What's up with this team?

[true99blade]

I don't think we've had a good manager since Warnock left.

I didn't mind Blackwell, sacking him was a mistake.

 

[Jon Bon]

Well we are really in a relegation dogfight now. What's up with these tossers?

I hope they're all out on the frigging Moors in the morning...

I hope not. I don't want to be tripping over those out-of-breath, fat fucks when I'm lolloping over Bleaklow...

 

[alcoblade]

Long was awful ,nesh and slow for the first ,and out of position and slow for the second ,but his main problem is he has no presence. Good shot stopper but very little else.

Agreed, but possibly not too surprising given his age and position?

UTB

 

[WhiteHawk]

Didn't think there was much that Long could do for the 2nd one TBH. He made 2 saves and was unfortunate that the 2nd one hit one of our players and went in. He was shocking for the first one though. Very slow to react and wimped out of the challenge. Awful goalkeeping.

Fuck knows what McGinn has done to not get in the starting line up though.

 

[Dnblade]

Two daft goals at the beginning of each half didn't help...Against a big physical outfit like Gillingham,the ball was in the air far to much and it played into their hands...nothing coming from wide areas apart from some great deliveries from Lappin from corners and the odd cross,plus the Full Backs didn't get up in support.
When we did get the ball down in the final third,Miller and Porter linked up quite well.
The Midfield was out muscled and never got to grips with the game...Doyle was poor and wasteful in possession.Lappin..some good deliveries but no penetration..Flynn..tidy in possession,one good run and shot in the 2nd half but other than that didn't get crosses in,didn't get behind or beyond his man..White..got behind them once,I think that was it.
Also to many long diagonal balls from from Maguire,Hill,McMahon and even Baxter got in on the act,and it achieved nothing.
At least Baxter tried to pass the ball and create..I wonder if a central pairing of Lappin and Baxter might be worth a look.
One big positive though...Shaun Miller.
UTB!

 

[cooperblade]

But, two loans apart, it was basically Wilson's team that lost at home to Gillingham today to take us down to 23rd in the third tier.

I don't think we've had a good manager since Warnock left.

Wilson had a worse squad and had us in the play-off places. We now look a good bet for relegation.

Whatever Wilson's faults, he had us organised and very solid.

This squad, under Wilson, would be a long way from 23rd.

 

[Foxy]

At least Baxter tried to pass the ball and create..I wonder if a central pairing of Lappin and Baxter might be worth a look.

At the moment, for me Baxter simply doesn't look fit enough or good enough to warrant a starting place even in the position we are in.

1 very good pass and a ridiculous challenge was the sum of his achievements today.

I've no doubt there is a better player in him, but he needs to get fitter and force his way in.

 

[Dnblade]

At the moment, for me Baxter simply doesn't look fit enough or good enough to warrant a starting place even in the position we are in.

1 very good pass and a ridiculous challenge was the sum of his achievements today.

I've no doubt there is a better player in him, but he needs to get fitter and force his way in.

I agree with that,he's never looked fit along with a few others.I just feel we need a bit of creativity in there somewhere but it's probably why NC isn't playing him much.

 

[Bladesway]

But, two loans apart, it was basically Wilson's team that lost at home to Gillingham today to take us down to 23rd in the third tier.

Telling you what a good manager Wilson was.

 

[Rodley]

But, two loans apart, it was basically Wilson's team that lost at home to Gillingham today to take us down to 23rd in the third tier.

I don't think we've had a good manager since Warnock left.

Nah he was shit, big mouth, signed too many strikers etc. We should have beaten Newcastle by more than 1 goal at St. James Park, fucking useless Colin!

 

[Bergen Blade]

'

Wilson had a worse squad and had us in the play-off places. We now look a good bet for relegation.

Whatever Wilson's faults, he had us organised and very solid.

This squad, under Wilson, would be a long way from 23rd.

Probably true, but I think a lot of managers, would also have achieved that.

Somehow our bench looks better than the starting XI. Today's team was something all of Wilson, Adams, Speed, Blackwell and Robson may have lined up with. Would any of them have got a convincing win?

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Our players are poor, but not that poor.

UTB

Generally agree with your posts Alco but that's "talking bollocks"

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Wilson had a worse squad and had us in the play-off places. We now look a good bet for relegation.

Whatever Wilson's faults, he had us organised and very solid.

This squad, under Wilson, would be a long way from 23rd.

I said the day they sacked him it was a big mistake. He had stopped the rot and even if he had never got us up, we were in no position at the time to start getting high ideals about footballing philosophies etc.

Wilson's brand of football was flexible and well organised. With a bit of money he could have built on it further. In fairness though, Clough now has a much harder job than the one Wilson walked into.

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

With a bit of money he could have built on it further. In fairness though, Clough now has a much harder job than the one Wilson walked into.

