General Matchday Thread

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Not wanting to throw a spanner in the works but big Joe has not been in football for many a year...we may well as just look to Hoddle. Dunc and Unsy are part of the current setup so not sure how much they would change....i think if it got to that point it would be an outside man.
Joe is working on our academy development, he came back last summer after a short spell as a consultant at Norwich
 
Joe is working on our academy development, he came back last summer after a short spell as a consultant at Norwich

I am sorry if I confused you with my comment....it could read that way. But when did he have a management type role?

All for Joe being back at the club, we need links to club legends and the history of the club....but managing and coaching, is that his role at the moment? As his role is not fully defined IMO, doubt he is out running training drills etc
 
I am sorry if I confused you with my comment....it could read that way. But when did he have a management type role?

All for Joe being back at the club, we need links to club legends and the history of the club....but managing and coaching, is that his role at the moment? As his role is not fully defined IMO, doubt he is out running training drills etc

I wasn't suggesting him getting directly involved on the training ground, just offering his expertise and management skills in assisting the caretaker manager.

Joe's side had balls and grit, something we're sorely lacking at present.
 
I wasn't suggesting him getting directly involved on the training ground, just offering his expertise and management skills in assisting the caretaker manager.

Joe's side had balls and grit, something we're sorely lacking at present.

I get your thinking, how I missed Joe's dogs of war ;-) However the three mentioned are all part of the current coaching direction....so not sure how they could turn it round apart from a short term kick up the bum?
 
I get your thinking, how I missed Joe's dogs of war ;-) However the three mentioned are all part of the current coaching direction....so not sure how they could turn it round apart from a short term kick up the bum?
Don't forget who we're talking about here - Unsie and Big Dunc......at the minute they're singing to their current masters tune, but I'm sure they'd have a different attitude towards the entire job if they were choosing the strategy and tactics themselves.

I hope it doesn't come to it, as I really want Martinez to somehow turn it around, but if we end up in trenches in a full on relegation battle, then I'd be as nervous as hell if he was still commanding the troops.
 
I know the next 3 games are difficult but I feel we need to get at least a win and a draw from them or he should go we cant be thinking Its not going to happen to us etc as It can happen to anyone...
 
has bobby been found out ? did all the players overperform last season ? are we as bad as others think we are ? i dont know but i do know uncle bill wont sack the manager, not this season at least

No, he has not been found out. The players have not underperformed and we are not as bad as people think<ok>

Who is Uncle Bill?
 
No, he has not been found out. The players have not underperformed and we are not as bad as people think<ok>

Who is Uncle Bill?
His tactics have most definitely been found out, as we only play one way and are therefore predictable and easy to plan for. The template for how to beat us was laid down early doors this season and it's been copied by others.

My main criticism of him this season has been his lack of tactical flexibility combined with him continually playing players out of position.
 
His tactics have most definitely been found out, as we only play one way and are therefore predictable and easy to plan for. The template for how to beat us was laid down early doors this season and it's been copied by others.

My main criticism of him this season has been his lack of tactical flexibility combined with him continually playing players out of position.

Ditto...
 
His tactics have most definitely been found out, as we only play one way and are therefore predictable and easy to plan for. The template for how to beat us was laid down early doors this season and it's been copied by others.

My main criticism of him this season has been his lack of tactical flexibility combined with him continually playing players out of position.

Who has he played out of position?

He played Lukaku on the right of a front three and was praised for it. If Naismith, Barkley, Mirallas etc are not flexible to play across the park then we really need to look at dedicated people for dedicated roles.

Maybe move Besic into the backline as most of his playing time has been in a defensive role?
 
Who has he played out of position?

He played Lukaku on the right of a front three and was praised for it. If Naismith, Barkley, Mirallas etc are not flexible to play across the park then we really need to look at dedicated people for dedicated roles.

Maybe move Besic into the backline as most of his playing time has been in a defensive role?
errmmm Barkley.....played him wide left and right when he's useless out wide

The Shoe at left back at home to WHU when he had an England U21 LB with 6 months left on his contract sat on the bench.....

Naismith wide, Eto'o in the No.10 role or wide right.....

He's continually tried to put square pegs in round holes this season, excusing that by saying they should be flexible as players is gonads
 
errmmm Barkley.....played him wide left and right when he's useless out wide

The Shoe at left back at home to WHU when he had an England U21 LB with 6 months left on his contract sat on the bench.....

Naismith wide, Eto'o in the No.10 role or wide right.....

He's continually tried to put square pegs in round holes this season, excusing that by saying they should be flexible as players is gonads

Naismith has played right and left last season with great effect, the 1-0 at home to Chelsea a great example<ok>

Not wanting to be pedantic, but apart from Mirallas do we really play with 'wide men'

Our width in the final third is supplied by the FB's.
 
Naismith has played right and left last season with great effect, the 1-0 at home to Chelsea a great example<ok>

Not wanting to be pedantic, but apart from Mirallas do we really play with 'wide men'

Our width in the final third is supplied by the FB's.
McGeady, Atsu, Gerard last season.....

Sticking Barkley or Naismith out there ensures that we don't have any width, that's the issue! As they tuck in to where they are more comfortable, offering no ball for the full backs. How many time this season have we sat there and watched Baines and Coleman recived the ball and then check and lay it square as they've got no ball down the line?
 
McGeady, Atsu, Gerard last season.....

Sticking Barkley or Naismith out there ensures that we don't have any width, that's the issue! As they tuck in to where they are more comfortable, offering no ball for the full backs. How many time this season have we sat there and watched Baines and Coleman recived the ball and then check and lay it square as they've got no ball down the line?

McGeady cuts in, the same with mirallas...I would play him behind the striker - a free role.

Atsu....really?

Young Gerard would be the only exception, but that was last season. For some reason Atsu has not played, maybe he is just not good enough?

So if I have this right, we need specialist wide players. Pienaar was never a wide player....yet he played wide left drifting in and central drifting out and we had no issue with width down one side of the pitch.
 
McGeady cuts in, the same with mirallas...I would play him behind the striker - a free role.

Atsu....really?

Young Gerard would be the only exception, but that was last season. For some reason Atsu has not played, maybe he is just not good enough?

So if I have this right, we need specialist wide players. Pienaar was never a wide player....yet he played wide left drifting in and central drifting out and we had no issue with width down one side of the pitch.

Nah, Baines and Pienaar had an almost telepathic understanding down the left flank.he'd move inside to offer himself for the short ball and then lay if back down the line for Baines (or vice versa).

When Barkley or Nais are wide they'll tuck inside 30 yards ahead of the play and don't have the same level of wing interplay that Pienaar offered, probably because they're not wide players.......<whistle>
 
Nah, Baines and Pienaar had an almost telepathic understanding down the left flank.he'd move inside to offer himself for the short ball and then lay if back down the line for Baines (or vice versa).

When Barkley or Nais are wide they'll tuck inside 30 yards ahead of the play and don't have the same level of wing interplay that Pienaar offered, probably because they're not wide players.......<whistle>

Pienaar never was a wide player....he just got forced into a round hole by moyes
 
Pienaar never was a wide player....he just got forced into a round hole by moyes
He played the best years of his career as a wide left player, so that sort of defeats your point.

Henry was never a striker until Wenger put him there......

The difference being that Barkely is ****e out wide, and has not adapted to the position and therefore shouldn't be playing there, as the manager should be capable of seeing what's right in front of his grid.

Even Moyes at his most Moyes wouldn't have stuck the Shoe at LB ffs <laugh>