The comedown since July

[s10blade]

I remember in the Summer the claims from some quarters that we only needed two or three new players, not a complete overhaul.

Oh how I laughed.

Sometimes the clappers clap too much and sometimes the knockers knock too hard. Who cares?

Yes, sorry you missed my point. The problems we've had for 5 years have always been blamed on the manager, hence 7 managers / caretakers between Blackwell and Adkins.

So for me, the manager was not the problem, regardless of bringing in a man with a track record and good cv at Southampton, we're not addressing the root cause.

Phipps, McCabe, Baki and Brannigan all sitting around with Adkins talking up promotion as if they've now solved the problem in July was always going to end with a stark realisation that their arrogance is as much to blame as any failings last season.

However the failure since July to even attempt to tackle the defensive and midfield issues with any permanent signings has been almost criminal in.

We may have the prettiest white away kit to wear and most durable pitch on which to count our jamie Murphy money, but when you have Howard, Collins and JCR back as your most experienced players the players we're heading nowhere fast.

Don't disagree with a word. To add to the despair, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if we offered new contracts to the shit that we all expect the club to ship out with excuse along the lines of we had to keep them because no one else available to bring in"

 

[HighfieldBlade]

I misread the thread title.
Thought it said "The comedy since July".

 

[Guesty]

We have plenty of talent, but it's the flair players, with 3-4 players more in the key positions, as well as some hard bastard captain, we'll get much more out of the other players.

Sadly, I think it's time to look elsewhere for a keeper, we need a big character in goal to pull strips off the defenders

Well I guess it's what you mean by 'talent'. If you mean ball control, and ball playing ability then sure we have some but if you mean all around ability, including reading, positioning, tactical intelligence, all around defending, covering space and getting a good performance out of team mates then we don't have enough.

I remember Stuart McCall in the triple assault season. He wasn't quick, never scored and didn't have the skill of Ndlovu or the striking ability of Brown. But he was smart, he harried and he *always* made himself available to the man on the ball. Is that talent? It's certainly a talent. This example is relative of course - McCall is far more talented in any sense of the word than the current crop of players, but it was his skills other than what might be described as talent that made him so vital to that side.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Sometimes the clappers clap too much and sometimes the knockers knock too hard. Who cares?


Don't disagree with a word. To add to the despair, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if we offered new contracts to the shit that we all expect the club to ship out with excuse along the lines of we had to keep them because no one else available to bring in"

What worries me is that resigning some of the shite might be the cheapest option close season as we build our third division team.

 

[bartman]

It's about more than just replacing the manager.

The manager hasn't helped himself thou.
He has inherited a bloated squad used to playing 4-5-1 and brought in more players in an attempt to initially play 4-4-2 . He then switches to a 4-3-3, or plays with no width and plays with no one in midfield who will go beyond the opposition central defenders.
Yesterday he brought Scougall on to play right wing and pushed Baxter in to the middle. At half time it was crying out for JCR to come on along with Scougall in place of any two from midfield in order to inject some pace into the game. He left it far too late to change the game

 

[Fulwood Blade]

We have plenty of talent, but it's the flair players, with 3-4 players more in the key positions, as well as some hard bastard captain, we'll get much more out of the other players.

Sadly, I think it's time to look elsewhere for a keeper, we need a big character in goal to pull strips off the defenders

but swiss - where is the "talent" for this league?

Our supposed talent doesn't fit this league. Opposition managers recognise what we are and counteract our "talent" by being organised, negating our talent and quite simply winning games of football, primarily by out doing us in various ways in midfield.

It is too easy for the opposition and it has been happening for 4 years now.

Adkins is trying his best with a squad bought for a boring Clough style 4-5-1 scenario. With 2 x CD last season we would IMHO got out.

Adkins is now fighting a losing battle - it's either wrong manager (again) or wrong style for these players.

Perhaps 3-4 key players - agreed, and they are CH x 2 (includes your hard bastard) and CM x 2 - we continue to ignore the basics of every football team and our latest recruit (Hammond) will simply create the new Doyle (and I feel sorry for him).

UTB