dack can play 10 role. for me, he is back up for Dack. so not well covered at all. Don't forget Conway legs are looking gone aswell. Can Chapman good enough to start games? 

Actually Gladwin clearly isn't a winger, due to his dribbling and crossing ability. Mind you would argue he's not much of a no 10 either, but that's his least worst position. Antonson can also play the number 10 role - he certainly isn't a lone striker, so actually we have 3 players who can play there. It's a bit of an overkill since we don't use that system. 

I've posted in another thread how appalling our recruitment was in the summer (don't know how to link it's the TM thread if you're interested.) I will say though that our signings have been pretty careless although it's more gaping holes and poor players then unnecessary signings. However 3 potential number 10s is a tad excessive, especially when 2 Dack and Gladwin are poor when that system isn't used. 

Oh I'd say Chapman is good enough given his performances and assists etc. 

Can you name me a 2 left footed centre back partnership then? 

Lots of right footed good partnerships I think out there. It's nonsense to suggest that they both need to be opposite footed players. I'm guessing a bit here but Hendry and Gale/Berg, Samba and Nelsen, Bruce and Pallister, Vidic and Ferdinand, Adams and Keown. Pretty sure some were all right footed combinations. 

 

[windymiller7]

13 minutes ago, Tom said:

Nuttall starts tonight so won't feature tomorrow 

Edit - Nuttall scores

double edit - Nuttall scores again!!!! 2 in the first 10 minutes

Jesus! What's the guy got to do to get a sniff in the first team!?

[arbitro]

28 minutes ago, Tom said:

Nuttall starts tonight so won't feature tomorrow 

Edit - Nuttall scores

double edit - Nuttall scores again!!!! 2 in the first 10 minutes

And tomorrow night the lightweights and heavyweight will be in the squad. I really think Mowbrays stubbornness is going to turn people against him.

[Waggy76]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Samuel gives you pace, threat in behind the defence and has 5 goals. what has does Graham all season? 

No-one is desperate to defend Mowbray but you enjoy a moan and whinge about him. Suggest you look at Spurs who has played 2 different formations throughout the season and I would majority hasn't affected their performance. even on Saturday whilst playing Bournemouth they played 4-2-3-1 formation in 1st half and second half changed to 3-4-2-1 formation and won the game. so it can work. 

Wasn't Maldini both footed? 

Downing's performances has been very good and we won 3 games and 3 clean sheets. Plus with this signings we had 5 centre backs in Mulgrew, Lenihan, Downing, Wharton and Ward. more than enough tbh 

Mowbray has to rely on himself and Mark Venus for signings whilst god knows what the scouting department has been doing for 3 years as it done nothing of note, would love to know the last player signed due to scouting. on Scouting foreign lower leagues? nothing wrong with the amount on football easily accessible via the Internet and tv. But what has the scouting department been doing recently

unnecessary signings? who and why?

Gladwin is attacking midfielder who can play wide or in the 10 role. We have Bennett, Chapman and Conway who can wide and Antonsson has played wide left and done well there. But No-one apart from Dack can play 10 role. for me, he is back up for Dack. so not well covered at all. Don't forget Conway legs are looking gone aswell. Can Chapman good enough to start games? 

Yeah that is correct, I am at odds with what Tommy Johnson has been doing since he was appointed as Chief Scout

Exactly, I very unsure what the scouting department has been doing for years

Can you name me a 2 left footed centre back partnership then? 

Is Tommy Johnson still at the club ??

It must be 2 or 3 years since I heard his name...

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Samuel gives you pace, threat in behind the defence and has 5 goals. what has does Graham all season? 

No-one is desperate to defend Mowbray but you enjoy a moan and whinge about him. Suggest you look at Spurs who has played 2 different formations throughout the season and I would majority hasn't affected their performance. even on Saturday whilst playing Bournemouth they played 4-2-3-1 formation in 1st half and second half changed to 3-4-2-1 formation and won the game. so it can work. 

Wasn't Maldini both footed? 

