Adkins' Most Important 4 Games of the Season

[Independent]

I do not think I am writing them off but anyone who questions whether they will make it have good reason. Neither player looks close to being anywhere near a regular in a mid table third tier side. Reed has barely played this season but noone has wanted to take him on loan it would seem. Calvert Lewin scored a few goals at Northampton but was a sub as much as he played. I am going on what my eyes tell me. They both are painfully weak physically but more than that they don't look good enough ability wise. I may be proved wrong but both have a long way to even make it as a lower league professional. Both have another couple of years on their contract but really have to make significant strides or I fear they will go same way as Kennedy, McFadzean, Ironside and many others who sadly have not been good enough. Reed has got worse since his debut not better.

I have seen nothing in either of them this season to suggest they could be even close to major contributors in a promotion winning team.

Reed has not been allowed out on loan despite interest, but yet he's not an Adkins "player " because he's not 6 foot+, hence Whitemans selection in front of Reed. Reed will not be here next season unless Adkins leaves. Disgusting what Adkins has done to Reed, Calvert Lewin, Wallace and now Adams. Pathway for youngsters my arse

 

[Independent]

I kind of agree that I have not seen anything really exciting from any of the kids; save for Adams in flashes. Whiteman looked steady and Reed and DCL look like they will struggle to be professionals to me.

However we aint going to have a better chance of blooding a few and a few more than the next few weeks. Rather watch them than people who are not going to be here.

I saw nothing from Jagileka in watching 2 seasons of him in the reserves and youth to suggest he would make an England player. One might just surprise us.

Deadbat your'e a clueless wanker, and your match reports are biased upon your player opinions not what really happens on match days. You cannot possibly watch every player all of the game to give an accurate rating. Get a life saddo!

 

[Champagneblade]

Adkins needs to start showing the green shoots of recovery and there's nothing at present.

Bar achieving a consistency we haven't all year, the play offs won't happen which is another reason Millwall away was such an own goal for Adkins.

All well and good celebrating the bright new world that Oldhan promised but when you lack the courage of your comvictions and revert to the old guard who subsequently let you down you're neither here nor there.

He'd have been better keeping the same team and if we lost he could at least put it down to blooding the kids and a learning experience.

As it is, he leaves that game with nothing to cling to and still no green shoots for the fans or season tickets.

 

[bladeinspaceandtime]

Deadbat your'e a clueless wanker, and your match reports are biased upon your player opinions not what really happens on match days. You cannot possibly watch every player all of the game to give an accurate rating. Get a life saddo!

Oh the irony.

 

[Sirius]

Oh the irony.

This

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Millwall was the most important game thus far. . . .and we blew it.

 

[finlaytheblade]

Interesting. I quite rate Reed as a prospect because I see good form one week followed by a schoolboy performance the next which is exactly what I'd expect t from a light weight youth prospect.

As regards DCL not seen anything from him yet. Early early days though.

Utb

 

[finlaytheblade]

That's the way to look at it blade 67,
Young players sometimes have to be taken out of the firing line for the sake of there development.We have to trust the manager on occasions like this.Millwall are a physical team.

 

[Bladesman]

Every game is important while the play offs are still mathematically possible.

I just don't expect these players to get the results required.

 

[Bladesince59]

Coming up are:

H.

Crewe
Walsall
Gillingham

A.

Southend

If we don't beat Crewe and then struggle to get much from the other games I think Kev's twitchy trigger finger will be in action.

Come the 10th April if we've only gained 2 points from our last 4 games I fear for him.

We're down to a bare bones of options. Personally, I'd like him to continue where he left off against Oldham. I don't really care about results at this stage just showing signs of hope for next season and giving the kids a chance.

I doubt I'm in the majority.

I don't fear for him, Just want him to bugger off,

 

[Bladesince59]

Dropping Adams because he's an arse is all well and good, but he's probably thinking fine keep dropping me. You'll get the sack playing Sammon so do what you fecking want.

Can't blame him for dropping Adams - he always looks a lethargic sod. The travesty is to play Sammon instead.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Coming up are:

H.

Crewe
Walsall
Gillingham

A.

Southend

If we don't beat Crewe and then struggle to get much from the other games I think Kev's twitchy trigger finger will be in action.

Come the 10th April if we've only gained 2 points from our last 4 games I fear for him.

We're down to a bare bones of options. Personally, I'd like him to continue where he left off against Oldham. I don't really care about results at this stage just showing signs of hope for next season and giving the kids a chance.

I doubt I'm in the majority.

