Match Day Thread Hull City v MK Dons

I notice this morning that the two journalists who know most about the Tigers, David Burns and Barry Cooper, agreed that City played pretty well yesterday, created a fair few chances but came up against a MK Dons side in top form. That certainly reflects the match I watched.

 

In a nutshell McCann just seems unable to get the best out of what Ehaw allows him to have. He arrived after the previous manager did exactly that so expectations were obviously high. Unfortunately it went tits up and we left the Championship in tatters as player after player wanted away culminating in one almighty car crash. He will always be unpopular partly due to us being relegated and whilst thats is completely understandable fans obviously see him as an easy target. The fact that we went top of this league means nothing around these parts because deep down many supporters realised we were still only a couple of injuries short of another potential collapse and that could yet happen depending on the players reaction to pressure.

That’s how I see it.

 

Mcann’s statistics not looking good. He’s now lost 39 matches whilst supposedly managing City. More than any of the clubs he’s coached at. Lost 36 at Peterborough. Won manager of the month at Peterborough then went 7 games without a win and got the sack. His last 20 games in the Championship winning 1! Should have seen him on the scrap heap. His record is nothing short of poor. A team would have to be desperate to employ him. His average points per game is 1.37 and going down rapidly.
Who would do a better job probably most league managers/coaches.
What will the Allams do, absolutely nothing it suits them to see us in Division 3 rubbing the fans noses in it. Milking the club of funds from the sale of any players they can.
Bitter I sure am, he’s dragged this team into the Third Division and ruined the hope of a lot of supporters who deserve a better coach and owners!
Billy B.

 

Came out around the same time - chalk & cheese

 

Bryan Hughes on the audio commentary said pretty much the same throughout the game.
A glimmer of hope.

 

Some of the football we played was decent at times. I don't think anyone is arguing otherwise. But it's pointless (see what I did there) if we lose.
It doesn't really matter whether we are playing well, average, or crap if the end result is 16 points out of 14 games during another little 'blip'.
Just like last season, it isn't good enough.
We have a great chance to go straight back up this season. I fear we'll blow it. Even if we did go up, surely last season and this season to date has shown without doubt that McCann just isn't the manager us and the Allam's hoped he would be. We need rid.
We could say he's been unlucky with injuries, and to a degree that's true. BUT every club has injuries to contend with. That's when the manager gets tested. He was allowed to bring players in during January to strengthen & cover. He's got options. He just isn't up to it.

 

Yup.

It’s a results driven business football...which baffles you at times giving our relegation.

 

Agreed. Think on the whole you’re preaching to the converted on here.

 

Yep.
Mainly in response to AlRawdah's comment (but maybe I mis-interpreted where it was coming from?).

 

Admire the fairness but I think in fairness to the critics it's not just about yesterday. One goal in five games and having been told by the manager that he had lots of forward options who can play across the front line, he clearly hasn't. Yes, Eaves and Whyte injured but several who were apparent options earlier in the season seem to have just gone backwards under this management team. Samuelsen gone, Scott not deemed worthy of bringing on even though Magennis was out on his feet, and what happened to Meyer - is he injured?

 

Well MK Dons supporters got it right on our Pre Match chat!!!

https://fb.watch/3EQlapPcEc/

 

While I don't expect the slump to be as pronounced as last season, the parallels are there, and not just with what happened after Bowen and Grosicki left. Last season went pear shaped in January, after we'd won at Hills borough and just got Honeyman playing in an advanced position. The manager said he was going to do his transfer business early to help these players, and brought in Kane and Samuelsen. Honeyman was immediately dropped for Kane and GM was like a kid with a new toy, telling us all how good these 2 new players were. We lost the next 3 league games, prior to selling Bowen and Grosicki, Now he's brought in Crowley and again telling us what a help he'll be. Yesterday, 2 midfield players who have been brilliant this season in Docherty and in particular Honeyman, were asked to change what they do to accommodate him. Yes, he looks like a neat player, but this has been a real backward step. He presses less effectively than Honeyman and tends to hold on to the ball for too long. If we are going to play him , it has to be as the front of a diamond in a 4-4-2 (and 'no Dan, don't wander everywhere wanting the ball, stay there') with a genuine CDM behind Docherty and Honeyman.

 

Cheers Canada,
Thanks for the clips.
She was a looker and could certainly belt out a tune.
Hopkin and cream now there's a thought lol

 

I agree with a lot of this. Crowley is a talented player, but the disruption to the style of play we had established before, particularly the way Honeyman has had to shift position and the way DC likes to slow the play down while looking for the killer ball, looks to be a problem.

It's a tough balance, getting the best players on the pitch while also getting all the cogs working together, and right now it's not happening. (Put another way, we're *really* missing what Whyte brought to the table.)

 

Does not surprise me at all.

 

Anyone that had a banjo to hit a barn door would do.

 

Quite easily!

 

Must be The Manager doesn't it? Now rather than later or we spend another season here?

 

Don't wish that. It's all been heard before.

 

We are definitely having a slump in form, that is undeniable. But this is nothing like last season - yet. Burton was an absolute ****show but we’ve played pretty well twice since then but had no luck in front of goal. I can recall going to Stoke just before the lockdown last season and watching a City team barely try and get absolutely destroyed by a pretty average Potters side. I’ve seen nothing that bad as yet this season.

A few have said that McCann would be gone if fans were in the ground - I’m not so sure, I think there would be a lot more perspective and level headed thinking if we were attending every week. There seems to be an online nuclear arms race, calling out more and more players and making more and more extreme claims about McCann’s performance. He royally ****ed up with what he said about Wilks the other day, but other than that he is doing ok. It’s daft to keep judging him on what happened last June, that’s gone. The last two games have been ok (though have a particular problem with what accommodating Crowley has done to our attacking game) and we aren’t going to get humped 8-0 on Wednesday - not the greatest measure of progress I grant you, but it’s something!

So are we in a poor run - absolutely yes. Does that mean we are going to replicate what happened last season? Absolutely not. Should McCann be in a job at City? He has got us into the top 3, defying the pre-season expectations of most, including me, so on balance probably yes.

Just my personal view.