Is this bloke any good?

[Putney Blade]

Beginning to think SJ peaked at Watford and Fulham and now like most of our players, he is on a downward spiral. Baffled by his formations, selections & subs. Why play Sharp as a lone striker? Sharp is too slow & small. Why bring on Osborn with Brewster & Freeman on the bench? Go and win the game. Bring on offensive players. Why has he only now realized what Basham brings to the team? Why play Brewster on the wing? Tactically, why do we play slowly & consistently recycle the ball backwards and sideways. Why is there a total lack of movement up-front. We are not stretching formations and creating space. Why is there a lack of good honest desire and passion from start to finish! Etc, etc, etc

The guy doesn’t appear to be a motivator, able to inspire and lead. From his interviews, comes over as deep thinker and serious. Makes you wonder how, or if he connects with the players? Because on thing is for sure. He ain’t connecting with most supporters. Speaks in riddles, command of English is poor, and his football like his personality is dull! Worrying.

 

[Snowflake]

Beginning to think SJ peaked at Watford and Fulham and now like most of our players, he is on a downward spiral. Baffled by his formations, selections & subs. Why play Sharp as a lone striker? Sharp is too slow & small. Why bring on Osborn with Brewster & Freeman on the bench? Go and win the game. Bring on offensive players. Why has he only now realized what Basham brings to the team? Why play Brewster on the wing? Tactically, why do we play slowly & consistently recycle the ball backwards and sideways. Why is there a total lack of movement up-front. We are not stretching formations and creating space. Why is there a lack of good honest desire and passion from start to finish! Etc, etc, etc

The guy doesn’t appear to be a motivator, able to inspire and lead. From his interviews, comes over as deep thinker and serious. Makes you wonder how, or if he connects with the players? Because on thing is for sure. He ain’t connecting with most supporters. Speaks in riddles, command of English is poor, and his football like his personality is dull! Worrying.

Many of your points should be aimed at the players. Why don’t they move around in midfield and upfront ? Why do they pass sideways and backwards ?
I don’t think it has anything to do with the manager.
Should experienced players need a manager to motivate them ? If so I think it’s time they retired.

 

[Brewster Cost £70 million]

We'd be the same I we had pep in charge.

 

[AnstonBlade1]

Agree with a lot of what your saying, especially the subs when the games there to be won and we’ve got 3 attacking players on bench.

We can’t play quick attacking football because we don’t have any quick attacking players.
We must be the slowest team in the league, he needs his wingers ASAP.

 

[Hagansbootlaces]

Mid way through the first half we got a throw in just in front of our bench, Enda got the ball and, had a look around, then another look, then another, Slav was in the background, shouting, pointing, obviously trying to get someone to move, they didn't.

It highlights the problem we all know there are no leaders or strong voices on the pitch, but no one was wanting or showing for that throw in, or a pass, they all want to leave it to someone else.

 

[ancientblade]

Mid way through the first half we got a throw in just in front of our bench, Enda got the ball and, had a look around, then another look, then another, Slav was in the background, shouting, pointing, obviously trying to get someone to move, they didn't.

It highlights the problem we all know there are no leaders or strong voices on the pitch, but no one was wanting or showing for that throw in, or a pass, they all want to leave it to someone else.

their not busting a gut for this guy are they

 

[Hagansbootlaces]

their not busting a gut for this guy are they

It's getting to be quite a long list of people they haven't bust a gut for,,

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Lack of movement or plan of action at throwins baffled me yesterday.

 

[Bashamed]

If only we could get the 17/18 version of Slav before he became a fraud and lost his bottle eh?

 

[ancientblade]

It's getting to be quite a long list of people they haven't bust a gut for,,

they showed more enthusiasm and fight under hecky

 

[finlaytheblade]

Many of your points should be aimed at the players. Why don’t they move around in midfield and upfront ? Why do they pass sideways and backwards ?
I don’t think it has anything to do with the manager.
Should experienced players need a manager to motivate them ? If so I think it’s time they retired.

