[Archived] Do Not Blame Hughes !

[BrianPotter]

I hope it doesn't take Hughes too long to sort out his tactics.

The problem is...these ARE Hughes' tactics, he used them for Wales...I was hoping that that was down to the fact that Wales had a limited number of players and he wanted a way of fitting them into one team...but our tactics are starting to mirror those that he used for Wales. He would often play just Hartson up front on his own (Dickov), mess with his wingers which included Giggs playing right sometimes (Emerton).

If we stay with one up front we will go down, we won't magically stop conceding goals so we have to make sure we're a threat at the other end...if we stick with one up front we'll have to the worst attack in the league as well as the worst defence. Relying on a First Division quality striker like Dickov to fire us to Premiership safety is nuts.

There may be an underlying issue here. Hughes was trying to form a decent Wales team with limited talent and players - sound familiar ??

I agree that Hughes tactics are similar to that used when he was in charge of Wales, but I hope thats becuase we are in a similar situation with Hughes trying to make the best of a poor squad. I agree that using Emerton on the left is ridiculous - I could understand this if we had no naturally left sided players and he was trying to find the right man for the position. MGP should be given a chance here - I am a firm beleiver that an average left winger playing on the left is far more beneficial to the balance of the side than a decent right winger (who on paper may be a better player) playing out of position.

I think the only real answer to our problems is a lot of transfer activity in January.

[SouthAussieRover]

I think the only real answer to our problems is a lot of transfer activity in January.

Trouble is we could well be anchored in the bottom 3 by then.

And who would want to join us knowing that first division football is a likelihood?

[philipl]

I think this piece in the LET explains a lot.

Sparky complains that the Rovers plyers are a "quiet lot"- and that coming from one of thequietest men in football.

What happens when you have an aggressive bully at the top? All the creative, intelligent, gifted people leave and you are left with a demoralised, heads down bunch of yes men with no self-respect.

Thankfully Villa and Liverpool games have shown there is fight and good football in the ones we have got left.

[James No. 7]

Ok so we beat Fulham, lose to Charlton, draw with villa and then lose 2 games 4-0. Ok it isn’t the best of starts but I have to agree that none of this is Hughes’ fault.

I for have deffinatley seen singns of improvement in the players we have, however the 4 he is playing at the back is not the correct 4. Short is too slow. Amo is now injured so we don’t need to worry about him hopefully. Gray should be dropped as he has been poor and either Gresko or McEveley should be given a chance. Neill has also been poor but I still think he merits his place in the team.

For me I would go with Neill, Todd, Johanson and McEveley in defence. What’s the worst that could happen? Another 4 – 0? That I find highly unlikely!

With Liverpool next at home, we will need a lot of grit and a lot of pace at the back!

Amazing what a good-looking defence was back then! These days it would go something like Emerton, Ooijer, Nelsen, and Neill.

Neill is still in our best four, but Todd and McEveley are languishing in the reserves and Johansson is long gone.

Sorry to bring an old topic back up (apologies to the mods especially), but considering our recent poor form in the league I thought it would be interesting to re-read a topic or two by searching "Hughes out". I think reading the old threads it goes to show just how much the availability of players of decent quality is important to a club's short-term to medium-term success, no matter the quality of the manager.

It's looking like he is powerless to stop the rot at the moment, but I doubt Hughes is doing anything different to when we finished sixth. Once we get our injured players back, Sparky will surely start pulling off miracles again.

[jim mk2]

At this point, I wish we had Dowie. .

Keep taking the ouzo philip !

[USABlue]

An interesting flash back if nothing else. De Pedro?? Shows just how far this manager of ours has brought us. Let's not forget that after our 5th defeat on the bounce Sunday.

[philipl]

Keep taking the ouzo philip !

I did my pennance in the Dowie thread already.

I also wrote: "This is not a Hughes out rant. He is a big improvement over Souness who did supinely lose games 0-4 (Brum and Liverpool). More to the point, Rovers beat Pompey- very unlikely a Souness-led Rovers would have won that one. "

Rovers could easily have rolled over and died against the Mancs last Saturday and didn't and I am quietly confident that Spuds this Sunday will bew a right old scrap if nothing else judging by the list of absentees we have going into it.

Incidentally, has Sparky received his sainthood for keeping us up that season?

[USABlue]

I did my pennance in the Dowie thread already.

I also wrote: "This is not a Hughes out rant. He is a big improvement over Souness who did supinely lose games 0-4 (Brum and Liverpool). More to the point, Rovers beat Pompey- very unlikely a Souness-led Rovers would have won that one. "

Rovers could easily have rolled over and died against the Mancs last Saturday and didn't and I am quietly confident that Spuds this Sunday will bew a right old scrap if nothing else judging by the list of absentees we have going into it.

Incidentally, has Sparky received his sainthood for keeping us up that season?

Another worry for Spurs, R Keane hit a hat trick, surely he will be brimming with confidence. That's one player I wish we had gone for when he was on the fringe at Spurs.

BTW on another Spurs note, how is the mighty Mido doing this season, for those who thought we should break the bank to get him at all costs, it's looking to me like it's money well saved

[gumboots]

Hope that's not famous last words there and he doesn't score a hat-trick against us!

[Exiled_Rover]

Apparently Hughsey is the dullest man on the face of the earth. Not that it detracts from his managerial skill.

[promoted2001]

Blame the Walker Family!