Adkins record

[davidpinder]

Nigel Adkins has achieved promotion from league one with 2 clubs Scunthorpe and Southampton, if you look at there results in both seasons you will see they perform much better after Xmas in fact Scunny went on a very long unbeaten run during Jan, Feb and March losing 2 games between Jan and May. Southampton lost 2 games after xmas as well could this be simply down to time and adapting to his style? He won't get it right instantly and if we can get a settled side, with this league being as poor as it is we should be able yo put a run together after xmas to achieve our goal.

 

[blader]

Southampton lost hardly any games in the last 2 months of the season, could this be simply down to time and adapting to his style? .

I'd suggest it's more down to having a squad which contained:

Morgan Schniederlin
Jose Fonte
Rickie Lambert
Jason Puncheon
Do Prado
Adam Lallana
Oxlaide-Chaimberlain

Now this is certainly not a criticism of Adkins, but I'm fairly sure having those players in League 1 is a push in the right direction!

No manager in the world can get our group of players to play a fast-paced, organised and flair-filled style of football because have no (or very few) players which meet any of those criteria. Adkins has a hand tied behind his back. You put up a good manager with poor players against a poor manager with good players, and the poor manager will win every time. Just have a look at Steve Cotterill last season! What an awful manager, but they stormed the league because they had the best players.

Adkins isn't the first port of call here. He can't be overly criticised because the ability of our squad he inherited was so low. Now, yes, he is responsible for formations, tactics and in-game changes, for which he can be rightly criticised. However, having a squad such as ours already limits what he can do. Do you think he wants to have Mcgahey and Collins at CB? Do you think he wants Howard as our keeper? etc etc No, but this is the hand he's been dealt. He wanted Burn, the money men said no. So what can he do? He's got no choice but to play the players available. I'm sure he'd identified other players that he was quickly made aware we would not be willing to purchase.

He's been able to bring in two permanent signings, one brilliant, and one poor. His loanees have been average, but loanees are always a gamble in themselves. Let's also not forget he had a full pre-season assuming we would have our best player from last season playing for us before he was inevitably sold at the last minute. Managers may make mistakes at this club, but they don't have get f*cked over from the powers above them on a regular basis!

 

[Stretch]

I still think it will come good. We have plenty of firepower and the midfield is taking shape now. We will also get stronger in the FB positions when everyone is fit.

Can we muddle on through until the CB and keeper situation is sorted though? I think we will be in a similar position in January, 5 or 6 points off auto. Hopefully we will see half a dozen players shipped out to be replaced by 2 or 3 quality players.

The league is as poor as it's ever been this season and will be there for the taking as long as we stay in touch until Christmas.


It's going to be up and down until then though.

 

[Bladesman]

It will come good eventually for Adkins but he needs backing.

 

[Blade82]

He is getting more out of those players than clough did. Only 2 of the 11 started today were his signings. He needs time (and a bit of dosh)

 

[davidpinder]

I'd suggest it's more down to having a squad which contained:

Morgan Schniederlin
Jose Fonte
Rickie Lambert
Jason Puncheon
Do Prado
Adam Lallana
Oxlaide-Chaimberlain

Now this is certainly not a criticism of Adkins, but I'm fairly sure having those players in League 1 is a push in the right direction!

And Scunthorpe ?

 

[sitwell]

He is getting more out of those players than clough did. Only 2 of the 11 started today were his signings. He needs time (and a bit of dosh)

The table says different

 

[Harry's Game]

We were more points off the top at this stage last season and we have scored more goals this season.

Still nowhere near good enough though...

 

[Blade82]

The table says different

Adkins is averaging more points than clough managed last year. He's clearing up cloughs mess. He inherited a dross squad who had negativity engrained in to them. Our top league goalscorer last year was 9 goals. This year we'll have two players over nine before the new year. Like I said only two players in the starting 11 are his own even if this is the case come May I'd bet we'd still finish on more points than last year. If he gets funds we can easily make top 2.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Adkins is averaging more points than clough managed last year. He's clearing up cloughs mess. He inherited a dross squad who had negativity engrained in to them. Our top league goalscorer last year was 9 goals. This year we'll have two players over nine before the new year. Like I said only two players in the starting 11 are his own even if this is the case come May I'd bet we'd still finish on more points than last year. If he gets funds we can easily make top 2.

This may well be a low points total for automatic but the average points needed over the last ten years shows us being about 9/10 points short.

Doesn't sound much but we can get 15 points up to Barnsley and we need 25 to be on target.

Be very wary of using the word easily.

We are coming from a low base.

 

[Blade82]

This may well be a low points total for automatic but the average points needed over the last ten years shows us being about 9/10 points short.

Doesn't sound much but we can get 15 points up to Barnsley and we need 25 to be on target.

Be very wary of using the word easily.

We are coming from a low base.

Yes but I'm looking at the top 3. Non of Walsall Gillingham and burton will be in the autos. Small squads and injuries, suspensions, transfers,
Potential loss of manager to bigger clubs will take its toll. It's between us Wigan and Coventry so therefore were all pretty much on a level playing field I believe. Maybe blind faith but time will tell.