Behind the Scenes troubles?

[robbiez666]

We've had two crackpot takeovers this season and are still under embargo.

It has been eluded to now and then over the course of the season but I do wonder how much the behind the scenes nonsense has impacted on our form this year.

At the start of the season, we had to pay for a new training pitch out of the transfer budget.

The inability to replace Khadra or bring anyone in this January.

The number of injuries insufficient training facilities have caused, either directly or indirectly.

The lack over undersoil heating. The lack of Sky (it's easy to say something along the lines of them being millionaires and it shouldn't impact on their performance but these are young lads and won't think of it like that). etc etc.

Players with no job come summer and no guarantees or a new contract. That must play on those players' minds. They have families and bills and yes they get paid much more than normal people but their career ends much, much earlier.

If you watch PH's post-match presser, he's asked about training in these conditions and he takes an extra moment to think before answering. I wonder how bad our indoor training facilities are. While only a few teams will have been hindered by the snow, I wonder what we've been able to do.

We were ridiculously flat yesterday. Not just a bad performance but the energy, effort and intensity were all at a pre-season level.

I do wonder whether there's a lot more going on behind the scenes that is hampering our performances. They look much less happy on the pitch. Obviously that might be down to results but there doesn't seem to be the happy dressing room we've had most of the season.

Something feels wrong, but I just can't put my finger on it. It's like the players and the manager are all under a cloud, despite still being second.

 

[Brian Deane]

Admin / points deduction so whats the point of turning up and putting in a decent shift to begin with?

 

[Bladeloyal]

Just to point out the indoor facilities are very good .

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

I'm not sure it was anything other than poor team selection and tactics mate.
There was a fair bit of understandable frustration from the likes of McB when passes weren't hit, or when they were were over-hit or hammered in at 100 mph and bouncing around off chins and ankles.
No spark comes from a cautious approach. Whether that's coached or coming from a lack of confidence...or dare I say ability..I guess we'll never know.
Fair point that the background stuff won't be helping like.

 

[blade too long]

ther whole demeanour of the performance yesterday smacked of indifference which is quite shocking
we should have been buzzing and alive with Adrenalin but it was at best listless and at times alarming
Hecky and McCall need to earn their corn lifting this air of dejectioñ for Sunderland and the cup game
win those 2 and we can forge ahead , play like yesterday again and we blow a good season

sharp was looking more 48 than 38 and Fleck looked like he needs 6 month in a health spa
we cant dismiss that Luton play away very well but us at full tilt should have beaten them, but we never raised our lance to combat level

 

[robbiez666]

Admin / points deduction so whats the point of turning up and putting in a decent shift to begin with?

Even if we lost 6 points (I very much doubt it but can't see any justification for more unless there's been some major financial fiddling going on) we'd still have been a point ahead of Boro before yesterday, so all to play for. Unless it's a huge deduction, but I can't really see it. Obviously, that sort of thing can have a huge psychological impact.

 

[robbiez666]

I'm not sure it was anything other than poor team selection and tactics mate.
There was a fair bit of understandable frustration from the likes of McB when passes weren't hit, or when they were were over-hit or hammered in at 100 mph and bouncing around off chins and ankles.
No spark comes from a cautious approach. Whether that's coached or coming from a lack of confidence...or dare I say ability..I guess we'll never know.
Fair point that the background stuff won't be helping like.

It might well be that but it seems odd that we change the first team a lot and there's not really any difference. We had more intensity against Spurs with a weak team but they were on the beach. I doubt that team would get a result in the league. We can start Doyle, Baldock or McAtee and are the performances any better overall? Really? It was terrible yesterday but it has been poor or mixed for a while now, even when we're getting results.

You mention the cautious approach, but PH was getting castigated for being too gung-ho against Boro and Millwall. Nothing seems to be working at the moment. We've not got time to coach a new formation. Plan b hasn't worked for 3 years.

I just don't know. There have been other seasons where it's obvious we've run out of puff, so to speak, but it doesn't even particularly seem to be that.

 

[Diamondlife]

Can’t be easy for 95% of the players who will lose their jobs if we go up. They’re not good enough for the prem, so their reward for their success would be to have to find another club, move house, change kids schools etc but don’t go up and there’s a chance nothing changes for them. Not sure they’ll all think like that but it’d definitely mess with my head if I knew I wasn’t good enough or too old for a higher level of football and was comfortable where I was for another season. Lots of counter arguments to this but it’s got to affect a few and that could be enough to lose any tight games, just my thoughts anyway

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

It might well be that but it seems odd that we change the first team a lot and there's not really any difference. We had more intensity against Spurs with a weak team but they were on the beach. I doubt that team would get a result in the league. We can start Doyle, Baldock or McAtee and are the performances any better overall? Really? It was terrible yesterday but it has been poor or mixed for a while now, even when we're getting results.

You mention the cautious approach, but PH was getting castigated for being too gung-ho against Boro and Millwall. Nothing seems to be working at the moment. We've not got time to coach a new formation. Plan b hasn't worked for 3 years.