Downing's performances has been very good and we won 3 games and 3 clean sheets. Plus with this signings we had 5 centre backs in Mulgrew, Lenihan, Downing, Wharton and Ward. more than enough tbh 

Mowbray has to rely on himself and Mark Venus for signings whilst god knows what the scouting department has been doing for 3 years as it done nothing of note, would love to know the last player signed due to scouting. on Scouting foreign lower leagues? nothing wrong with the amount on football easily accessible via the Internet and tv. But what has the scouting department been doing recently

unnecessary signings? who and why?

Gladwin is attacking midfielder who can play wide or in the 10 role. We have Bennett, Chapman and Conway who can wide and Antonsson has played wide left and done well there. But No-one apart from Dack can play 10 role. for me, he is back up for Dack. so not well covered at all. Don't forget Conway legs are looking gone aswell. Can Chapman good enough to start games? 

 

But Chaddy, he has played 3 different formations in 11 games. Hes not played one formation for half a season then changed and played another for the rest of the season. He can't make his mind up. Playing players in different formations and positions game by game will never lead to the consistency required to go up.

If you think that I "enjoy" spending good money to watch my team struggle for consistency and slip slowly further away from the top 2 then you are sadly mistaken. In fact comments like that totally destroy your credibility to be honest.

He cant use the scouting as an excuse, the player pool available to him I'm sure is far bigger than the majority at this level, but he signed the likes of Gladwin, Hart, Harper, now none of them 3 are challenging for a first team position, yet we have areas, most pertinently at centre back without Lenihan, where one injury to a loanee who is not the long term answer himself and we are forced to totally change our style of play to protect Ward.

I think Dack, Smallwood and Whittingham if used correctly can be excellent signings, and Samuel, Caddis, Chapman and Antonsson all can be useful, I am not saying the quality of his signings is necessarily poor, I just dont see any plan in his dealings, hence the needless padding out of the squad, when we have glaring weaknesses that haven't been addressed.

You mention having back-up for number 10 and youve given a perfect example of my point, weve got depth in a position that in 2 of the 3 formations weve used this season, we dont even need one. Why spend money on 2 and not play any? We played 4-2-3-1 v Rotherham and battered them, then again with a similar team and beat Gillingham, and even in them 2 games we only made it more difficult for ourselves once Mowbray started messing about, playing Bennett alongside Smallwood and playing Whittingham wide right. Then for no reason at all he changed to 4-4-2 on Saturday.

He needs to decide on a best team, and on a spine and a formation, and a way of playing, all things that in the middle of October would never be in question under a good manager. Dack was his main signing and is 1 number 10. For me, Whittingham and Smallwood are our best midfield 2, I'd play 4-2-3-1, defenders are technically very poor at this level so we should play a high pressing game as we did v Rotherham, while Lenihan is injured, have a back 4 of Downing and Mulgrew CB, Caddis and Williams full back, if one of the centre backs is injured play Wharton so you don't have to change tactics. Keeper, back 4 and midfield 3 should pick themselves barring a downturn in form or injury. I'd play Bennett and Chapman wide and either Graham or Samuel (neither has convinced me this season) up front, play the same formation for a run of games, play the same style, no stupid subs putting players in unfamiliar positions and see how we go with that.

Chaddy, are you honestly telling me that the constant changing of formations/positions/tactics isn't to blame (at least partially) for our inconsistency and below-par performances this season?

[chaddyrovers]

28 minutes ago, Blue blood said:

The difference is that Spurs win games. We don't. Also Spurs have a higher quality of player who are able to adapt to new formations, whereas our lot struggle to master one. In fact we haven't really looked comfortable in one yet. You could also factor in that some of TM's formations have been utterly off the wall and players are playing numerous positions that they shouldn't (Whittingham out wide for example) which doesn't help at all. TM is not the tactical genius he thinks he is. 

PS it's patronizing to say people enjoy winging about him. They don't, and often start with I like the bloke but... But if it makes you feel like the criticism isn't valid then do think we all love seeing him get it wrong. 