I’d be inclined to agree Robbie. I can see why he went for a bit more experience and physicality against Millwall but against Crewe, I’d like to see Whiteman, Reed and Adams involved. With Edgar and possibly Baptiste missing, we might also see one or two from McGahey, Kennedy, K. Wallace or even Semple.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

It amazes me that a lot of fans seem to think that it's us to blame for the last few seasons. We're 'impatient'. 'Can't keep sacking managers', 'Give him time.' etc. etc. You're right. Adkins' arrival was greeted with terrific goodwill when he came. Ditto Clough. We all wanted it to work. But the fact is, we've got significantly worse since last season. Now all we hear is 'Let him build his own team/ship out the dross' but how long do we give him? I reckon we're the most patient fans in football. If there was the slightest sign of a better future, then OK. But there isn't.

And as for chucking the kids into battle, that's something you do gradually so they can get guidance from the 'senlor pros'.

'You'll never win anything with kids'. Hitler tried it in Berlin in 1945, and look how that ended up.

I don’t think people are expecting us to win anything with kids or with the senior pros we have at the club. I think people just recognise that the likes of K. Wallace, Reed, Whiteman, Adams, DCL, Kelly, Semple, Brooks, Wright etc. will still be here next season whereas the likes of Howard, McEveley, Cuvelier, Flynn, Sammon etc. hopefully won’t. They’re also at an age where game time could help them develop and make them better players by the time next season comes around. Personally, I hope we have a good enough first team next season that all those kids listed above are subs rather than starters. Playing the odd game as and when required and hopefully developing further with the odd one staking a claim for a regular starting role.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Sounds to me that it was "let's pick a team to counter their strengths, rather than pick a team that are our strength" ..
Read that back and i'm sure I said the same on another forum about "Previous Nigel."

Warnock did that a lot and when it worked, he was lauded as a genius, when it didn’t he looked daft (Jagielka at LB at Coventry to counter James Scowcroft. We lost 2-0 and were atrocious). Swings and roundabouts and it’s very easy to say what should have been done with the benefit of hindsight Personally, I think the mistake was playing Cuvelier. I’d have kept Jay-Mac in defence and Bash in midfield over flo. For what it’s worth, I think playing the likes of Reed, Whiteman, Adams etc. would have seen us lose by more.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Exactly. Not much of a threat if the guy brought in is incapable. In that scenario, the player gets a bollocking but told to carry on. Can't wait for the end of this season

Everything I’ve heard/read suggested Sammon wasn’t bad?

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Interesting. I quite rate Reed as a prospect because I see good form one week followed by a schoolboy performance the next which is exactly what I'd expect t from a light weight youth prospect.

As regards DCL not seen anything from him yet. Early early days though.

Utb

I agree about Reed. DCL has a good leap on him and is reasonably quick but his first touch, decision making, vision, and upper body strength are all some way off at the moment. That’s not to say he can’t improve those aspects of his game. Let’s also remember he’s been recently converted to a striker so is also learning a new position.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Reed has not been allowed out on loan despite interest, but yet he's not an Adkins "player " because he's not 6 foot+, hence Whitemans selection in front of Reed. Reed will not be here next season unless Adkins leaves. Disgusting what Adkins has done to Reed, Calvert Lewin, Wallace and now Adams. Pathway for youngsters my arse

What on earth has he done to Adams? Or Calvert Lewin? You could well argue Reed and Wallace might have played more but Adams has played plenty of games now and it seems has twice let himself down getting on the wrong side of Adkins. If it had been Clough he probably would have been shown the door by now. The way some people just make things up to have a go at the manager astounds me.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Deadbat your'e a clueless wanker, and your match reports are biased upon your player opinions not what really happens on match days. You cannot possibly watch every player all of the game to give an accurate rating. Get a life saddo!

Ah so you’re just a dickhead here on the windup. OK, that previous post makes more sense now.

 

[BushBlade]

Adkins needs to start showing the green shoots of recovery and there's nothing at present.

Bar achieving a consistency we haven't all year, the play offs won't happen which is another reason Millwall away was such an own goal for Adkins.

All well and good celebrating the bright new world that Oldhan promised but when you lack the courage of your comvictions and revert to the old guard who subsequently let you down you're neither here nor there.

He'd have been better keeping the same team and if we lost he could at least put it down to blooding the kids and a learning experience.

As it is, he leaves that game with nothing to cling to and still no green shoots for the fans or season tickets.

I can't see how anything will change significantly whilst we still have the same players. To paraphrase Wenger, Adkins isn't God. He hasn't got a magic wand that will turn these inconsistent players into world beaters.
Nor had Bassett who, for all his ability, couldn't keep us up and couldn't turn us around until he could sign a load of players.

