v Luton Town (h) - 1/5/23

[Penwortham Blue]

44 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

We went into the last game against Wigan needing two other results to go in our favour and a 7 goal swing to put us into it. It was never really on.

A bit like this coming Millwall scenario then 🙈

[Mattyblue]

Not sure I follow Booth.

JDT goes and the ones that weren’t fussed about him anyway (presuming they’ve even renewed) are going to go after the club for it next season?

They won’t, they’ll either have stopped bothering going by then or will just go after the new fella too whilst reminiscing about St Anthony of Yarm (like a load around me are doing already). 

‘The club’ will get away with it scot free.
 

Edited May 2, 2023 by Mattyblue

[Penwortham Blue]

38 minutes ago, booth said:

I think like Brereton, Tomasson's already gone. A section of the fans don't like him, he wasn't backed when in a good league position, he now knows that the important staff behind the scenes aren't fit for purpose, and it's not as if he's inherited the greatest squad in the first place. He'll know he's gone as far as he can with them, and without backing what's the point? Staying here is only going to reflect badly on himself, as it is now.

We needed to keep Tomasson and build on this season by replacing the weak links with a view to automatic promotion. However I fear that he'll be replaced by someone who will agree to every ludicrous decision that's made, with little money spent and any rough diamonds going to pastures new to balance the books.

I think the section who don’t want him is a very small number. I really fear for us, if JDT leaves.

[Mattyblue]

I don’t think many at Ewood want him to go, but I doubt many would be particularly arsed if he did.

Edited May 2, 2023 by Mattyblue

[tomphil]

55 minutes ago, TheRovers1994 said:

Don’t understand the stick jdt gets , look at what he’s working with ? He’s performed miracles with a limited squad, the front three he’s got to pick from aren't good enough, hedges and Dolan are not starting quality and are only decent impact subs, brereton uninterested so who have we got to replace him with ? Kids and a loanee not good enough, defence is doing a great job, midfield three currently are decent, it’s the attack that’s letting us down cause we can’t score goals. 
 

Serious recruitment needs to be done this summer to give jdt the tools to take us to the next level that’s actually a solid top 6 rather than midtable like we have now, can’t believe people are trying to blame jdt knowing the little he’s had to work with yet the results all in all he’s had especially developing academy players, can’t see many other managers coming into a depleted squad on bare bones with few experienced players  and managing to do so well, even considering an apparent key player has thrown in the towel since December and stop he’s got no reliable replacement, plus we are playing good football we just need that extra quality especially up front to really make it tick 

I think he's done more than enough to warrant some real backing in summer and have another go next season.

However any manager in England comes under scrutiny at this time of year and he's no different i don't get when people seem offended at this.  It's perfectly normal and goes with the job and he knows this and imo if we finish 9th or 10th he hasn't really performed any miracles at all that's an OTT narrative.

What he will have done is a solid job in a transition season bedding in a new style, more youngsters and a few new signings at a club that had a solid base and finished 8th last season.

Those are the facts.

If we finish in the play offs or 8th or above he's overachieved without doubt.

Although it's looking unlikely and after the position we were in and what could be 1 win in 9 by next weekend he's just as accountable as any other gaffer would be.

Edited May 2, 2023 by tomphil

[booth]

3 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Not sure I follow Booth.

JDT goes and the ones that weren’t fussed about him anyway (presuming they’ve even renewed) are going to go after the club for it next season?

They won’t, they’ll either have stopped bothering going by then or will just go after the new fella too whilst reminiscing about St Tony of Yarm (like a load around me are doing already).

I just mean that people have short memories and I strongly believe post-Tomasson it will be a disaster. At the moment there's something to build on, but if we start afresh we're back to square one, and I have no faith that we can bring in better than Tomasson. There's every reason to believe it will be a far worse appointment than either Tomasson or Mowbray.

Anyone reminiscing about Mowbray deserves it as he's still very much part of the current problem of us having a poor goal threat (though Waggott and Gregg have had ample opportunity to fix that).

Sunderland will feel the pain when he establishes his own team with some bizarre ideology based on which world football matches he consumed that Summer.

[tomphil]

9 minutes ago, Penwortham Blue said:

I think the section who don’t want him is a very small number. I really fear for us, if JDT leaves.

As usual the bigger fear is what would come next but him and Mowbray turned out ok so there's hope.  Somebody might come in and go back to basics a bit and it might work better.

OR, we are due another complete balls up that would tear the arse out of what TM and JDT have done.  

He needs the 3 year cycle although personally i think we are in for more of the same even if he stays because there is something missing very badly at this club in the background.

 

[wilsdenrover]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

I think we have improve on last season and I just based that on the same things as you but what I see watching every game not just basing it stats

I don't think we have regressed this season and now we need to make the right signings this summer and I would like them done early part of the summer 

It’s a shame the table only take stats into account…

We’ve stood still (results wise) and as Peter Shilton once said ‘if you stand still there is only one way to go, and that’s backwards’

 

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by wilsdenrover

[Exiled_Rover]

36 minutes ago, 47er said:

His all-round game isn't great though---I wouldn't sign him. Oh for a winger who can beat his man and then get a good cross in!

If he's cheap and willing to he a squad player we could do a lot worse.

£200k-ish. 

He provides something different and is good at set pieces.

[RevidgeBlue]

3 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

If he's cheap and willing to he a squad player we could do a lot worse.

£200k-ish. 

He provides something different and is good at set pieces.

We already have a cheap  £200k ish squad player in Hedges. 

Neither he nor Thomas are good enough imo unless we haven't seen anything like the best of Thomas due to him not being match fit.

