Has Adkins Lost it?

[BeatleBlade]

Someone said on Twitter that he sarcastically clapped the fans at the end of the game. I highly doubt that is true but can anyone who was there clear that up as I wasn't there.

 

[Guesty]

Coutts' second half chance? Sharp's chance also in the second half? Both good chances and other than Swindon's goal they didn't create any chances as good as the two I have mentioned.

Adkins was correct in what he said, take those chances and we could have got the win.

But the problem is the performance was very bad and desperately needs to improve. I'm not sure it can really get that much better with the players he has to work with. I'm just hoping and praying we can sign some better players before the window shuts.

The one they had straight after the equaliser was as good, when the right winger spooned it into the crowd.

 

[Large Mendonca]

Someone said on Twitter that he sarcastically clapped the fans at the end of the game. I highly doubt that is true but can anyone who was there clear that up as I wasn't there.

If there is any truth in that, then he's a dead man walking at this club.

 

[Ricky]

He lost it the day he took the job, just like the rest of them.

 

[Stretch]

Someone said on Twitter that he sarcastically clapped the fans at the end of the game. I highly doubt that is true but can anyone who was there clear that up as I wasn't there.

If there is any truth in that, then he's a dead man walking at this club.

Didn't see it myself but wasn't looking in that direction at the final whistle. I would be truly amazed if this is true, Adkins does not strike me as the type to disrespect supporters. At the end of the day, whatever his current failings may be, he is a nice bloke.
I Suspect this allegation is down to angry people with an agenda but I will eat humble pie of anyone can confirm it happened.

 

[TonyAgana]

My logic is that sacking Clough was wrong and compounded the problems we had. A manager with Adkins' record remains a better bet than most to build to a promotion winning squad given the clean slate we'll get this summer.

After the first two months of the season I'd pretty much given up on promotion with this set of players, as had many people on here. Crap results will continue to happen until they're gone, and I'm not about to be shocked when they do.

The board now have a choice. Sack their man in the continued belief that our problems are that simple. Or consider the fact that that's failed to work for us since we sacked Robbo way back when.

If he's as good a manager as his reputation would have us believe, he shouldn't have to entirely disassemble a squad that made the play-offs and a cup semi in the previous season.

This notion that every manager should have the opportunity to gut and rebuild is a modern fallacy. Of course every manager likes his own players but he's wanked his opportunity up the wall if he thinks the answer to last season's failings are met with one diamond and three lumps of coal.

 

[grafikhaus]

He pretty much admitted he got the last substitution wrong and I think we would have won today had Basham not come off injured. Adkins had planned to bring both Sammon and Adams on towards the end of the game but instead he was far too cautious. All he did was inadvertently replace the majority of the midfield at a crucial period of the match.

And that's his problem. When Swindon - inevitably - equalised, there were still around 15 minutes to play. At that stage, I was really not bothered if Swindon had got another goal, as a point at home for a team allegedly 'going for promotion' is no good. A truly adventurous, ambitious manager would have ordered his team to throw the fucking kitchen sink at Swindon and try for a winner. It's not in Adkins' vocabulary or mindset. Instead, we clung on to the point.

This undoubted upturn since Barnsley away - only one defeat in 8 League games - is beginning to contain too many draws. Even the win at Colchester was fortunate and relying on results against the team with the worst defensive record in all 4 divisions is unsustainable.

I expect to see the 'real' United at Blackpool, especially if Billy (who's goals have have single-handedly kept us sniffing around the play-off positions) is missing through injury. If he's out for any length of time, we really are fucked.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

We've got ourselves in a bit of a pickle. We are, I reckon, going to do quantifiably worse this season than last. After last season we canned the manager. If we do worse this time and keep Adkins on, where is the logic?

Bottom line is that we're that deep in the shit that even the wizard Merlin couldn't help us.

Its 11 red and white wizards we need.

 

[Blade59]

I have to say Adkins has not had the impact I would have hoped. However we have to give him time to learn from his mistakes and put them right (in hind site probably should have done the same with Clough). Give him 2 full seasons but we also need a proper long term plan from the board in terms of where we need to get to, how we are going to do it and what we are going to do when we get there.

 

[CG Blade]

He did clap rather loudly I could hear it from where I was, he looked really unhappy, but he did clap to,all parts of the ground, my original thought it was more directed to the directors box.
Be interesting to find out who the player was, that he originally he was trying to get on loan, the club wouldn't let him out, now he has been trying to buy him, but he is going to the premier.

 

[JohnDenver]

If he's as good a manager as his reputation would have us believe, he shouldn't have to entirely disassemble a squad that made the play-offs and a cup semi in the previous season.

