Like I said in another post, sometimes you have to wonder what goes through his head. I don't think he's beyond criticism and today is certainly a day when he's not beyond it. Even if the manager gets the tactics or the formation wrong though, players should have enough about them to put in a decent performance. I have to admit that I've seen very little of the game as I was at another game but if the Roker Report 0/10 player ratings are anywhere near accurate you have to look to the players at least as much as the manager. Even if the manager has set it up wrong, players should be performing better than that.
Doyle has looked that way more than once this season. Doesn’t look like he’s got the confidence to stand up to anyone with a bit of presence. He needs to start imposing himself and work on this side of his game, improving his upper body strength may help him go shoulder to shoulder and come out on top, rather than being too easy to bully off the ball.
I haven't seen anything of today's game (after the result I can't stoop low enough to call it a match). I am stung. I am embarrassed. I am angry. But for me now is not the time to sack LJ. This transfer window has effectively gone and we can't make any additions to please a new coach. We will effectively work with what we have and can put in place by Monday night - or maybe later for non contract players. I remember Sir Alex famously being one game away from a sacking at Man United. Little Lee isn't even close to being at that level and is still learning - it might be that KLD has faith in our head coach and will stand by him, making a decision toward the end of this season. For me now, LJ has one more game to see how he reacts, how he gets the players to react. We can not be allowed to go any lower, no scraping last minute equalisers now is the line in the sand time. Only 100% will do now. 100% from LJ who has to sit down, identify all of his mistakes (player selection, tactic selection, failing to change things when plan A isn't working, correct use of substitutions) and learn to not make them again. He needs to get us going for the throat from the off and keeping on pressing until the final whistle. Then we have to get the players heads sorted and get them working together properly. I can only go on other's comments about players being ****e and not trying, but the scoreline doesn't suggest anything other. They need to get their **** together and quick. Most importantly he has to get someone to investigate Batth's affairs because that header into our net was so wrong that we need to be certain that he wasn't being paid to score an OG One more game, one game more!
Yes, I remember that game - the joke going round afterwards was “ what are Sunderland’s favourite chocolates? - “After Eights”
Hmmm, bottom crap team - just the sort of situation when we have a habit of making a team look like world beaters,
how many more 'one more game' though, we keep saying this and we manage a couple of 'okay' performances with maybe a real good one then we play as we did today and it starts again, i really hate our manager merry go round but there were plenty wanting rid after that bad run at the end of last season, many more after our last bad run after the excellent start and now this. also, many saying the players need to up their game and not put it all on the manager, well i partly agree with that but to start with a back four that this squad has never been happy with was asking for trouble then wait till after half time to try to change things is what is really getting at the fans, we could all see it was failing and as soon as bolton realised it they just took control...i hate to accuse players of not trying as they certainly were trying today but they played like a bunch of strangers, long balls coming back at us, passes hit far too strong or far too slow, all huff and no puff i'm afraid and the same faults we have shown all season...at the end of the day all that is down to the manager, he drops players who do not perform and when he gets the chance he replaces with better but LJ insists on picking out of form players like gooch and embelton.
1982 mate. Was actually at st James park that day down from Scotland for the weekend with work mates Came out of the ground and the bloody hot dog seller listening to the radio started shouting it’s 8 But at least we were in the top league. Not bloody div 3
I was there. Actually in the Watford end as at the time I lived nearby and a Watford-supporting mate said to go in with him. Poor lad stopped celebrating the goals after half time so as not to piss me off. Back to today. I've always been LJ in. This blaming the manager all the time has got us nowhere in recent years. But if you're aiming for top 2 you cannot get beat by a lower mid-table team 6-0. On top of the other thrashings. A change is needed.
Johnson has never rebuilt this defence since last season we are a laughing stock now, and will be in this **** league for years if something does not happen quick.
I get what you are saying, but I have never previously said any manager should be given one more game - and I have said after previous bad results that I expect Sunderland to finish in a promotion slot. I still expect us to finish in the top two - though it is looking increasingly over optimistic, which is why I said he has one game left to get his act together and get us to play well consistently on the pitch and looking to win nearly every game (bar a few down to bad refs and wotnot). The minute he shows he can't do that then he should be shown the door. His performance has been unacceptable and he is on a final written warning. For all the talk of leadership teams he is the ultimate leader and he needs to change his performance.
Irrespective of whether you don't want to sack another manager or not, or whether you like the style when it works, or whether you like Johnson or not ... ... yesterday was unacceptable and the faith has gone. It's time for drastic action. And now I'll blow this B&B, somewhere in a northern wasteland, and drive the five hours home
Can you imagine being a Bolton fan this morning, if you can, that’s the way we should of been feeling Lee.
Been to most of the games this season including yesterday, I feel it’s quite a bizarre time because on the whole it’s been quite enjoyable and we’ve been more looking forward to the matches than for years, since Allardyce was here probably. However from a hitting top 2 perspective it’s looking increasingly unlikely, although I honestly have a feeling Wigan will have a big blip soon but not confident we will take advantage enough, reason being the manager and for the first time I’m now thinking he should go. What is all on him is changing a defence that kept a clean sheet against a physical Portsmouth side, very similar to Bolton actually, then compounding it by not making at least a double substitution at half time is the really unforgivable bit - was he actually watching the 1st half ffs? Both of those decisions smack of arrogance and trying to be too clever which ironically is utterly stupid. On the plus side I remember going to Roker Park after the Watford 0-8 and we beat Norwich 4-1 with an unchanged team who had been hurting all week. KTF
