I'm all for freedom of speech and i get the argument that if you pay for something you can complain if you don't think you got value.... etc etc. I also get the heat of the moment rant at bad play, but... I'm really against booing any player, manager or the board. What does it achieve? There are those that say the fans can let the board know that they've had enough of a manager or enough of them and this will hasten a decision. Maybe it will, sometimes it does. But generally they're going to work that out themselves from the league table. In most cases it just creates a negative environment that increases stress levels on the performance of the team. If you're going to the ground, cheer the fckers on no matter how they're playing. That's the best way of impacting things. Look how that second half atmosphere drove them on. Vent your spleen in the pub or on forums like this afterwards if you need to.
Not seen fans booing the players, the boos are directed at Marsch and maybe the board. The fans have watched 41 league goals conceded in only 25 games since JM took over. Marsch needs to do something about it
I was talking in general terms Doc, that i don't agree with it. I'm thinking the historic ridiculing of Jay Roy Grot, Wood, Bamford... even the groans when roberts came on etc.
Doesn't necessarily matter who it is they are booing. It could be the pie counter. It generates a negative atmosphere which increases tension and pressure. That is very rarely a good thing.
Good to see Grot getting his career back on track. Last season scored 6 from 25, but this season already bagged 8 from 16
Roberts got lucky only getting groans. Bielsa kept putting him on when clearly he was not up to standard.
Out of his depth just a young kid in a big lads body. Same age as willy gnonto who is the opposite entirely.
Lets hope the management and players look after Willy better than the did with Grot. He ended up with serious depression
so if people felt that way, the problem then was bielsa. Cheer the player on - it's not going to help his confidence or the team is it?
I think Willy has the obvious advantage of a greater talent and an old head on his shoulders - but they do need to nurse these guys through in general. There's a reason they tend to come on late in games when the pace has slowed a bit. Gnonto barely started for Zurich even. Look at how dire Phillips was when he first broke into the team. Greenwoods and Summerville's first appearances didn't inspire confidence. It can take time to adjust. Patience isn't something footy fans are generally blessed with and it is especially difficult to have it when you need results.
Gnonto has to be used from the bench. He tired badly after an hour when I saw him play. Stick Rodrigo at 9 to start with. Let him run his blood to water and tire the back 4 out and then hit em with a little Willie for half an hour at the end to finish them off.
Just for the record, I just couldn't see a player in Grot from the first time I saw him and said so on here..... however, he never heard a negative sound from me once in the stadium, same with Doukarra or anyone else in the shirt
In fairness the first time I saw him properly was at TA playing for the U23s. He started up front and he made Edmondson look useless and remember Edmondson at the time was the big hitter. The team has players like Struijk, Hugo Diaz and Huggins etc. but Grot was a different level altogether he scored 2 quick fire goals from nothing and was taken off at half time to save him for the first tea. The only other player who I saw look different class from the 23s was Bamford on his way back from knee surgery, as he too scored a couple and Bielsa wanted him protecting. The 23s back then were pre Joffy, Summerville, Greenwood and Drameh, but they did win the league. Obviously Grot wasn’t able to make it with our first team
Different level to the first team though Doc. Saw him (and Doukarra) live several times. Both actually looked smaller when jumping for a header - seemed to shrink their necks trying to avoid getting hurt. First touch tells you a lot too and both were poor. Speed and strength can make someone like Grot look awesome at U23 level because they can bully players that will never make the grade but it is easy to see live in the first team. Joffy, for example is a different story, you can see he has all the attributes (apart from raw pace) so I would say he has a chance.
I know there is no one on here likely to pull me up on the Grot thing but I thought I would cover my bases while you were mothering him