I can understand why he wants to play with a back 4 more creative! more opportunities.
We just don't have the players to make it effective.
He has said himself we need 2 wingers and a box to box midfielder with pace,we havnt got them so the confidence within the squad has evaporated with the poor start to season.
Heckinbottom showed the way with a good finish to the season.That squad playing with a 5 wouldn't take us back up at least it would have stabilised us and give SJ chance to change to a 4 once the players had the extra wingers+ midfielder.
We're now short of confidence and beleaf Heckinbottom restored last season ! as I have said that squad wasn't good enough to take us up.
Sticking to a five! Stabilising us would in my opinion would have been better.
So yesterday we go to a 5 ! the team lacking confidence would we suddenly find that beleaf? No! At least it's a start as we looked better defensively.
I liken this season to the Robson time when Mccabe had dreams of him shooting us back up ! He was failing miserably Blackwell pulled us away from a possible relegation scrap! Hope the prince realises it could be a repeat of that season.
Sacking SJ and his coaches will cost a bomb.
I maybe coming over at bit strong ! Quite a few teams have got double relegation latest "Sunderland" don't want us to join them.

 

[Bladesman]

Mid way through the first half we got a throw in just in front of our bench, Enda got the ball and, had a look around, then another look, then another, Slav was in the background, shouting, pointing, obviously trying to get someone to move, they didn't.

It highlights the problem we all know there are no leaders or strong voices on the pitch, but no one was wanting or showing for that throw in, or a pass, they all want to leave it to someone else.

Too many of Wilders old guard going hiding.

 

[Hagansbootlaces]

they showed more enthusiasm and fight under hecky

Starting to wonder if the weekly mauling in the PL has taken such a toll, they not only don't want to go back and repeat the experience, but just can't generate any enthusiasm for a fight against less skilful players, no offence to Blackburn or Coventry but they aren't Liverpool or Man City

 

[Hagansbootlaces]

Too many of Wilders old guard going hiding.

Decades ago there was a TV documentary a behind the scenes type show, that followed QPR hiring a hypnotist, one of the reasons I remember it was the 180 degree difference between what the players wanted help in, as opposed to what the managers and coaches thought they need help in.

And before you ask, no the hypnotist didn't have much effect!

 

[ancientblade]

Starting to wonder if the weekly mauling in the PL has taken such a toll, they not only don't want to go back and repeat the experience, but just can't generate any enthusiasm for a fight against less skilful players, no offence to Blackburn or Coventry but they aren't Liverpool or Man City

interesting observation hagan and you might have something there do this set of players simply think their too good to be playing at this level who knows

 

[Weston blade]

I think it plain for all to see, we are in a transition faze, some of the players are over the hill now. Unable to adapt whiles the younger ones are busting a gut to make things happen but just don't have the support around them. 2 more transfer windows then we can judge the manager.

 

[Hagansbootlaces]

interesting observation hagan and you might have something there do this set of players simply think their too good to be playing at this level who knows

I don't think it's that they think they are too good for this level, more perhaps the weight of expectations, after a season of losing, finishing bottom of the table, relegation being a certainty for much of the season and the possibility/worry of finishing with the lowest points total,,to then find themselves as favourites for promotion an immediate return, and things not go to plan, find it not as easy, plans,systems, new trainning/tactics not working, it's a deep hole to dig your way out of

 

[Aycliffe Blade]

It's getting to be quite a long list of people they haven't bust a gut for,,

They did for Hecky

 

[AdamSufc1997]

If only we could get the 17/18 version of Slav before he became a fraud and lost his bottle eh?

Could say that about wilder too then

 

[Addison]

Decades ago there was a TV documentary a behind the scenes type show, that followed QPR hiring a hypnotist, one of the reasons I remember it was the 180 degree difference between what the players wanted help in, as opposed to what the managers and coaches thought they need help in.

And before you ask, no the hypnotist didn't have much effect!

We don't need a hypnotist the players are more than capable of sending 28,000 to sleep .

 

[Addison]

They did for Hecky

11 games 8 defeats 4 goals for and 20 conceded suggests otherwise.

 

[Hagansbootlaces]

11 games 8 defeats 4 goals for and 20 conceded suggests otherwise.

On the back of CW walking and against PL opposition with relegation all but confirmed

 

[Geordie Blade]

Agree with a lot of what your saying, especially the subs when the games there to be won and we’ve got 3 attacking players on bench.

Throwing strikers on is counterproductive. It leaves us with nobody to win the ball and build play. We tried exactly that against Blackpool and it failed miserably. The subs yesterday were absolutely fine under the circumstances. The starting line up wasn’t.

 

[TJB.]