Wilson signings were terrible for the most part. Howard, Flynn, Murphy, Porter, Williams and Westlake are deadwood we need to be rid of. I wouldn't have trusted him with a generous but finite transfer budget like we have now.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Wilson signings were terrible for the most part. Howard, Flynn, Murphy, Porter, Williams and Westlake are deadwood we need to be rid of. I wouldn't have trusted him with a generous but finite transfer budget like we have now.

But where were we in the league with him in charge? He actually managed to make something resembling a purse out of a sow's ear.

 

[Sirius]

At the moment, for me Baxter simply doesn't look fit enough or good enough to warrant a starting place even in the position we are in.

1 very good pass and a ridiculous challenge was the sum of his achievements today.

I've no doubt there is a better player in him, but he needs to get fitter and force his way in.

Guys pay good money to get themselves fit and keep that way whilst holding down full time jobs.
How hard can it be for a footballer, to at least get fit in the 'firms' time? The club should introduce standards that must be met in this regard. I suppose we cant polish a turd but at least we should try make it run faster and for longer.

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

I'm not so sure, he did well with a strong but small squad in the first season - Lowton, Quinn, McDonald, Williamson and Evans were all players playing at a level beneath them.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

I'm not so sure, he did well with a strong but small squad in the first season - Lowton, Quinn, McDonald, Williamson and Evans were all players playing at a level beneath them.

But lost 3 of those players and maintained a top 6 position. 4th when he was sacked as I remember.

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

4th in a very weak league last year, we should've been mounting another automatic promotion challenge. The form after December was awful (you could argue that coincided with the Miller injury & having Blackman sold). He was one of my preferred Managers in recent history, but better managers (Johnson, Rosler, McDermott) performed better with less resource.

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

And Clough wants to reduce the squad by 8 players, tell yer what he may as well ship the lot out, without major and I mean major spending in January we are relegation certainties. This lot aren't worth a bag o nuts.

Yes I think we need a big clear out, if we really are expecting to fly up the leagues, this bunch of players are not going to cut it.

 

[LS5 Blade]

two shocking errors today cost us. To confirm they were SHOCKING!! Macguire and Collins doesnt work anymore, needs a man with pace as part of the two. Hill and McMahon are pub players and thats being polite. Midfield four, Stephen Hawkins operating off a non duracell battery would out smart the four on show. Strikers, it shows how we've fallen when our only hope is a man coming back from a 9 month cruciate injury.
How the fuck did we fall this low????

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

I didn't want Clough, but i thought he would do better than he is doing so far.
It's early days, but up to now i'd give him about a 2 out of 10. The team selections have been mind boggling.
It doesn't look too good does it. Squad full of shite and yet another manager who doesn't seem to have a clue.
Too many mistakes over the last however many years since Warnock got the boot and it never gets any better with the pointless signing of wage stealer King and another uninspiring managerial appointment. The club is like a bargain basement pound shop. It will take Batman and Robin to solve this riddle.

I'd say relegation may be a blessing, a chance to get rid of the lot and start again with a bunch of nobodies willing to put in a shift. But you know it won't work like that. We'll probably give the lot of em new two contracts and proudly proclaim it shows how ambitious a club we are!

 

[alcoblade]

Generally agree with your posts Alco but that's "talking bollocks"

You might be right fella. But I refuse to believe that Wilson was that good (failing in 11 attempts) or McDonald that influential to convert 4th division players into potential championship ones.

We've got a losing habit, and it makes everything seem worse. The worry is it took years to eradicate the Robson factor, let's hope the Weir factor is washed away quicker.

UTB

 

[Bladesway]

Nah he was shit, big mouth, signed too many strikers etc. We should have beaten Newcastle by more than 1 goal at St. James Park, fucking useless Colin!

Do you really hate Warnock that much? Oh and congratulations for being the first ever Blade to say we should have won by more goals at Newcastle. I don't think I have ever heard that one before, ironically or otherwise.

 

[Bladesway]

You might be right fella. But I refuse to believe that Wilson was that good (failing in 11 attempts) or McDonald that influential to convert 4th division players into potential championship ones.

We've got a losing habit, and it makes everything seem worse. The worry is it took years to eradicate the Robson factor, let's hope the Weir factor is washed away quicker.

UTB

Your just blind to anything unless you concoct it yourself. Blackwell turned Robsons side round in a jot. We would have got promoted with that team had KMac not lost his bottle in January. True Blackwell should have gone when he failed in the play off final but to then say it took years to get rid of the Robson factor doesn't stack up.

Wilson wasn't a world beater but he was only foiled by his star striker going to jail. We didn't have a losing mentality then but that derailed the entire thing. Season after as you have said yourself we sold Blackman at the first sniff of some cash and then sacked our manager 5 games before the end of the season without a replacement being lined up. Suicide in anyones book. The rest we know about but McCabe has to be the main factor in all of this not some mystical losing mentality.