Actually Gladwin clearly isn't a winger, due to his dribbling and crossing ability. Mind you would argue he's not much of a no 10 either, but that's his least worst position. Antonson can also play the number 10 role - he certainly isn't a lone striker, so actually we have 3 players who can play there. It's a bit of an overkill since we don't use that system. 

I've posted in another thread how appalling our recruitment was in the summer (don't know how to link it's the TM thread if you're interested.) I will say though that our signings have been pretty careless although it's more gaping holes and poor players then unnecessary signings. However 3 potential number 10s is a tad excessive, especially when 2 Dack and Gladwin are poor when that system isn't used. 

I'm sorry these are professional players and should be quite able to adapt to any formations and they get a lot paid hell more than the average working person;

I thought we looked comfortable in the 4-2-3-1 formation we played against Rotherham at home. it was our best performance all season that I've seen. 

nothing patronizing at all about it just my opinion on the poster. 

Gladwin can play as wide midfielder and the number 10 role. Antonsson isn't a number 10 player. 

we have used 4-2-3-1 formation in some games and would be the formation I was expecting us to use the most this season. 

on the recruitment side I was quite happy with. Players like Smallwood and Samuel have been good signings so far, Dack, Chapman, have some glimpses of being good signings but not played enough. Gladwin, Hart and Luetwiler have not played enough minutes yet to judge. Downing in 3 games have some good qualities and we have kept 3 clean sheets and won all 3 games. Caddis has been ok but nothing more. Whittingham hasn't showed his quality be poor so far. 

5 minutes ago, Waggy76 said:

Is Tommy Johnson still at the club ??

It must be 2 or 3 years since I heard his name...

so I believe

[roversfan99]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

I'm sorry these are professional players and should be quite able to adapt to any formations and they get a lot paid hell more than the average working person;

 

How is their pay packet relevant? Successful teams have 11 players who know their roles, regardless of their pay packet. 

[chaddyrovers]

2 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

But Chaddy, he has played 3 different formations in 11 games. Hes not played one formation for half a season then changed and played another for the rest of the season. He can't make his mind up. Playing players in different formations and positions game by game will never lead to the consistency required to go up.

If you think that I "enjoy" spending good money to watch my team struggle for consistency and slip slowly further away from the top 2 then you are sadly mistaken. In fact comments like that totally destroy your credibility to be honest.

He cant use the scouting as an excuse, the player pool available to him I'm sure is far bigger than the majority at this level, but he signed the likes of Gladwin, Hart, Harper, now none of them 3 are challenging for a first team position, yet we have areas, most pertinently at centre back without Lenihan, where one injury to a loanee who is not the long term answer himself and we are forced to totally change our style of play to protect Ward.

I think Dack, Smallwood and Whittingham if used correctly can be excellent signings, and Samuel, Caddis, Chapman and Antonsson all can be useful, I am not saying the quality of his signings is necessarily poor, I just dont see any plan in his dealings, hence the needless padding out of the squad, when we have glaring weaknesses that haven't been addressed.

You mention having back-up for number 10 and youve given a perfect example of my point, weve got depth in a position that in 2 of the 3 formations weve used this season, we dont even need one. Why spend money on 2 and not play any? We played 4-2-3-1 v Rotherham and battered them, then again with a similar team and beat Gillingham, and even in them 2 games we only made it more difficult for ourselves once Mowbray started messing about, playing Bennett alongside Smallwood and playing Whittingham wide right. Then for no reason at all he changed to 4-4-2 on Saturday.

He needs to decide on a best team, and on a spine and a formation, and a way of playing, all things that in the middle of October would never be in question under a good manager. Dack was his main signing and is 1 number 10. For me, Whittingham and Smallwood are our best midfield 2, I'd play 4-2-3-1, defenders are technically very poor at this level so we should play a high pressing game as we did v Rotherham, while Lenihan is injured, have a back 4 of Downing and Mulgrew CB, Caddis and Williams full back, if one of the centre backs is injured play Wharton so you don't have to change tactics. Keeper, back 4 and midfield 3 should pick themselves barring a downturn in form or injury. I'd play Bennett and Chapman wide and either Graham or Samuel (neither has convinced me this season) up front, play the same formation for a run of games, play the same style, no stupid subs putting players in unfamiliar positions and see how we go with that.