Beginning to think SJ peaked at Watford and Fulham and now like most of our players, he is on a downward spiral. Baffled by his formations, selections & subs. Why play Sharp as a lone striker? Sharp is too slow & small. Why bring on Osborn with Brewster & Freeman on the bench? Go and win the game. Bring on offensive players. Why has he only now realized what Basham brings to the team? Why play Brewster on the wing? Tactically, why do we play slowly & consistently recycle the ball backwards and sideways. Why is there a total lack of movement up-front. We are not stretching formations and creating space. Why is there a lack of good honest desire and passion from start to finish! Etc, etc, etc

The guy doesn’t appear to be a motivator, able to inspire and lead. From his interviews, comes over as deep thinker and serious. Makes you wonder how, or if he connects with the players? Because on thing is for sure. He ain’t connecting with most supporters. Speaks in riddles, command of English is poor, and his football like his personality is dull! Worrying.

I'd rather attempt to move players on and bring in some desperately needed fresh blood than sack Slav and stick with this squad.

We were told by fans of his old clubs that it'd take time. It's just going to take longer than we thought to see some progress because everyone underestimated how stale this team had gotten.

The question for me is whether or not Slav can build a competitive side on a tight budget. We'll have to wait and see what he does with what little money he is given.

 

[blade67]

On the back of CW walking and against PL opposition with relegation all but confirmed

And it's also 9 points from 11 games, which over the season keeps you up in that league. But forget the facts they were totally shit from July 2020 onwards and are all shit forever. FACT

My personal view is that our problems this year are pretty much self inflicted. Shit recruitment in the summer, especially in that midfield area and an inability to pick the best players (howw Basham hasn't been able to get a game is riduculous), in their best formation means we are 17th/18th when we should probably be around the edge of the play off mix with this squad

 

[DeanLearner'sCat]

We have a squad full of players who have succeeded at this level (sometimes repeatedly, either with us or with other teams) and a manager who has succeeded at this level more than once. And we're 5 points off the bottom 3 and 11 points behind Coventry City. On paper, it should be working better than this, but it's all been a bit Serbian Adkins so far.

 

[metalblade]

We've had 20 games of fannying around with formations, tactics and different players to bring us back to the 3-5-2 Wilderball in an effort to stop us conceding sloppy goals which all suggests to me he hasn't got a clue how to get this team firing on all cylinders. It's been fairly obvious for a good 18 month that the problem is in midfield and until we get some players who can tackle, get on the ball and see a pass and do so at speed then the team as a whole will not function. Maybe Slav has spent too long in the desert away from English football or maybe he never had it without better players and a big chequebook to help out. I'm not at all convinced he is the right man for this job.

 

[steve26272]

It's getting to be quite a long list of people they haven't bust a gut for,,

Fair point

I wonder if as most of them came through the lower leagues, they just loved playing football for a living, but always yearned to be rich, casting envious eyes on average PL players.

The they achieved that status, and are all millionaires

Maybe now it’s a mindset of

Play for the love
Play in PL
Millionaire

Having achieved all their goals, they just go through the motions

Why make that lung burning run, no one can take the above from them, and listening to Slavs bollockings become background noise before they jump in their super cars and head back to their big houses

If that isn’t what they are thinking , it’s certainly what they are showing

 

[Hagansbootlaces]

Fair point

I wonder if as most of them came through the lower leagues, they just loved playing football for a living, but always yearned to be rich, casting envious eyes on average PL players.

The they achieved that status, and are all millionaires

Maybe now it’s a mindset of

Play for the love
Play in PL
Millionaire

Having achieved all their goals, they just go through the motions

Why make that lung burning run, no one can take the above from them, and listening to Slavs bollockings become background noise before they jump in their super cars and head back to their big houses

If that isn’t what they are thinking , it’s certainly what they are showing

I think there might be something in that, Covid probably contributed to that too, not just the lack of fans, but the same thing that happened to all of us, looking inward, realising what we had or didn't have, hard to get motivated when you have the house, car, money, and months reflecting on what you have

 

[dc_blade]

Slav inherited an unbalanced squad (no wingers, no defensive midfielders) with a serious losing habit. Hecky had improved things slightly but the players were clearly still desperately short of confidence. They were used to a very defensive and regimented style of play and are still struggling to change their mentality.

He needed the owner to finance a major overhaul of the squad in the summer. Didn’t happen. Didn’t even bring in the handful of players that would allow a change in formation. It looks to me that the bad atmosphere around the place has started to weigh on the players we did bring in.

So Slav was facing an uphill task. I do think he probably should’ve been able to turn things around more than he has. Maybe he’s not the guy for the job but I can’t see him going anywhere before the end of the season unless we really look like getting sucked into a relegation fight, which I reckon is unlikely.