I don't know if Adkins is the right man or not but I think there are sufficient genuine reasons to give him the benefit of the doubt. And if he isn't, I haven't a clue who might be.

 

[davidpinder]

I was behind Adkins until saturday and now i'm not, another unacceptable team selection in Sammon and equally bad performance. The playoffs this season in this shocking division should have been easily achievable even with the team Clough left as he still managed it in a better division. His signings are shocking and he really comes across as though he doesn't care so get shut because surely we put a clause in his contact for a minimum finishing position. Bring in a manager who wants to manage us and who cares not someone who our board want to be managing us who just want a big pay packet.

 

[Balham]

Everything I’ve heard/read suggested Sammon wasn’t bad?

Sammon was awful but without being noticeably worse than anyone else. He just brings absolutely nothing to the team - he's 6' tall but doesn't win headers; he's reasonably well-built but can't hold the ball up. Webster and Beevers (despite the one quote Roygbiv found that William Henry Foulkes is clinging onto) had him in their pocket all day long.

There were a couple of occasions where Sammon's chronic lack of confidence shone through: in the first half when he played a simple 5 yard pass straight to the Millwall right back (I think he was aiming for Done) and in the second half when he tried to play Sharp in with a pass that was never on rather than look to the wing where there was another Blade in acres of space.

Rightly or wrongly he's also going to get next to no sympathy from the crowd so it really is a hiding to nothing playing him.

 

[Ted Danson]

I can't see how anything will change significantly whilst we still have the same players. To paraphrase Wenger, Adkins isn't God. He hasn't got a magic wand that will turn these inconsistent players into world beaters.
Nor had Bassett who, for all his ability, couldn't keep us up and couldn't turn us around until he could sign a load of players.
.

He seems to have a magic wand that turns a half decent team into a wank one devoid of confidence, hes set everyone of our players back this season, it is Adkins fault, he is a shit manager

 

[raul]

That's the way to look at it blade 67,
Young players sometimes have to be taken out of the firing line for the sake of there development.We have to trust the manager on occasions like this.Millwall are a physical team.

It's a good job Churchill and your Dad didn't just give in like this when the going got a bit tough.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Sammon was awful but without being noticeably worse than anyone else. He just brings absolutely nothing to the team - he's 6' tall but doesn't win headers; he's reasonably well-built but can't hold the ball up. Webster and Beevers (despite the one quote Roygbiv found that William Henry Foulkes is clinging onto) had him in their pocket all day long.

There were a couple of occasions where Sammon's chronic lack of confidence shone through: in the first half when he played a simple 5 yard pass straight to the Millwall right back (I think he was aiming for Done) and in the second half when he tried to play Sharp in with a pass that was never on rather than look to the wing where there was another Blade in acres of space.

Rightly or wrongly he's also going to get next to no sympathy from the crowd so it really is a hiding to nothing playing him.

Tagging Balham Blade bc I wouldn't want him to miss out

Sammon was fine. Did some good work, got some things wrong.

Player X did Y wrong is evidence of nothing other than bias.

Roygbiv's posts are a regular feature of this site. Sammon was *the only one of our players singled out for praise*, I reckon because he does a decent job and opposition fans are unencumbered by baggage.

The ones clinging on (the Klingons?) are the haters - but there's safety in numbers.

Afaics the last part of this post amounts to something like:
(1)an Angry Mob should pick the team
and
(2) whether a player actually plays well is irrelevant - what matters is whether noisy members of the crowd are placated.

I'd rather we had the best players for the job on the pitch.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Very true Deadbat 18 year old can go either way but to write Reed & DCL and others off is stupid.Yesterday was always going to be a battle that's Millwall
and obviously Adkins went for experience leaving the kids on the bench .with hindsight you can say he got it wrong as we lost anyway but I can understand why he did what he did.Being physically intimidated is not ideal at there stage of development,I think one or two will be back for the Crewe
game and I look forward with anticipation to that.

We are playing in the old third division were its now a walk in the park to what it used to be . He should have stuck with the winning side if all were fit . Forget Millwall , there is nothing more intimidating than playing at the lane these days .

We are supposedly a right set of uncaring fans giving dogs abuse to any player , any age with a white ( with very thin pin stripes ) shirt on.

Young players need to grow balls in a mans game or they will never make the cut. Senior pros need to grow balls and go out to protect the younger players.

UTB

 

[Balham]

Tagging Balham Blade bc I wouldn't want him to miss out

Sammon was fine. Did some good work, got some things wrong.

Player X did Y wrong is evidence of nothing other than bias.