Chaddy, are you honestly telling me that the constant changing of formations/positions/tactics isn't to blame (at least partially) for our inconsistency and below-par performances this season?

I'm sorry with the quality of our players it shouldn't matters about us switching system if the players are giving 100% and playing for the club. 

we have 5 centre backs at the club, how many more do we need? Mulgrew, Downing, Ward, Lenihan and Wharton. I would be happy to signed Downing permanent. 

we cant judge Harper. Hart and Gladwin until we seen them play proper game time and just bits of games and starts in the cup comps. 

Dack should be playing in the 10 role behind Samuel. Danny Graham doesn't deserve to even be on the bench at all. should be put in the under 23's until he shows some desire, fitness and work rate instead of uninterested and lazy attitude on the pitch. 

I agree with you about playing the way we did against Rotherham and play a high pressing game and the same way every game. 

[chaddyrovers]

7 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

How is their pay packet relevant? Successful teams have 11 players who know their roles, regardless of their pay packet. 

We are hard working people who don't earned anything these professional footballers and when they cant be bother to turn up and give 100% and be lazy its very annoyed and makes me angry. I would love these footballers to come and do a proper day work in proper job. they wouldn't cope at all

[BenRTID]

3 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Can you name me a 2 left footed centre back partnership then? 

Ridiculous question when only ~20% of players are left footed! 

[roversfan99]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

I'm sorry with the quality of our players it shouldn't matters about us switching system if the players are giving 100% and playing for the club. 

we have 5 centre backs at the club, how many more do we need? Mulgrew, Downing, Ward, Lenihan and Wharton. I would be happy to signed Downing permanent. 

we cant judge Harper. Hart and Gladwin until we seen them play proper game time and just bits of games and starts in the cup comps. 

Dack should be playing in the 10 role behind Samuel. Danny Graham doesn't deserve to even be on the bench at all. should be put in the under 23's until he shows some desire, fitness and work rate instead of uninterested and lazy attitude on the pitch. 

I agree with you about playing the way we did against Rotherham and play a high pressing game and the same way every game. 

That first point is utter rubbish. If you genuinely think that constantly playing players in unfamiliar positions, or in a constantly changing system doesnt matter then you are sadly mistaken. Why do you think most teams have a set system that they play week in and week out, and why when teams make loads of changes, for example in the cup, does it often lead to disjointed performances?

Lenihans injured indefinitely. Wharton has been fit for a couple of weeks according to Mowbray, are you honestly saying that just because hes left footed, that would cause more of a problem tactically than playing Ward, who requires the whole team to sit 5 yards further back to compensate for his lack of pace?

You are frustratingly missing the point. Although I've seen enough of Gladwin to know that he is dreadful, my point is not that them 3 players arent good enough, its that they are needlessly bloating the squad out without contributing, yet in certain positions we are short. We've got a left back who is hopeless yet he hasn't got any proper competition, and we've got a feeling whereby if Downing is out, its like we are sticking a plaster over our defence in the hope it sees us through.

You say you agree yet you also said if we keep changing our formation the players should adapt regardless.

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

We are hard working people who don't earned anything these professional footballers and when they cant be bother to turn up and give 100% and be lazy its very annoyed and makes me angry. I would love these footballers to come and do a proper day work in proper job. they wouldn't cope at all

Its an irrelevant point how much they are paid, and I'm not convinced the problem is a lack of work rate. A lack of consistency in selection and a lack of leadership perhaps.

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, BenRTID said:

Ridiculous question when only ~20% of players are left footed! 

So you cant then?

46 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

That first point is utter rubbish. If you genuinely think that constantly playing players in unfamiliar positions, or in a constantly changing system doesnt matter then you are sadly mistaken. Why do you think most teams have a set system that they play week in and week out, and why when teams make loads of changes, for example in the cup, does it often lead to disjointed performances?