This notion that every manager should have the opportunity to gut and rebuild is a modern fallacy. Of course every manager likes his own players but he's wanked his opportunity up the wall if he thinks the answer to last season's failings are met with one diamond and three lumps of coal.

But last season we finished just inside the playoffs and this season we're a couple of places shy. That's not sacking material yet.

I was optimistic last summer until I saw the XI at Gillingham. Then I woke up to the fact we're an average Div 1 team. It was a team with no spine, and remains one with no worthwhile central defenders to call our own. It's also a team devoid of pace and width. Is it any surprise our style has reverted to Clough's in order to squeeze out some results?

New manager, old problems, rinse, repeat. Your modern fallacy could equally be an old truism, because sacked managers rarely leave a trouble free squad behind. Clough was a far better manager than Robson for instance, so there are no quick answers.

 

[grafikhaus]

What I meant with my last point was let's see how next season goes from the off. He will have had 2 transfer windows to shape a team and if we haven't grabbed the league by the scruff of the neck, being top of the league after 10-15 matches then I would think about a change.

I'd agree. Contrary to a lot of my posts doubting Adkins' abilities as a manager, he's the best we can hope for. (See, we sound like Crewe or Fleetwood now.) No point getting rid, as we'd only employ another idiot who 'talks the talk' at interview but fails to back it up on the pitch but, as Stretch says, there can be absolutely no excuses for failure next season. Oh, and he should stay off the radio if he only spouts cobblers.(Go on, tap it in!)

 

[Worksop II]

The one they had straight after the equaliser was as good, when the right winger spooned it into the crowd.

Winger !!

It was their number 2, the right back Nathan Thomson, he didnt have owt to do back there, so he wandered up there

Pretty decent chance

 

[TonyAgana]

But last season we finished just inside the playoffs and this season we're a couple of places shy. That's not sacking material yet.

Not this factor in its own, no.

I was optimistic last summer until I saw the XI at Gillingham. Then I woke up to the fact we're an average Div 1 team. It was a team with no spine, and remains one with no worthwhile central defenders to call our own. It's also a team devoid of pace and width. Is it any surprise our style has reverted to Clough's in order to squeeze out some results?

It's largely the same squad, though. The squad contains width and pace.

New manager, old problems, rinse, repeat. Your modern fallacy could equally be an old truism, because sacked managers rarely leave a trouble free squad behind. Clough was a far better manager than Robson for instance, so there are no quick answers.

Modern as in coinciding with short-term managerial reigns. New manager = new squad. It all adds to the horse-shit merry-go-round.

 

[metalblade]

I'm slowly moving into the Barney school of thought. The only person to blame for yet more dropped points yesterday was Adkins. He might be the best we can get at this level but we have only seen improvements in one area and that is overall squad fitness. We are playing the same old negative stuff that Clough used to get points, the issues we have had for a number of years have not been resolved the guy is playing his favourites much like Clough did but they have done little to improve the team, in the case of Hammond and Woolford they have been woeful yet we have just extended the loan of Hammond ................ unbelievable. I'm very disappointed in Adkins so far in every respect apart from the players seem fitter and some seem to be getting over their long term injuries, maybe we should change Adkins job role to physio.

 

[robbiez666]

Obviously a frustrating day.
But here we have a PROVEN manager, there have been mistakes, there might be more, but we have the best man for the job.
We can't be looking at changing manager again, this is the man to take us into the Championship, someone who knows how to get teams promoted, and will get us where we want to be

We have an incredibly negative fan base, 5 years in League One has killed us all, but this is the time to UNITE, and support the tem u are suppose to support.
Easy when we are winning, a test when we aren't

Stay true and believe, negativity isn't helping anyone.

Up the Blades.

I think most of us are more resigned to our fate than actually angry. I think we need to wait until next season to properly judge Adkins but there needs to be a wholesale clearout of the vast majority of this squad.

 

[Bartleby]

Coutts' second half chance? Sharp's chance also in the second half? Both good chances and other than Swindon's goal they didn't create any chances as good as the two I have mentioned.

Adkins was correct in what he said, take those chances and we could have got the win.

But the problem is the performance was very bad and desperately needs to improve. I'm not sure it can really get that much better with the players he has to work with. I'm just hoping and praying we can sign some better players before the window shuts.

Yes, I'm not saying we didn't have chances (there was Sharps' header in the first half as well) but it's inaccurate to imply they didn't and he paints a distorted picture of the game I saw. As I said their finishing was poor, I lost count of how many shots they had that blazed high or wide - off target or not they count as chances in my book.

I'm not getting excited by this transfer window either, it's a rebuild over the summer that we need in my opinion. I try to be on the optimistic side with my posts but after yesterday I can no longer buy into the "we are just a target man and a centre back away from a promotion contending side".

 

[Guesty]

Winger !!

