Managerial Merrygoround: Are you happy with Clough?

[Kev Gee]

A big yes from me!

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

The thing that impresses me about Clough is that he doesn't let his footballing ideals or preferences get in the way of achieving results. I was baffled a couple of times with his midfield selection but he made it work. He can look at a group of players and understand their strengths and limitations.

So far very good.

 

[BladeFisher]

The thing that impresses me about Clough is that he doesn't let his footballing ideals or preferences get in the way of achieving results. I was baffled a couple of times with his midfield selection but he made it work. He can look at a group of players and understand their strengths and limitations.

So far very good.

From afar looks like your analysis is spot on. In answer to the OP yes.

His fundamental task is to keep United up, then move forward. So far there is every reason to believe he will do that. Though possibly not by much margin.

 

[Gibbo89]

Very happy indeed. I'm looking forward to seeing him emulate his father's achievements for Forest and Derby with us. Not wishing to be too clappy of course Seriously I think he's made a good start and unlike previous incumbents I'm confident he knows what he's doing. Nice change.

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

Very happy indeed. I'm looking forward to seeing him emulate his father's achievements for Forest and Derby with us. Not wishing to be too clappy of course Seriously I think he's made a good start and unlike previous incumbents I'm confident he knows what he's doing. Nice change.

People are always quick to shoot down the comparisons of BC to NC, but to me there seems to be many similarities under a different veneer. Nigel is as dull as dishwater in his interviews and seldom makes bold statements, so you'd tend to think he is almost opposite to Brian. But I am encouraged when I see him yelling and organising a team that badly needed direction. I am just as happy to see his man-management; Brandy has been told to warrant a way back into the first team via the U21's squad which addresses a severe discipline problem we had and he is also nurturing the players back into top form. Characteristics that are associated to his Dads success.

Definite man-crush on Nigel Clough right now...

 

[DeepcarBlade]

People are always quick to shoot down the comparisons of BC to NC, but to me there seems to be many similarities under a different veneer. Nigel is as dull as dishwater in his interviews and seldom makes bold statements, so you'd tend to think he is almost opposite to Brian. But I am encouraged when I see him yelling and organising a team that badly needed direction. I am just as happy to see his man-management; Brandy has been told to warrant a way back into the first team via the U21's squad which addresses a severe discipline problem we had and he is also nurturing the players back into top form. Characteristics that are associated to his Dads success.

Definite man-crush on Nigel Clough right now...

I also hear that Nigel is hitting players hard in the pocket, with proper fines, for disciplinary problems.

 

[SwissBlade]

People are always quick to shoot down the comparisons of BC to NC, but to me there seems to be many similarities under a different veneer. Nigel is as dull as dishwater in his interviews and seldom makes bold statements, so you'd tend to think he is almost opposite to Brian. But I am encouraged when I see him yelling and organising a team that badly needed direction. I am just as happy to see his man-management; Brandy has been told to warrant a way back into the first team via the U21's squad which addresses a severe discipline problem we had and he is also nurturing the players back into top form. Characteristics that are associated to his Dads success.

Definite man-crush on Nigel Clough right now...

I disagree. I enjoy listening to him, he's intelligent, informative and gives an insight into what he's trying to do with the team, where it's working and where it's not. He's (so far) not been aggressive or overly excitable about decisions or mistakes. He tells it like it is.

I particularly liked the way he spoke after Gillingham. It was as if he'd allowed things to play out for the first few weeks, but you sensed that if the players thought mistakes like that were acceptable then Cloughie was about to start doing things his way to get the results.

I've never listened to a manager at the lane as attentively as I have with Cloughie so far

 

[Wards]

I was impressed in the fact he took a slightly different approach to things yesterday.

Now, I tuned in late (saw the second half) but it appeared we were playing 5-3-2/3-5-2. Fair to say I was shocked. I've become accustomed to the square pegs/round holes approach.