Lenihans injured indefinitely. Wharton has been fit for a couple of weeks according to Mowbray, are you honestly saying that just because hes left footed, that would cause more of a problem tactically than playing Ward, who requires the whole team to sit 5 yards further back to compensate for his lack of pace?

You are frustratingly missing the point. Although I've seen enough of Gladwin to know that he is dreadful, my point is not that them 3 players arent good enough, its that they are needlessly bloating the squad out without contributing, yet in certain positions we are short. We've got a left back who is hopeless yet he hasn't got any proper competition, and we've got a feeling whereby if Downing is out, its like we are sticking a plaster over our defence in the hope it sees us through.

You say you agree yet you also said if we keep changing our formation the players should adapt regardless.

Its an irrelevant point how much they are paid, and I'm not convinced the problem is a lack of work rate. A lack of consistency in selection and a lack of leadership perhaps.

Some players arent working hard enough for the shirt, lazy and disinterested like Danny Graham who would pick instead of Nuttall who scoring goals, work hard and is improving. 

Players should be able to adapt to any formation and work hard. Far too easy to blame the manager..

How do you know Hart or Harper arent any good since they have barely played?

Spurs have played 2 formations this season and playing very well. Our under 23's have played 3 formations this season and adapt so why cant the 1st team?

[roversfan99]

20 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

So you cant then?

Some players arent working hard enough for the shirt, lazy and disinterested like Danny Graham who would pick instead of Nuttall who scoring goals, work hard and is improving. 

Players should be able to adapt to any formation and work hard. Far too easy to blame the manager..

How do you know Hart or Harper arent any good since they have barely played?

Spurs have played 2 formations this season and playing very well. Our under 23's have played 3 formations this season and adapt so why cant the 1st team?

You keep mentioning Danny Graham, as if his occasional 15 minute cameos are one of the main reasons that we are so inconsistent.

Your line about Harper and Hart shows that you aren't understanding or readings whats been said, my point was NOT regarding their quality, it was in regards to Mowbray insufficiently signing players to fill the necessary gaps in our squad, instead signing players nowhere near the first team.

Spurs have almost exclusively played with a back 3 of Sanchez, Alderweireld and Vertonghen. They are capable of playing 4-2-3-1 because they have had practically the same squad for years in which they have played it then, but its usually 3 at the back, Alli and Eriksen off Kane.

Our team isnt gelling because many are new players and Mowbray doesnt know how to use them. You are seemingly refusing to accept that Mowbray is at least partially to blame for our below-par start, instead just saying the players are not trying, and it is infuriating because you dont read what people put, as proven here.

Under 23 football is not a fair example.

[Blue blood]

The should adapt to any formation is horse manure. In any other job if you keep switching people's roles they will struggle and likewise in football. That's why as people keep saying formations and familiarity are so important. All good teams have one or two systems only - I'd challenge you to think of any successful team that played more than 2 formations regularly in a season.

As for 5 cbs - one's often crocked, one's a kid and one is crap. Doesn't leave us with much does it? And given we've clearly got a shortage there, TM has worked with Ward for a while and Lenihan got injured before the window closed there's not much excuse for being caught short.

[Blue blood]

Also evidence players can't cope with lots of different formations - aside from results. Could anyone really see Caddis and Williams as wing backs. One hasn't the stamina the other the nous - no way they would adapt. Or Antonson alone up front or Dack in a 4-4-2? No way players can just slot into any formation even if their position stays the same.

[islander200]

3 hours ago, windymiller7 said:

Jesus! What's the guy got to do to get a sniff in the first team!?

Become pally with Mowbray's agent?

[tomphil]

Agent calls in favour and plonks him in here, gets a bit of commission on a years wages, player gets games and busts a gut to perform and score goals every week. Word goes out so more scouts take notice alongside those who wanted to see how he went from the start, in comes a nice contract offer somewhere else for a couple of years, more commission and the lad has a proper contract elsewhere = job done.

The football wheel keeps turning, really handy when there's a vehicle available for such things.

[JHRover]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

Players should be able to adapt to any formation and work hard. Far too easy to blame the manager..