Edited May 2, 2023 by RevidgeBlue

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

18 minutes ago, tomphil said:

I think he's done more than enough to warrant some real backing in summer and have another go next Season

Absolutely but I will be gobsmacked if the Loons from Pune back him with serious Cash.Everything comes back to them.

Edited May 2, 2023 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[tomphil]

3 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

Absolutely but I will be gobsmacked if the Loons from Pune back him with serious Cash.Everything comes back to them.

It's not even serious cash we are talking about because that will never happen but if they are intent on building something it needs a few million every window.

Surely that's doable but all we hear about are more cutbacks and eventually it'll only end up going one way whoever is in that dugout.

[RevidgeBlue]

12 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

Absolutely but I will be gobsmacked if the Loons from Pune back him with serious Cash.Everything comes back to them.

Devil's advocate mode on:

They did last summer AND they were allegedly prepared to pay a King's ransom in wages to bring in O Brien until any incoming January business was sabotaged either by negligence or deliberately.

All that said I'd be a lot more convinced by their intentions if they potted Waggott and Broughton and appointed a competent CEO and an actual experienced DOF should they decide to continue with that model.

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by RevidgeBlue

[RevidgeBlue]

4 minutes ago, tomphil said:

It's not even serious cash we are talking about because that will never happen but if they are intent on building something it needs a few million every window.

Surely that's doable but all we hear about are more cutbacks and eventually it'll only end up going one way whoever is in that dugout.

Not even sure it needs huge investment. The key is skilled recruitment of players who compliment each other.

Wonder how much Luton have spent in transfer fees and wages the last 2 years compared with us?

[Mattyblue]

5 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Devil's advocate mode on:

They did last summer AND they were allegedly prepared to pay a King's ransom in wages to bring in O Brien until any incoming January business was sabotaged either by negligence or deliberately.

All that said I'd be a lot more convinced by their intentions if they potted Waggott and Broughton and appointed a competent CEO and an actual experienced DOF should they decide to continue with that model.

 

Why deliberately?

[Boroblue]

I can’t believe deliberately their far to incompetent for that.

[chaddyrovers]

26 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

It’s a shame the table only take stats into account…

We’ve stood still (results wise) and as Peter Shilton once said ‘if you stand still there is only one way to go, and that’s backwards’

 

 

Like I said I judge the season with what I have seen through watching every game. If you just want to focus on the table but I haven't. 

[Norn Iron Rover]

1 minute ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Not even sure it needs huge investment. The key is skilled recruitment of players who compliment each other.

Agree with this. We can't/won't spend huge sums but need to be really clever with our summer recruitment (over to you Greg). We need to utilise the loan system better. 5 really good loans could make a huge difference to this squad, particularly in the forward areas. I know good loans can be expensive but we could offset some of that by getting a few high earners off the books (Dack, Ayala, maybe even Gallagher).

[Boroblue]

I think we can all agree it is now very unlikely that we’ll make the play offs but it’s not for a lack off effort just a failure to address our frailties in January. Center half’s have it to easy what I wouldn’t have given for a big lumbering nasty foward in the billy whitehurst mould to rattle them. Alternatively a poacher like Rhodes with positional sense sadly lacking in Gallagher.

The positive is for the first time we have a style of play and the makings of a promotion challenging team with a few astute additions. 

I hope Thomason stays because I feel we could be a lot better next season

[broadsword]

1 hour ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

Can we improve this side when we are apparently going shopping in Poundstretcher with a begging bowl?

Surely that situation cant be exceptable to JDT if he is ambitious.

Could be hard times next season,we are being strangled to death by the Pune Goons.

There's a tiny part of me that still hopes that they'll sell up soon. If they're choking off the funding (making a change from choking their gizzards) then perhaps they're getting completely hacked off with the losses. If they're thinking they can get the losses down to nowt, they're very much mistaken. They're slow learners, so the penny when it eventually drops, may see them sell?

 

It's the only hope I have left 

Edited May 2, 2023 by broadsword

[tomphil]

14 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Not even sure it needs huge investment. The key is skilled recruitment of players who compliment each other.

Wonder how much Luton have spent in transfer fees and wages the last 2 years compared with us?

Yes if people want to talk miracle workers then look at them and Millwall.

Unreal what Luton have done and it isn't built on the back of anything complicated and whilst we huffed and puffed yesterday they looked like they were in 2nd gear.

[wilsdenrover]

11 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Like I said I judge the season with what I have seen through watching every game. If you just want to focus on the table but I haven't. 

The table is ultimately how a season is judged.

But I don’t attend games and you do so what improvements have you seen vs last season?

 

[jim mk2]

59 minutes ago, Penwortham Blue said:

I’m with you. Yes, he’s made mistakes but on balance, and swimming against the tide, he’s performed minor miracles. Been let down by the bureaucrats since day 1, the players when push came to shove, poor officiating and a more than healthy dose of rotten luck. 

 

A good manager is usually a lucky manager. You could also say we also used all our luck early in the season when we were playing badly but winning

[wilsdenrover]

37 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Not even sure it needs huge investment. The key is skilled recruitment of players who compliment each other.

Wonder how much Luton have spent in transfer fees and wages the last 2 years compared with us?

According to transfermarkt (no idea on its accuracy) we’ve spent £3.1 million and they’ve spent £2.1 million 

I posted the salary comparisons (all staff) yesterday - from memory ours was circa 35% higher.

Edited May 2, 2023 by wilsdenrover

[RevidgeBlue]

21 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Why deliberately?

Still not convinced you could cock up TWO incoming deals  in two completely different ways accidentally whilst overseeing an outgoing deal perfectly.