Baffled by Adkins

[The Bohemian]

Adkins' decision making was bizarre and seriously worrying tonight:

- Started with Edgar as a holding midfielder, with Coutts and Reed on the bench. Why?

- Took off McEveley - probably our best performer to that point, leaving Brayford, who'd been a non-entity, on, and moved him to left back, which made him even less effective

- Put young Whiteman into the middle of a desperate team performance, for his home league debut, with the crowd on the team's back. Unsurprisingly, he froze and will remember his special night for all the wrong reasons

- As for our new loan signing: He was awful tonight, which may be understandable given his injury and lay-off but why have we signed a player who has played no football all season after a double leg break in pre-season?

I've tried hard to keep an open mind on Adkins but his decision making leaves me seriously concerned. There was no plan or pattern tonight. The players were poor, individually and collectively. His substitutions, yet again, made us worse.

Burton, for the second time this season, looked a poor excuse for potential title winners, which simply emphasises what a disaster this season has been.

Sorry Adkins, just not good enough!

 

[Wards]

On one of your points I thought it was a shithouse move by Adkins throwing the two young lads on - the senior players masquerading as professionals should've been the ones taking the flak, not those two poor bastards.

 

[robbiez666]

On one of your points I thought it was a shithouse move by Adkins throwing the two young lads on - the senior players masquerading as professionals should've been the ones taking the flak, not those two poor bastards.

Have to agree with this.

I'm guessing, given Edgar has played in defensive midfield at a higher level, that he wanted a more defensive midfield. The fact Edgar was widely slagged off when he played there for previous teams is another thing entirely.

 

[Smirth]

Putting Whiteman on was just a mind boggling one. Probably his worst of the night.

What the hell was he thinking the kid could do to change the fortunes of this team? You are right, he'll remember the boos, the frustration and the negativity for some time now. Stupid of Adkins IMO and the latest in a season of fuck ups he has made.

 

[Bladesman]

Adkins' decision making was bizarre and seriously worrying tonight:

- Started with Edgar as a holding midfielder, with Coutts and Reed on the bench. Why?

- Took off McEveley - probably our best performer to that point, leaving Brayford, who'd been a non-entity, on, and moved him to left back, which made him even less effective

- Put young Whiteman into the middle of a desperate team performance, for his home league debut, with the crowd on the team's back. Unsurprisingly, he froze and will remember his special night for all the wrong reasons

- As for our new loan signing: He was awful tonight, which may be understandable given his injury and lay-off but why have we signed a player who has played no football all season after a double leg break in pre-season?

I've tried hard to keep an open mind on Adkins but his decision making leaves me seriously concerned. There was no plan or pattern tonight. The players were poor, individually and collectively. His substitutions, yet again, made us worse.

Burton, for the second time this season, looked a poor excuse for potential title winners, which simply emphasises what a disaster this season has been.

Sorry Adkins, just not good enough!

Emphasises how shit the division is and how stupid it was of the board not to make any transfers during January.

Like I said the other week this season was an open goal for promotion. Just we have spent most of it offloading the dross from the squad.

 

[robbiez666]

Putting Whiteman on was just a mind boggling one. Probably his worst of the night.

What the hell was he thinking the kid could do to change the fortunes of this team? You are right, he'll remember the boos, the frustration and the negativity for some time now. Stupid of Adkins IMO and the latest in a season of fuck ups he has made.

I have no issue with him putting Whiteman on. My problem was throwing them both in at the same time in midfield.

 

[The Bohemian]

On one of your points I thought it was a shithouse move by Adkins throwing the two young lads on - the senior players masquerading as professionals should've been the ones taking the flak, not those two poor bastards.

DCL has games under his belt and I could understand the decision to let him chase around up front after hopeful balls. Putting Whiteman on in the holding role in that situation was as you describe it.

 

[Hartley Hare]

I think he is trying to make a silk purse from a sows ear.

We haven't had a settled side, or formation for sometime and I am sure this is contributing to the poor and confusing performances.

We are in a pickle.

HH

 

[sheepbridge]

I wondered at the time if maybe he had done it because he sensed the crowd could be about to get nasty and thought that was less likely with two kids on who we all want to do well.
This season is basically over now. The only way to save it is to at least try the kids and see if any are worth keeping because we know most of the seniors aren't and is probably the only way it won't get really nasty if we keep putting in the performances we currently are.
Possibly the one good thing this season has been the re-emergence of Long who has done very little wrong since his recall.

 

[blackydog]

Adkins' decision making was bizarre and seriously worrying tonight:

- Started with Edgar as a holding midfielder, with Coutts and Reed on the bench. Why?

- Took off McEveley - probably our best performer to that point, leaving Brayford, who'd been a non-entity, on, and moved him to left back, which made him even less effective

- Put young Whiteman into the middle of a desperate team performance, for his home league debut, with the crowd on the team's back. Unsurprisingly, he froze and will remember his special night for all the wrong reasons

- As for our new loan signing: He was awful tonight, which may be understandable given his injury and lay-off but why have we signed a player who has played no football all season after a double leg break in pre-season?

I've tried hard to keep an open mind on Adkins but his decision making leaves me seriously concerned. There was no plan or pattern tonight. The players were poor, individually and collectively. His substitutions, yet again, made us worse.

Burton, for the second time this season, looked a poor excuse for potential title winners, which simply emphasises what a disaster this season has been.

Sorry Adkins, just not good enough!

 

[BeatleBlade]

Even though Adkins hasn't met expectations I think he is trying his very best to polish a turd.
"Players lose you games, not tactics. There’s so much crap talked about tactics by people who barely know how to win at dominoes." Brian Clough

 

[Roygbiv]

I think he is just trying anything and everything out as he knows nothing will be good enough with these players. I think bringing the young lads on was maybe a statement to the senior players in the squad. You've had your chances. Not sure it was the best environment but I can only imagine the decision was made out of pure frustration at the so called professionals who have ruined his and our season

McEverley was injured I think.

 

[blackydog]

Looking from the westfield stand - great view but no atmosphere - i thought McEverly had got a knock and was hobbling. McEverly is looking a better player match by match and has now started to forage forward, if the midfield have the nous to cover for him as he goes forward i think he can only improve. And he was taking some serious flak from SOME of the fans in early season but has turned it around, credit where credit due for me.