 

If the players at the club cannot or will not 'adapt to any formation' then the manager either shouldn't have brought/kept them here or shouldn't be trying to force different ideas upon them when it's obvious they are unable to perform within it. If the problem here is a lack off effort or not working hard enough then again the manager is responsible. He signed or decided to keep most of them, he admitted he played it safety first by recruiting people he knew or had encountered in the past because he hadn't had time to do his homework, so if those people aren't putting in the effort then its either a flaw on his part for signing them/not shifting them out or a flaw on his part that he cannot motivate/discipline them.

Would Neil Warnock tolerate players 'not working hard'? No. Nor would he keep chopping and changing line ups and formations well into the season because he'd have sussed out long ago what his favored approach would be and would have signed players specifically to fit into that.

I'm not sure our transfer 'strategy' has been so well thought out or that there is a stick to beat these players with if they don't perform i.e. you're out of the team

[blueboy3333]

4 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

he has played 3 different formations in 11 games

He's played at least 4

[blueboy3333]

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/15599098.Tony_Mowbray_wants_positive_Rovers_reaction_against_Plymouth_Argyle_with_places_up_for_grabs/?ref=mac

'Positive from the off'.... 'high-energy'..... 'gamble the game'.....'the dice will roll'.....'on the front foot'....'high pressure'

A) BS bingo,  B) a manager under pressure trying to appease the fans,  C) a realisation that after 4 defeats already he might as well go down trying to win instead of trying not to lose?  

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

6 hours ago, blueboy3333 said:

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/15599098.Tony_Mowbray_wants_positive_Rovers_reaction_against_Plymouth_Argyle_with_places_up_for_grabs/?ref=mac

'Positive from the off'.... 'high-energy'..... 'gamble the game'.....'the dice will roll'.....'on the front foot'....'high pressure'

A) BS bingo,  B) a manager under pressure trying to appease the fans,  C) a realisation that after 4 defeats already he might as well go down trying to win instead of trying not to lose?  

He needs to start using the younger players.  Get Travis and Doyle in the full back roles a mid 3 of Smallwood, Tomlinson (evans when fit) and Dack - front 2 of Samuel and Nuttall (who can both run the channels) and play Chapman in a free role behind them. 

Let teams worry about us.  

Rankin Costello should be on the bench.

[TBTF]

On 16/10/2017 at 01:44, roversfan99 said:

Samuels not much cop either, either or.

Chaddy I know you are desperate to defend Mowbray but if you think that playing players in constantly changing formations and out of position is something that wont be of detriment to performances then you are deluded. I'm not convinced it is a lack of effort, half of the attacking players are being wasted in unfamiliar positions, and often changed mid game and expected to crack on as if Mowbray is playing Fifa.

And can he do any worse than Ward? No. If we got offered Maldini in his prime would you continue with Ward because hes right footed?

And it has nothing to do with scouting systems or whatever tangent you choose to go off on. The point is not even bad signings, its signing players to address the weaknesses in the squad. We have become reliant on an MK Dons reserve signed minutes before the deadline to steady the ship until Christmas due to only one injury that happened a month before the deadline, leaving us having to totally change our tactics to compensate for his absence. Meanwhile, we have a series of players on the bench or not even in the squad who were totally unnecessary signings. Even if hes not got the knowledge of players in foreign lower leagues, which he talked about and is totally unrealistic in League 1, he can still look for players to fill the voids in the squad, and he failed to do so. Players like Ben Gladwin and Sam Hart, it is not the lack of quality that grates, it is that they were signed, Gladwin in particular for positions we are well covered in, well before the deadline, when we had such a vulnerable weakness of depth at centre back.

Totally agree. 

We all seem to have been blinded by " he's a decent bloke syndrome". His actual managerial performance his woefully poor from signings , to tactics and systems to selection and substitutions. Tie that in with his conservatism and talking up of opposition and its Mogadon we need not Mogga!!!

his win ratio is mid table at best and bluntly there is nothing in his CV that tells me he's our man. Of course it would need an exceptional candidate to do that in a club that's so badly diseased and run by a mixture of charlatans and total muppets.