I just don't know. There have been other seasons where it's obvious we've run out of puff, so to speak, but it doesn't even particularly seem to be that.

Maybe a combination of stuff. Ageing/sussed out players in key areas (midfield), chopping and changing disrupting understandings between players, confidence dwindling as fear increases at the gap closing, lack of quality in key areas, lack of pace, wrong tactics, tough run of games, and as you rightly say, shit going on in the background. Doesn't sound good does it?!

 

[robbiez666]

Can’t be easy for 95% of the players who will lose their jobs if we go up. They’re not good enough for the prem, so their reward for their success would be to have to find another club, move house, change kids schools etc but don’t go up and there’s a chance nothing changes for them. Not sure they’ll all think like that but it’d definitely mess with my head if I knew I wasn’t good enough or too old for a higher level of football and was comfortable where I was for another season. Lots of counter arguments to this but it’s got to affect a few and that could be enough to lose any tight games, just my thoughts anyway

I genuinely think, even if we hobble over the line and get promoted, that pretty much every contracted player will be with us next season. We'll not spend half as much as last time on new players. We'll bring in 2 on loan and maybe sign 4 more. The players who remain will be in a Premier League squad on significantly higher wages. For most it will be their only chance to play in the top flight (again). I don't see any reason why these players wouldn't want to be promoted. Even if, like Norwood and Fulham and Watford, they aren't considered good enough, getting promoted puts them in a much better position to find a good club.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

Just as the last time we got promoted to the PL, the players would get a bonus of circa £1m each. I think we shared £29m around last time to squad, management & coaches. That's something to break sweat for.

 

[Chingo]

We were fine when Norwood , Anel , Bogle and Berge were playing well , now they have turned to mush so have the team!

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

Jed Wallace and long term target John Swift were available for free in the summer. We didn't even talk to them. That was the first sign of trouble for me. Our midfield was rubbish and we could've landed one, if not both of these. We showed no interest in them, but hey, we've got Sander Berge!

 

[robbiez666]

Jed Wallace and long term target John Swift were available for free in the summer. We didn't even talk to them. That was the first sign of trouble for me. Our midfield was rubbish and we could've landed one, if not both of these. We showed no interest in them, but hey, we've got Sander Berge!

I assume the issue there was wages since they're both players we've previously tried to sign. Aren't WBA well and truly screwed if they don't go up?

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

We'll not spend half as much as last time on new players.

We won't need to mate. We've still got half of them from the last time we bought for the Prem. Rhian Brewster, Ben Osborn, Sander Berge, Oli McB

 

[JackSUFC]

Can’t be easy for 95% of the players who will lose their jobs if we go up. They’re not good enough for the prem

That’s a shocking mentality to have. No way are they thinking like that surely. If they are then they’re in the wrong profession.

If they’re good enough to get to the Premier League, they should be backing themselves to play in it. They should be fighting tooth and nail for it.

 

[JJBlade]

Jed Wallace and long term target John Swift were available for free in the summer. We didn't even talk to them. That was the first sign of trouble for me. Our midfield was rubbish and we could've landed one, if not both of these. We showed no interest in them, but hey, we've got Sander Berge!

We wouldn't have made the best use of their abilities anyway, we'd have somehow stumbled across a "style of play" that suited neither of them.

 

[robbiez666]

We won't need to mate. We've still got half of them from the last time we bought for the Prem. Rhian Brewster, Ben Osborn, Sander Berge, Oli McB

Pep's toilet roll bill must be off the scale!

 

[Davalon]

The players looked happy at Reading a few days ago.

Every season we've gained promotion a number of players have known they're either out of contract or will likely not be retained.

Sky? Jesus.

I'm not suggesting that everything is hunky dory behind the scenes but I also think there's some clutching at straws for excuses for disappointing performances at Blackburn and yesterday in particular.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Rather than fantasise about points deduction, fiddling or whatever as a reason for yesterdays defeat, listen to what PH said post match. It was along the lines of he’d said earlier in the week how Luton would set up and what their strengths were. They did exactly that while he stood there like Jellyhead, seemingly clueless about dealing with something he’d highlighted before the match.

Everyone can see the lack of pace in the sentral three. It was clear from the off Jimmy had turned up, not John, making Luton’s job easier. With Doyle and McAtee on the bench apparently wrapped in cotton wool. Shocking management. As for plan B, launch it high to McBurnie, it reminded me of the bad Wilder days, where it had all got on top of him and a tactical paralysis had hit him. Doesn’t bode well for the rest of the season.

 

[robbiez666]

With Doyle and McAtee on the bench apparently wrapped in cotton wool

I'm loving how so many of our fans think we should have started the guy who had the worst game of his career in the reverse fixture and had to come off with cramp in the last game which was 3 days before Luton. I would question a manager who did that, certainly.

