Depends on the International Team. Scotland, who are not one of the lowest, have Gunn - 3rd choice at Florist - in goal and Hanley at CB. With smaller Countries the player level is much lower than that.
I did say that it is my theory and I'm sticking to it!! If top 6 first season was the plan why all the talk of a 3 year transition when Thorup arrived? When the meeting took place we were just outside the top 6 so why was Thorup summoned to the meeting and why would performances wane if we were on target for a top 6 finish? Sorry but my theory is as valid as the rest. As far as Manning is concerned I am not suggesting that you can sack him after a few games but the signs are not good. The main thing that worries me are the suggestions of a lack of fitness when we are at the beginning of the season and have a young squad who should be naturally fit. Yes we have got a reasonable points total but have we played well to get those points? Our game plan seems to be to pass the ball backwards and sideways before trying a long ball in the direction of Sargent. Is that really what we want to see? Coventry, for example , battered us for most of the game - so I am told and read - restricting us to long ball chases in attack. Most away teams have to defend well at times but we are supposed to be a team challenging for top 6 and even away from home shouldn't be under the cosh like that. When he came here most Bristol City fans were not sorry to see him go because of his refusal to adjust his tactics and the boring football that followed. To me, the early signs are that I can see what they meant.
I wouldn’t even call it a particularly slow start. Look at who those losses were against, the first game was tough against a solid Millwall side and it was the first game in England for half the team. Boro are top of the league, we had a player sent off and lost by 1 goal
But they aren't our players anymore. Equally you could say that many of our players who aren't playing internationally would play if they qualified for a different country i.e would Darling get in the Scottish team if he was eligible.
Boro are a good side but Millwall? Take away the 3 points they got off us and they would be one place above the drop zone.
I know that!! I am just pointing out that you don't have to be top class to play for an International Team. Taking it to the extreme the majority of the Andorra team are amateurs.
With Millwall I think it was more about the intensity that they bring which maybe shocked some of the new recruits, it’s a completely different league than what some were used to. Kovacevic has spoken about how bruising it is for a GK let alone for the outfield players. I think there has been signs that the new players are growing and improving to meet that challenge. Like us Millwall have lost 2 games - 1 of which was to Boro whom you acknowledge are a good side. The other to Wrexham which could be classed as a poor result. In the cup theyve beaten Coventry and took Crystal Palace to penalties last night
I can only assume you are referring to the Blackburn game, because it sure as hell didn't apply at Coventry or any of the home games so far.
Millwall was disappointing result, but we had 5 new players 3 of whom were new to England, whereas Millwall had a settled team who played well. Our play since then has improved and hopefully will improve further.
If possession is the thing to hammer Manning with and Boro are a good side…we might have lost that game but we had 59% possession, more shots, 172 more passes, a greater pass accuracy. All with being down to 10men after 58mins. If performances matter more than results then this could be called a good game…
Against Millwall we also had 59% possession, 140 more passes, 83% pass accuracy. Equal shots and shots on target. They fouled us 15 times which shows the streetwise nature of their game and what the new players were facing
As for Coventry, I agree with Suffolk as certainly Topić had a disappointing game but that was not true of Kvistgaarden (7.8 & MotM), Kovacevic(7.1), Medić(7.3) or Darling(7.1) on WhoScored.
The difference is I see the positives and negatives. Manning you only have to listen to one of his match day reviews to understand that. On the other hand you only seem to see the negatives. No one is saying everything is working well but we are where we are and in my view we're in a better position 5 games into the season than we were under Thorup.
I think i quite often go through and reference other people's points. I have prejudices about English managers, absolutely. The problem is the evidence in the people he's signed, visually watching the team, the 2 deep midfielders, wingers, the disconnect in midfield, long throw ins (I mean its embarrassing to watch) the investment in size, types of goals we have scored. These things match the prejudice I have. "The time has come to realise Thorup has gone" My opinion of Manning has zero to do with Thorup The issue is what Manning is building towards.
Well thats a fact not a view. What is the trajectory and final team going to look like in your eyes? Because I'm going by what he's signed, what he's saying, the quality of the football, the goals we've scored and it all matches up. Topic and Mattsson, watch their highlights full of long balls up in the air, if you like watching that rubbish then thats you perogative.