Roygbiv's posts are a regular feature of this site. Sammon was *the only one of our players singled out for praise*, I reckon because he does a decent job and opposition fans are unencumbered by baggage.

The ones clinging on (the Klingons?) are the haters - but there's safety in numbers.

Afaics the last part of this post amounts to something like:
(1)an Angry Mob should pick the team
and
(2) whether a player actually plays well is irrelevant - what matters is whether noisy members of the crowd are placated.

I'd rather we had the best players for the job on the pitch.

I don't know what half of that was about but...

Sammon wasn't "fine". The only performance which was anywhere near acceptable was Long's in goal. None of our players were "singled out for praise"; the quote about Webster was that Sammon was a physical presence but that the Millwall defender got the better of him. That Sammon was substituted says as much. My guess is that Adkins picked him as he's the most physical of the potential partners for Sharp and we were up against a team with two big centre halves but it just didn't work.

Re the last bit of my post: Sammon seems to be a confidence player who's not going to get any more belief from playing in front of the critical United support. I'm not suggesting that the crowd should pick the team (if they did, we'd probably have Warnock back in charge..!); more that there seemed little point in bringing Sammon back into the team when he's playing as he is at the moment.

And "player X did Y wrong": we're talking about Sammon and I was presenting my view of why he was poor on Saturday. I genuinely want him to do well but I just don't think he's the answer at the moment.

I'd rather we had the best players for the job on the pitch.

That I can agree with.

 

[Darthblade]

It amazes me that a lot of fans seem to think that it's us to blame for the last few seasons. We're 'impatient'. 'Can't keep sacking managers', 'Give him time.' etc. etc. You're right. Adkins' arrival was greeted with terrific goodwill when he came. Ditto Clough. We all wanted it to work. But the fact is, we've got significantly worse since last season. Now all we hear is 'Let him build his own team/ship out the dross' but how long do we give him? I reckon we're the most patient fans in football. If there was the slightest sign of a better future, then OK. But there isn't.

And as for chucking the kids into battle, that's something you do gradually so they can get guidance from the 'senlor pros'.

'You'll never win anything with kids'. Hitler tried it in Berlin in 1945, and look how that ended up.

Agreed ...... the fans are in no way to blame for the extended stay in this agricultural division ....... the fans are the victims.

The Board, successive management teams and the players are to blame, particularly the players who have evidenced that they are not equipped or able to perform consistently at this level. A damning indictment indeed

UTB & FTP

 

[Bladesince59]

We've been 6 or 7 points light since August. What has Adkins done to make up the gap? Fuck all as far as I can see. Come may we will be 6 off the playoffs.

Utb

 

[alcoblade]

Tagging Balham Blade bc I wouldn't want him to miss out

Sammon was fine. Did some good work, got some things wrong.

Player X did Y wrong is evidence of nothing other than bias.

Roygbiv's posts are a regular feature of this site. Sammon was *the only one of our players singled out for praise*, I reckon because he does a decent job and opposition fans are unencumbered by baggage.

The ones clinging on (the Klingons?) are the haters - but there's safety in numbers.

Afaics the last part of this post amounts to something like:
(1)an Angry Mob should pick the team
and
(2) whether a player actually plays well is irrelevant - what matters is whether noisy members of the crowd are placated.

I'd rather we had the best players for the job on the pitch.

The manager completely dropping him from the mid table third division squad tells you what you need to know about Sammons contribution.

He was brought back to teach Adams a lesson, it seems.

We will see the reasoned, unbiased judgement on his time with us shortly. Any attempt to turn that into the fault of the fans will be countered by his contract signing at "Aldershot".

UTB

 

[alcoblade]

I don't know what half of that was about but...

Sammon wasn't "fine". The only performance which was anywhere near acceptable was Long's in goal. None of our players were "singled out for praise"; the quote about Webster was that Sammon was a physical presence but that the Millwall defender got the better of him. That Sammon was substituted says as much. My guess is that Adkins picked him as he's the most physical of the potential partners for Sharp and we were up against a team with two big centre halves but it just didn't work.

Re the last bit of my post: Sammon seems to be a confidence player who's not going to get any more belief from playing in front of the critical United support. I'm not suggesting that the crowd should pick the team (if they did, we'd probably have Warnock back in charge..!); more that there seemed little point in bringing Sammon back into the team when he's playing as he is at the moment.

And "player X did Y wrong": we're talking about Sammon and I was presenting my view of why he was poor on Saturday. I genuinely want him to do well but I just don't think he's the answer at the moment.



That I can agree with.

I'm past wanting him to do well. The bigger risk is that he would win any sort of contract next season.

He's clearly not gong to turn us into play off material.

UTB