It was their number 2, the right back Nathan Thomson, he didnt have owt to do back there, so he wandered up there

Pretty decent chance

Ah yes, to be honest I was guessing because he was in the right wing position when the chance fell to him.

 

[derryblade]

I find to strange that a manager who has been so tight lipped on transfers suddenly changes tack and starts giving out information, vague admitted, but more than he ever did before. Six figure bids, bid made for player now Premiership bound, not sure what he hopes to achieve making that information public. It won't pacify many supporters IMO, they will just expect the owners to spend more and get the targets in, or irate other supporters by going for targets we hadn't a hope in hell of getting. We all know we got JB, was he worth the wedge we paid, I would say a definite no but that's a personal opinion.

 

[metalblade]

I find to strange that a manager who has been so tight lipped on transfers suddenly changes tack and starts giving out information, vague admitted, but more than he ever did before. Six figure bids, bid made for player now Premiership bound, not sure what he hopes to achieve making that information public. It won't pacify many supporters IMO, they will just expect the owners to spend more and get the targets in, or irate other supporters by going for targets we hadn't a hope in hell of getting. We all know we got JB, was he worth the wedge we paid, I would say a definite no but that's a personal opinion.

I haven't heard that one about a player we were after going to a premiership club this has to be more bullshit from Adkins, what chance does a league one club have of getting a player good enough to go to the premiership when they only offer six figure sums ? More chance of our lass wanking the Pope off than us landing such a player. The statements coming out of SUFC seem to be becoming more and more desperate in an effort to placate the fans, I wonder what they will say in the summer when we are planning another season in league one on gates of sub 15,000. If things don't alter drastically and fast there is no way I and I suspect quite a lot of fans will not be re-newing their season tickets.

 

[robbiez666]

It brings us back to Clough and the attempted signings there. Are we looking in the right places for players? We seem to be infatuated with bringing in players from above, spending all our efforts on them, and not looking at the bigger picture. We aren't one player short of a good side, we're several players short.

 

[super_pig]

I haven't heard that one about a player we were after going to a premiership club this has to be more bullshit from Adkins, what chance does a league one club have of getting a player good enough to go to the premiership when they only offer six figure sums ? More chance of our lass wanking the Pope off than us landing such a player. The statements coming out of SUFC seem to be becoming more and more desperate in an effort to placate the fans, I wonder what they will say in the summer when we are planning another season in league one on gates of sub 15,000. If things don't alter drastically and fast there is no way I and I suspect quite a lot of fans will not be re-newing their season tickets.

i'm starting to think that the only way i can get mccabes attention is by not renewing my ST

 

[Crofton Blade]

I think he needs to start by selecting the best players in the squad as the starting line up. Looks like we're stuck with the back four but for me the midfield needs an overhaul. We don't need 4 defensive minded midfielders in there, although Coutts has turned it around and has become well worth his place. Hammond, Basham and Woolford should all be replaced asap. We have real footballers on the bench in Baxter, JCR and Che so please put them in the side. Playing the way we are, with a back 4 then a rack of 4 midfielders playing just in front of them and then two strikers isolated up front means that playing Done is a waste of time as he never gets a sniff.
Time to have a go Nigel and unleash the flair players. Sooner rather than later please.

 

[bladesman3]

God help us!!!!

 

[Booker4]

All criticisms are understandable right now re Adkins as we are under performing. But we tried the attacking approach and we shipped goals. You listen to Adkins interviews and he has said he wants to play attacking football but for now we need to keep it tight. My feelings are that Adkins subs could be better and I don't see why he didn't change it with more positive subs and he's been guloty of that on more than one occasion. However, we need to realise that he clearly doesn't rate much of what he inherited and we need to (sadly) be patient and let him bring in his own more attacking players that he does trust. In the meantime its going to be more of the same.

We do suffer, in my view at home, from a poor atmosphere that only inspires the opposition that come to the Lane and if we don't score early or even if we do, the crowd are quiet, because in the fans view these league one games are not what gets the blood boiling and it does go onto the pitch. I can't find a home and away table, but I'm guessing that home and away form is pretty much the same, whereas the home form should be the bedrock of promotion, but it isn't and that's not going to change until the team has more creativity and pace whilst retaining a solid spine and I can't see us getting that until next season, assuming Adkins still won't pick JCR and Adams etc.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Is it really 4-4-2 tho?

Seems much more like 8-0-2 at the moment

I couldn't have put it better in one sentence.

 

[sheffielder]

i'm starting to think that the only way i can get mccabes attention is by not renewing my ST

just don't tell the wife. The critical part of this plan

 

[CarlMcBlade]

A professional football team should be able to both attack and defend within the confines of same 90 minute period. This team seem to be programmed to either defend for 90 mins or errrrrm . . . . defend for 90 mins