As our full backs and wide options are mostly gash I wouldn't mind us seeing use this set up a bit more going forward. Gives us greater options in midfield plus the ability to slot Baxter in there somewhere. Flynn is probably ideally suited to the right wing back role and we have good-ish options on the left between White/Lappin/Murphy.

 

[grafikhaus]

I disagree. I enjoy listening to him, he's intelligent, informative and gives an insight into what he's trying to do with the team, where it's working and where it's not. He's (so far) not been aggressive or overly excitable about decisions or mistakes. He tells it like it is.

I'd agree with that. Anyway, do we ever hear the true person being interviewed? It's a minefield, where anything can be misinterpreted - especially by the bozos on RS.

Take it from us, you're doing fine.

 

[SwissBlade]

I was impressed in the fact he took a slightly different approach to things yesterday.

Now, I tuned in late (saw the second half) but it appeared we were playing 5-3-2/3-5-2. Fair to say I was shocked. I've become accustomed to the square pegs/round holes approach.

As our full backs and wide options are mostly gash I wouldn't mind us seeing use this set up a bit more going forward. Gives us greater options in midfield plus the ability to slot Baxter in there somewhere. Flynn is probably ideally suited to the right wing back role and we have good-ish options on the left between White/Lappin/Murphy.

Funnily enough I joked that we should play 3-5-2 when Harry was out the other week. Never thought Clough would listen though

Gash is striker I think, got two for Kidderminster at the weekend

 

[Linz]

As our full backs and wide options are mostly gash I wouldn't mind us seeing use this set up a bit more going forward. Gives us greater options in midfield plus the ability to slot Baxter in there somewhere. Flynn is probably ideally suited to the right wing back role and we have good-ish options on the left between White/Lappin/Murphy.

We'd have to do it better than we did yesterday. Hill and Collins were occupying the space that they would in a back four, leaving Maguire half the pitch to deal with. Cambridge tried to exploit it in the first half but tired in the second. With all due respect to them, a better team would have run us ragged at the back.

 

[Wards]

We'd have to do it better than we did yesterday. Hill and Collins were occupying the space that they would in a back four, leaving Maguire half the pitch to deal with. Cambridge tried to exploit it in the first half but tired in the second. With all due respect to them, a better team would have run us ragged at the back.

Yeah it did take some working out to see what formation we were playing because I couldn't quite work out where Hill was meant to be covering. He kind of got stuck between the two positions but not surprising since it's very rare that players are trained to play in that formation these days.

Think the last time we used it successfully was under Spackman. It's probably my favourite set-up but I think it requires your players to be pretty switched on and generally of a better standard than the opposition. Reckon we'd struggle to replicate it in the league for those reasons alone.

 

[sheffielder]

fucking ecstatic we have Cloughie looking at the lack of options the pigs have got. Good job we didn't wait longer.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

fucking ecstatic we have Cloughie looking at the lack of options the pigs have got. Good job we didn't wait longer.

Couldn't we send them Weir round?

 

[Grecian2000]

I like the cut of his jib.

Still don't much care for many of the players, but I'm hoping he can keep picking up the points with this shower and bring in some talent in January and push for mid-table.
Hoping a full summer of proper recruitment will mean a good push next season with a completely different squad.

 

[Ashtonsmashton]

Very happy with Nigel

 

[UnitedBlade]

I was firmly of the belief that we were in such terminal decline and that no one could turn it round with this bunch of players.

It hasn't been pretty but if you include the cup games, he has a 50% win rate.

I like what he says and the way he has already instilled discipline in the side.

The acid test is the summer clearout. We've had years of replacing players with others that are worse.

Have we finally hit bottom and are on the up ?

We're lucky to have a young-ish manager that has managed getting on for a thousand games.

UTB

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

I disagree. I enjoy listening to him, he's intelligent, informative and gives an insight into what he's trying to do with the team, where it's working and where it's not. He's (so far) not been aggressive or overly excitable about decisions or mistakes. He tells it like it is.

I agree completely, I was referring more to his tone. His message is always clear, concise and pretty honest.