 

[alcoblade]

Your just blind to anything unless you concoct it yourself. Blackwell turned Robsons side round in a jot. We would have got promoted with that team had KMac not lost his bottle in January. True Blackwell should have gone when he failed in the play off final but to then say it took years to get rid of the Robson factor doesn't stack up.

Wilson wasn't a world beater but he was only foiled by his star striker going to jail. We didn't have a losing mentality then but that derailed the entire thing. Season after as you have said yourself we sold Blackman at the first sniff of some cash and then sacked our manager 5 games before the end of the season without a replacement being lined up. Suicide in anyones book. The rest we know about but McCabe has to be the main factor in all of this not some mystical losing mentality.

Wow,I agreee with your post. I don't see how it's incompatible with yours. How that makes me blind to it is a mystery

I notice every time I have a dig at McCabe you like it. it's you with the fixed agenda, not me.

UTB

 

[JohnDenver]

I'd say relegation may be a blessing

The board say it would cost £20m. That it would be a disaster.

Folk said that relegation to this league could be a blessing in disguise. It's still very well disguised three years on...

 

[Bladesway]

Wow,I agreee with your post. I don't see how it's incompatible with yours. How that makes me blind to it is a mystery

You said we have had a losing mentality for years and it took years to eradicate the Robson factor. I utterly disagree with you and the facts of points taken almost as soon as he left the club show that to be the case. You say Wilson wasn't a good manager and in a small part I agree, he isn't as good as many but the facts show he was robbed of his star striker at a critical point, something totally outside his control. It would have been better had Ched gone out injured rather than in the way he did. Even then the points tally should have been enough to take us up in almost any other division in any other season. He was unlucky rather than poor and the quality of football that team played was wonderful. Tallest dwarf syndrome perhaps but I saw some of the best football in recent seasons (only Warnocks promotion team and 02-03 sides provided me with as much entertainment)

Where I think we do agree is where you say about Blackman. It all came unstitched again because McCabe sold players (Quinn being one important one forgotten by some).

I have a concerted belief that McCabe is 100% responsible for where we are. He brought the managers (Robson in particular) through the door and signed the stupidly high budget to him when he took leave of his senses. We utterly ripped up our business plan in that 6 months of madness and have been paying for it every moment since. If that means I have an agenda then so be it. What I cannot escape is no matter how many times I relive the horror of the past 6-7 years (as I am sure we all do) I come back to exactly the same conclusion.

 

[Bladesway]

The board say it would cost £20m. That it would be a disaster.

Folk said that relegation to this league could be a blessing in disguise. It's still very well disguised three years on...

Its never a real blessing of course but had we not been both incredibly unlucky and incredibly stupid then we wouldn't be here. Fact is we are a club in free fall and Blackwell, Speed, Adams, Wilson, Wier and now Clough have been/are utterly helpless pawns in a game that will only stop if we put some serious (and I mean millions of pounds) into new players in January. We are reaping years of chronic selling to paper over the cracks of Premiership Relegation and Robson and without hard cash into better players we are going nowhere but down. What is worse, a high wage bill but stability or relegation to 4th division? McCabe and the Prince need to decide now.

 

[alcoblade]

My complaint about Robsons legacy is the financial disaster it left us with. It took years to undo and the financial price is still there. It was then case of a monkey being able to improve it with the players we had. Root cause McCabe but lots of side stories at play too.

You said we have had a losing mentality for years and it took years to eradicate the Robson factor. I utterly disagree with you and the facts of points taken almost as soon as he left the club show that to be the case. You say Wilson wasn't a good manager and in a small part I agree, he isn't as good as many but the facts show he was robbed of his star striker at a critical point, something totally outside his control. It would have been better had Ched gone out injured rather than in the way he did. Even then the points tally should have been enough to take us up in almost any other division in any other season. He was unlucky rather than poor and the quality of football that team played was wonderful. Tallest dwarf syndrome perhaps but I saw some of the best football in recent seasons (only Warnocks promotion team and 02-03 sides provided me with as much entertainment)

Where I think we do agree is where you say about Blackman. It all came unstitched again because McCabe sold players (Quinn being one important one forgotten by some).

I have a concerted belief that McCabe is 100% responsible for where we are. He brought the managers (Robson in particular) through the door and signed the stupidly high budget to him when he took leave of his senses. We utterly ripped up our business plan in that 6 months of madness and have been paying for it every moment since. If that means I have an agenda then so be it. What I cannot escape is no matter how many times I relive the horror of the past 6-7 years (as I am sure we all do) I come back to exactly the same conclusion.[/q