The club has subsided in quality year on year and having thought last years squad was poor then this years is a further step down.The gap between us and even the championship has grown alarmingly since May and will only get wider whilst Venkys are our owners.

it might sound doom and gloom - that's because it is for me. The slight feel good of seeing lots of nearby away games will soon evaporate with any Oldham repeats and with our annual battering at Wigan looking ever more possible . We are continuing to clatter down the rankings of even just Lancashire clubs that 3 or 4 years ago you would have thought we would only ever play again in cup matches.

to be totally honest I have been crushed and whether he stays or goes I doubt will change the overall course of events for our club.I am close to being past caring which I never ever thought would enter my mind.

we are existing in a coma and manager, tactics, systems etc etc are pretty much irrelevant whilst Venkys are in charge.

 

[AAK]

14 hours ago, darrenrover said:

 

Please don't take this the wrong way AAK but your back 4 consists of a wide midfielder, a cultured but injury prone midfielder and 2 kids neither of which are really proven to any degree.

Kind of sums our plight up.

It does, I have been touting for Bennett all season though at RB, he has played there regularly before for Norwich, and I am sorry, but my Nan is better than Caddis at RB. Nyambe has pace and is decent going forward something which we seriously lack, Williams doesn't have that and he can't defend either, two full backs an improvement imo of course. Wharton, again, an improvement on Ward, a vast improvement. I know you say aren't proven, but can you really say you would prefer Williams and Caddis? They are diabolical, at least Bennett and Nyabme would provide much needed energy at full back.

Who's the injury prone mid at the back? Mulgrew and Bennett have played all season mate and all second half of last season? I would rather see Lenihan and Downing as our back two and Mulgrew pushed into midfield, but injuries don't allow.

I won't be attending tonight, because I really cannot put up with another match watching them two at full back, it's awful football. They get the ball run at snail pace, turn back send the ball back to Raya, might get it back, run with it and lose. Occasionally they might give it a hoof up front which goes out of play. Nyambe and Bennett would offer more than that, I am sure they would. I am also fed of watching Samuel up top, very poor player. Stay at home this game.

[Eddie]

Our recent performances have been good. Our team is settling into a new league, something that history will tell us often takes time. If we were 18th in the table I could understand hitting the panic button, but the amount of criticism being levelled at the team is amazing when we are sitting just off the playoffs with a game or two in hand on the teams above us. 

This is a great opportunity to pick up 3 points at home, to get another win that will boost our goal difference as well, and a good chance that we will be back in the top 6 by the end of the night. 

I'm confident of a win by 2 or 3 goals. 

 

[JHRover]

9 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Our recent performances have been good. Our team is settling into a new league, something that history will tell us often takes time. If we were 18th in the table I could understand hitting the panic button, but the amount of criticism being levelled at the team is amazing when we are sitting just off the playoffs with a game or two in hand on the teams above us. 

This is a great opportunity to pick up 3 points at home, to get another win that will boost our goal difference as well, and a good chance that we will be back in the top 6 by the end of the night. 

I'm confident of a win by 2 or 3 goals. 

 

I'm not sure I would describe our recent performances as good. Wins away at Bradford and Scunthorpe were big results and workmanlike ground out victories. Shrewsbury away was dire. Gillingham at home was painful after half time but fortunately we held on. Rotherham we were excellent in the first half and quite poor in the second.

Wigan and Rotherham are settling into a new league also. How come they don't need time with new managers and less money spent than us?

Out of interest, how many weeks/games need to have elapsed before the settling in period is over with? 20? 30? All season?

At the end of the season if we finish 7th or 17th it is largely irrelevant. So being 'just outside' the play-off spots is materially no better than finishing 'just outside' the relegation spots. The end result is the same - another year at this level, another year for Cheston to slash costs, another year of downsizing and falling ticket sales.

Tonight is a good opportunity to win and get 3 points. So was Saturday, so was Wimbledon and so was Doncaster but time and time again we've failed to do it when the chance arises to close in on the top positions. Win-lose-draw-win cycles all season long won't get us to where we want to be, where the manager has repeatedly said we need to be - top 2.