What has gone wrong? It’s only a few weeks ago someone on here reported an opposition supporter as saying we were the best team they’d seen at their place.
I agree. The problem though, imo, is that he's come into an unbalanced squad that has no discernable shape or cohesion. To an extent he's having to use games to try different things. He'll hopefully learn quickly and get an operating set up working asap.
Stating the obvious but there is still alot to play for and the crucial thing is that we make the playoffs but go into them with momentum and good form. If we can do that we have a good chance.
That's a fair point but that's why I lay the vast majority of blame down to Speakman. Should probably pay for his job in all honesty.
That's more than 50/50 imo but not now, the entire focus needs to be on promotion. We have a good squad and a goalscorer so things aren't as bleak as it seems.
Well hopefully the supporter pulls through. All the best to him. My lad has managed to get a ticket for Saturday, looks like he's on his own as I'm on my last 12hr night shift Friday.
Is it Speakman though mate ? I've seen a lot criticise him lately but since the share percentage of ownership was revealed, I wonder if Donald is interfering ala Will Grigg style. Could be neither of course but there is definitely something wrong and needs addressing.
We all know that for whatever reason we are under performing and that on paper at least we have one of the best squads in the division. We have already proved that numerous times this season. I think it's down to confidence... or lack of. Yes we have alot of youth but we also have enough experience alongside that youth...the perfect mix. But alot of them just can't handle the pressure or expectancy. For me I think Evans should be nowhere near the starting 11 never mind captain. That would be a start. As Captain and with his experience he should be doing more. I also think Clarke should be a starter and Roberts too but I worry that Roberts will go the same way as Jordan Jones and he won't be here next season. Bottom line is that the manager has more than enough quality to choose from.
same one that broke the story he was a target,then that it wasn't had advanced as people were saying then that he wasn't coming.
I don't ever believe anything any of them say....the entire industry is populated with self-interest dogshit.
To me this is the problem Neil has, he's not sure who can do what and who he can trust to do the job he asks. He is therefore having to effectively test players under match conditions. He will have learned a lot but I'm not sure if he will have liked what he has learned. One player who could make a big difference is O'Nein, the problem will be where to play him. Do you put him in as a third centreback to cover the other two, read the game and cover dangerous situations which could allow both Doyle and Cirkin to play their game or do you put him in front of the centrebacks to again cover dangerous situations and provide some protection. I suppose that's what Neil gets paid for, to make the big decisions. You can have all the silky technical football you like but someone has to do the dirty work and at the moment that is where we are struggling we are allowing the opposition too much time and space to pick a pass, or a hoof into space, and cause us trouble.
Agree 100%. The time to do this is after the Cambridge game at home. Then vent our displeasure with the performance of our 'team' and particularly the DOF. Until then back Neil and the team and 'do our bit'. I am the eternal optimist, but I am also realistic enough to realise that the Play Offs are going to be beyond us. Quite simply, we don't win enough football matches and are incapable of keeping clean sheets. It's not how you start, it's how you finish - We started the season well, but have been patchy since October and are now in decline. Meanwhile sides like Sheff Wed, MK Dons, Ipswich and Bolton are hitting the ground running and gathering momentum at just the right time. The first signing in the close season should be a new DOF, and a new strategy established of how we want to play, based on what it takes to get out of this league and then identify players in sufficient numbers to fit that system. Our system and our weaknesses were sussed out by opponents very early and we haven't counteracted that. It's no coincidence that the top 2 have the best defensive record in the league. In Rotherham's case, the best defence by a country mile. Both of these have similar potent strikers and creative players to ourselves.Sort the defence out first, then get a MIX of flair players and rough houses and we might all finally get our wish to get out of this league.
And to think how many people were calling for him to be dropped before he had his operation. So many people only see the bigger picture, they didn't realise how much of the **** jobs he did, like you say sniffing out the danger breaking up play, how many times did he give little fouls away to stop the opposition from breaking yet you would hear people complaining that he'd given a silly free kick away. Games aren't won only by the goal scorer. O'Nien is one of those players that you think doesn't really bring much to the team but its not until he's not playing how much he does do, on a totally different note I saw Ross Stewart waiting to get his hair cut in the barbers in the metro centre
Young teams blow up that's all I'd say. They were bound to dip and it has become a real slump. Plus, teams are playing us second time and we had an incompetently handled transfer window. You never know, hope is always there, but I'd be surprised if we finish top six. I wouldn't put this on the manager, or the last one. It's mostly on one man, and I find it very gard to see us moving forward while his is the main voice there.
We are a young team but there is plenty of experience around them. Pritchard, Batth, Evans, Defoe, Gooch and Wright. McGeady is around the squad too. They are the ones who need to step up and lead by example.
Yes picking players in their best position and in a formation that suits them is very important. Especially in defence Doyle and Evans are not helping themselves or the team at the moment they need time off. However there is another important factor to which many have alluded to. Namely self-confidence, involving playing hard with conviction but using your head, ie no stupid free kicks especially close to our own goal. We know the squad is unbalanced, loads of wingers, only one central striker no replacements for the back 4. For me the team seem faint-hearted in their movements, passing etc and also their heads are all wrong nobody seems to have a clue what they are doing.