 

[Chingo]

I'm loving how so many of our fans think we should have started the guy who had the worst game of his career in the reverse fixture and had to come off with cramp in the last game which was 3 days before Luton. I would question a manager who did that, certainly.

McAtee is a different animal mentally and physically now to the timid young lad we saw at Luton earlier in the season

 

[ATL Recs]

We've had two crackpot takeovers this season and are still under embargo.

It has been eluded to now and then over the course of the season but I do wonder how much the behind the scenes nonsense has impacted on our form this year.

At the start of the season, we had to pay for a new training pitch out of the transfer budget.

The inability to replace Khadra or bring anyone in this January.

The number of injuries insufficient training facilities have caused, either directly or indirectly.

The lack over undersoil heating. The lack of Sky (it's easy to say something along the lines of them being millionaires and it shouldn't impact on their performance but these are young lads and won't think of it like that). etc etc.

Players with no job come summer and no guarantees or a new contract. That must play on those players' minds. They have families and bills and yes they get paid much more than normal people but their career ends much, much earlier.

If you watch PH's post-match presser, he's asked about training in these conditions and he takes an extra moment to think before answering. I wonder how bad our indoor training facilities are. While only a few teams will have been hindered by the snow, I wonder what we've been able to do.

We were ridiculously flat yesterday. Not just a bad performance but the energy, effort and intensity were all at a pre-season level.

I do wonder whether there's a lot more going on behind the scenes that is hampering our performances. They look much less happy on the pitch. Obviously that might be down to results but there doesn't seem to be the happy dressing room we've had most of the season.

Something feels wrong, but I just can't put my finger on it. It's like the players and the manager are all under a cloud, despite still being second.

They all know more about things than Hecky has eluded to

 

[ATL Recs]

The players looked happy at Reading a few days ago.

Every season we've gained promotion a number of players have known they're either out of contract or will likely not be retained.

Sky? Jesus.

I'm not suggesting that everything is hunky dory behind the scenes but I also think there's some clutching at straws for excuses for disappointing performances at Blackburn and yesterday in particular.

Luton ( reading got a result but still poor) Blackburn Millwall Boro Rotherham I can keep going

 

[Sean Thornton]

I'm loving how so many of our fans think we should have started the guy who had the worst game of his career in the reverse fixture and had to come off with cramp in the last game which was 3 days before Luton. I would question a manager who did that, certainly.

And what about other times he’s left them out? Three days not enough time to recover from cramp? More likely Fleck must play. How many times has Norwood been subbed recently? Don’t you question why then those two plus Berge are part of his comfort blanket. I’ve hardly criticised him this season but yesterday his selection, tactics and post game comments made him, for the first real time, second rate.

At least you’ve on about football rather boardroom dramas none of which produced the tactically pathetic result yesterday.

 

[Sean Thornton]

They all know more about things than Hecky has eluded to

Clearly this “cloud” wasn’t there against Spurs which is odd seeing as the chance of PL football is destroyed by it.

 

[robbiez666]

And what about other times he’s left them out? Three days not enough time to recover from cramp? More likely Fleck must play. How many times has Norwood been subbed recently? Don’t you question why then those two plus Berge are part of his comfort blanket. I’ve hardly criticised him this season but yesterday his selection, tactics and post game comments made him, for the first real time, second rate.

At least you’ve on about football rather boardroom dramas none of which produced the tactically pathetic result yesterday.

Is three days enough for a young player to recover from cramp? Probably not for a young player who struggles to play 2 games on the bounce or complete 90 minutes, no. But I expect him to play on Wednesday. He was utterly destroyed by Luton last time. I would question the logic in any manager starting him in the reverse fixture, given his age and the fact he has to play out of position.

Do I question why our player of the season and statistically the best player in the league, starts? No, why would I? Norwood is having a dip but has shown time and again that he usually comes out of it pretty quickly.

I agree on Fleck but as I've said elsewhere people were calling for Fleck to play against Watford, he did and was praised. I would have started Doyle but Doyle has hardly been consistent playing in that role. Far from it.

I honestly don't think we have good enough midfielders and every game is a sticking plaster to try and cover it up. In doing so, we always lose something either defensively or attacking-wise. I question why we let Slater go without a replacement but we had that Kone lined up but the Board didn't sanction it.

 

[robbiez666]

Clearly this “cloud” wasn’t there against Spurs which is odd seeing as the chance of PL football is destroyed by it.

It's hardly a surprise that footballers up their performances in a big TV game against a top side. Ask Grimsby fans!

 

[robbiez666]

McAtee is a different animal mentally and physically now to the timid young lad we saw at Luton earlier in the season

Maybe, but I'd still not start him. Did ok when he came on but that's against tiring players. Seems a risk to start a player who had to go off a few days earlier for cramp against an opposition who bullied him last time.

 

[Sean Thornton]

It's hardly a surprise that footballers up their performances in a big TV game against a top side. Ask Grimsby fans!

Games offering a chance of PL football aren’t a reason to try to perform at your best? Some have even been on tv.