There's only one way that will end up. It doesn't surprise me - I've seen some players giving him plenty back in the middle of a match when he's flapping about on the touchline. I doubt he has the respect of the senior pros. How long does Speakmann let this roll on for? The season is salvageable but unless we take 12 points from our next 4 games it'll be play offs again IMHO. Our away form is killing us and Johnson has to find a way to set up better - it was a ridiculously attacking side yesterday and at 0-3 he inexplicably went even more attacking. There is nothing wrong with pragmatism and a point on the road is nothing to be ashamed of, especially when you are averaging close to 2.5PPG at home I fear the worst for the games at Wigan, Oxford, Lincoln & Charlton
is LJ strong enough to make the changes we need is the real question. i have said elsewhere that i feel doyle was not meant to play this many games and i honestly think this is starting to show in his recent performances, i have also said i like what gooch can bring to the team but 1 good game in 10 is no way good enough. right now we have flanagan, wright and batth so do we opt for experience and give doyle a rest, i wish we had better options but as a div 3 team/squad we would be lucky to have better...this way we 'should' have a decent 3 in there, then add the wingbacks for the running/outlet/cross stopping with evans (or a n other) as DM to cover/drop to back four/central outlet. the young lads will always have a mistake in them or want to 'prove themselves' and doyle is in the worst possible place for this, give the lad a break from the games and try to get the back line more solid or we wont be going up this season.
We never ever fail to be a laughing stock. If it isn’t losing in play off finals, Maguire scoring a hat-trick against us or getting smashed by 5 or 6 then it’s another thing. Will things ever change at this football club? They do not deserve the support that our brilliant fans give them week in week out.
It's a fair point but the manager picks the team and selects the tactics. Johnson's arrogance yesterday setting up with a back four that received no protection then making ridiculously attacking subs when the game was gone. We were overrrun in midfield as usual and invited pressure by playing out from the back as usual Bit more pragmatism and we draw that game, maybe even sneak a win
Think I'd be taking Doyle out the side for a couple of games and playing Bathh, Flanagan and Wright together with Cirkin and Hume as wing backs. Go 3 in the middle (Evans, Neil & Winchester) then either go 2 up top (Stewart AN Other) or play Pritchard behind the big man. I has some sympathy with the players as Johnson's constant tinkering is doing no-one any favours. I'd love to see us pick the same team 5 games in a row
If we carry on with this standard of football it is not a matter of will we achieve automatic promotion, but more like will we still be in the playoff positions. 5 points from 4 games with the teams hovering beneath it is can we keep in the playoff positions. No, we will not. LJ must go.
I still can't get over yesterday. I'd hoped by this time we'd be flying high with JD re-signed and expecting a huge crowd of confident Mackems for the Doncaster match. Instead we've been thoroughly whipped, we have a **** manager who seems to have lost the players and the fans, he can't see what 90% of the fans can re formation, and he seems to have signed two lightweight wingers and a Stoke reject! Pessimistic I know - I'm just so pissed off with it all.
exactly this, i personally think everything works better when players are aware of the role required of them, are aware of the players around them and aware of the type of pass players prefer (direct to feet, one side or the other, slightly ahead for them to run onto etc) being a defender for instance, requires a different mindset to midfield as you can no longer dive in and 'take one for the team' or there is a high chance of penalty/sending off if goal scoring opportunity, constantly moving players disrupts all this and it is obvious on the pitch with players having to keep looking around them hoping someone offers an 'out ball' rather than knowing where the next pass needs to go...we have seen in plenty of games that we can play some lovely flowing football but once the lads are moved about we lose that ability. as for defence, it also helps if each player knows one side will be covered allowing them to close down etc, right now we seem to have men at the back all trying to do the same thing which leaves big gaps.
Speakman should already have a list of candidates...That is exactly what this new system is for, a rolling list of targets, albeit players, coaches or managers.
KLD is not a 1440 minutes a day, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year Sunderland supporter like some of our lot: talking, eating, breathing Sunderland a.f.c. He is young and rich and will have other toys to amuse him. Therefore he will have far more patience with his 5 year plan, and with LJ. During a bus strike in the 60’s I walked from Tyne Dock in South Shields to Roker Park, and half the way back before I managed to hitch a lift. I wouldn’t open my blinds to watch this lot after yesterday.
The first thing I said was that he was brave picking that formation away from home ie not playing 3 at the back with wing backs and staying sturdy against a good footballing side who would pressure us. Sadly I was right.
I spoke to a lad previously from Oldham Athletic a couple of months ago and he couldn’t stand him. Said he was the one man in football he hoped would fail then apologised because he liked Sunderland. Said he was so arrogant - if he was chocolate he’d eat himself - not only pretending he’s something special coaching wise but also saying stuff like ‘ that’s why I drive a nice car and you drive a **** one’ to the back room lads. Can’t say it’s all true but it did make me see him differently and I can imagine footballers don’t enjoy his bullshit talk.
Given the shambolic way we ended last season and the regular hammerings we are now receiving he has to go. Been a SAFC supporter for over 50 years...never ever would I have thought I would see my team humiliated like that yesterday in Div 3. If he is not sacked it makes results like that acceptable. He should have gone in the summer, possibly gone in November and certainly should be gone today.
