Found yesterdays starting 11 baffling, it reminded me of Mclaren's England where players were played out of position to suit a formation as opposed to selecting a formation for what players we had available. The midfield looked unbalanced and had no idea of what there roles were, he clearly doesn't have a plan b and would rather put square pegs in round holes than change his one formation. I hope he gets it right but in reality if we are struggling after 10 games then i feel he will be shown the door.
JF, he played his practically fully fit XI players... What else was he meant to do! As I say I will start judging when he has a fully fit side to pick from... Which so far he hasn't unlit probably next weekend
Do you really think that? Struggling after 10 games and you'll sack your manager? Won't happen, nor should it.
I agree, it's the second game of the season(keep calm), and forgive me if I'm wrong but no one seems to have mentioned that we have brought in a lot of new players. These players need to get used to playing together, once they have bedded in we can then get an idea of how well they play together as a team.
Try playing players in the right position or at least not completely out of position! Take your pick; bennett in Martin RB and Whittaker RW or Olsson LW, Redmond RW with both options drop either Johnson or tettey, fer back in position deeper, and Howson in position AM. Simples! Bah!
Fenland, be careful with the "bedding in" excuse, it only works for so long, you have to ignore pre-season to use it too...
Agreed I think he'll still be here in 3-4 years, as has been said many times over long term plans are the order of the day at boardroom level. Whilst this performance hinted at performances past, I remain positive that the showing vs Everton and the first 20 at hull give reason for optimism at playing a bit better football than last season. Still that performance warranted a degree of criticism for players and management all! Bah!
Its not my opinion that we should sack him welly blue, its what i think will happen if we are in the bottom 3 after 10 games, thats over a quater of a season. As i said yesterday was just baffling, 4 center mids playing with Howson on the right and Fer supprting RVW. As Melchett had said there were many options available where players would have been playing in position or other formations ie the diamond that would have suited the players we had available. He didnt help himself yesterday im afraid
It comes to something when a binner is more positive about our team than some of our own fans! We expect it from carrabuh, his sexual high is berating CH and the rest of the team, but the rest of you, ffs get a grip!
I hear ya Dave, gets on my nerves TBH, second game of the season and everyone is wetting their pants. I just think fans need to realise that we have new players, getting the formation, positions and tactics right is going to take a good few games. Some might consider that an excuse but it's their 2nd game together in the PL ffs.
Mate, you're talking about professional footballers, players who, since they started to kick a ball, have played in formation and should know what their 'job' is inside out, it's not that difficult!
Not to mention all other teams have that same excuse, everyone has new players bedding in, the better managers expedite the process. Incidentally I think we'll get better and the results will come but, the ten games and sack him sounds unreasonable in the context of the season at hand but that suggests that all before should be forgotten. Look at the performances for 2013 and if we're bottom 3 after 10 (again don't think it will be the case) then is sacking him so unreasonable. For me if this were the case then I'd need to at least see improvements from now till then. But we'll beat Southampton and be top 4 by tame 10 you mark my words! Bah!
I honestly think that Mcnally would get shot of him if we are in the bottom 3 after 10 games, weather that is right or wrong only time will tell, but our form since xmas has been really poor, just 4 wins in 23 PL matches, and you could make an arguement that 2 of those wins were against teams that were on the beach.
Well your both entitled to your own opinions(even the Ipswich fan Wellyblue), obviously I disagree. Our differing opinions aside the mass panic is still a joke, 2nd game and everyone is pissing themselves. If we're ten games in and still losing go ahead panic, but it's bit premature right now. In fact a it's a bit daft!
I am a bit mystified by the claim that yesterday's team was full of players playing "out of position". I can think of only 2 out of 11 of whom that MIGHT with justice be said, Fer and Howson. (I hope nobody is suggesting Russ Martin was played out of position. He played CB for his other clubs before joining us, did so in Scotland's last two internationals, and is on record as saying he actually prefers and is more comfortable playing CB.) In Fer's case, some people have obviously decided that he is a DM and so was played out of position yesterday. But he is actually widely considered a CM, and if you look on transfermkt is listed as playing well forward every bit as much as sitting in front of the back four. That leaves Howson, who I can only imagine people believe was asked to play on the right wing. But he wasn't playing as a winger, he was playing right midfield but tucked in, in the narrower formation which I think we will be seeing much more of even when Snoddy is fully fit. Leeds fans always told us that he is at his most effective when played centrally, but that implies that in practice he wasn't always used in that position at Leeds. In sum then, NONE of those selected yesterday were played "out of position"; Fer was played further forward than some of us believe is his best position; and Howson was played out the position generally acknowledged to be his best. If that amounts to a team of square pegs in round holes, I'm a flippin Dutchman.
It is very much a case of square pegs in round holes, but not for the reasons you say. Hughton has not signed midfielders players capable of breaking down 2 banks of 4. They are not players bought to do such things.
