Gracia - ¿si o no?

Do you want him to be head coach next season?

I say yes. He seems a decent fit for the Pozzo model, looking at how the players celebrated the goals yesterday, they look a united squad. Better the devil you know and we could do with less turmoil over the closed season. How long was his contract when he arrived? EDIT: 18 months it seems, so he has, on paper, until the end of next season.

¿?

 

I like his personality, to me he comes over well. He picked up the team at a difficult time without any experience of coaching in the PL. Added to that players have spent ages on the treatment table. Just look at the defensive formations he has had available. Unless it all goes wrong in the last few games I think he has earned another season.
Looking at some tables of PL clubs expenditure, we are one of the lowest payers of any. Maybe we witnessed how the club was not prepared to pay the going rate when they couldn't agree a new contract with Slav. Will he get an offer of more money? Will it be written into his contract already? How is he getting on with the players? There are many factors that we never see, but I doubt that we change a good coach just for the sake of it.

 

Si

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Wait and see. Too early to tell. Was he what the Pozzos really wanted or did they go for him in order to have someone who could quickly replace Silva?
We need to focus on our defence as we cannot keep conceding goals at the rate we do. In my mind we will have to bring players in - not just rely on returns from injury. In the six games left I would like to see clear indication that Gracia is capable of instilling some organisation into the defence. If we keep scraping points, getting smashed away by the big four and letting in 90th minute goals then the Pozzos will need to think long and hard.

 

Unless he does something Silva like and loses the dressing room, I think we should give the bloke a chance. He comes across sensible and realistic to me and I can almost understand what he says, if I am in the right moment with my hearing....

 

But would we feel the same if we get just another point or two, lose 5-0 to both Spurs and Man U and lose at home to Burnley and Newcastle?
I like the guy and reckon we have two wins, two draws and two defeats left in us. That would take us to 45 points equalling QSF's record and then I would be happy to see Gracia remain.

 

QSF did have a pre-season and the whole of the season to do well, which he did by and large. Silva had seemingly lost interest, that was reflected in the team, so Gracia had a job on his hands. He has steadied the ship and we now have a few matches to see how he would like to play.

 

Anybody know if he has a break clause? Was his contract to summer 2019?

 

Since he has been in, it has had a feeling of grinding out victories rather than playing good football - but he came in to steady the shop and avoid relegation, which looks exactly what he has done

Maybe the last few matches he can be a bit more expressive in the matches, and if we get back to [play nice football, then think he deserves a pre-season with this squad and any additions

We do really need to sort out this defence though. I'd happily get rid of Britos, Kaboul and Prodl, send Wague back, use Mariappa and Cathcart as squad players, and find a partner for Kabasele. Holebas can go and if we play Femenia as a RW, then need a new RB (so nearly a whole defence then)

Would be nice if we could keep Doucoure one more season and try to get a full season of a midfield triangle of Doucoure, Chalobah and Hughes - but he seems to want to go, and imagine we will sell for an offer of £30-35m+

 

Yes he was given an eighteen month contract.

 

I would actually prefer Chalobah,Hughes and Cleverly in midfield

 

Hi, Kev. I agree with the first half and a lot of the rest, but I think Prodl and Wague are worth sticking with. Injuries and formation changes, as well as Marco Slither not keeping Prodl feeling like he’s part of the ‘in crowd’, hasn’t helped. He says he’s regained his confidence under Gracia, and he did play some games unfit, because he was the least injured defender!
Is there a way in modern football that Holebas could be controlled? Could he receive a fine from the club for his occasional reckless choices (be they tackles or handballs)? Or are agents etc too powerful, players too petulant? I think he’s a talented player but sometimes he is a net loss to the team. And finding a talented LB ain’t easy (‘cept Mason - bring him back!)

 

Fair enough...

Wague I'd happily keep but as he is on loan and wasn't included in the revised squad in January, I can't see him staying.

Prodl I just think is too slow. Maybe he'd play well with a fast defender beside him, but whenever I watch him, I just find his defensive partner has to cover for him when he wanders out of position... He just does it too often

Holebas - he can be great at times but also a liability at times. He just seems to be someone who loses his head very easily. You can see in a game if he doesn't get a decision or two, receives a bad challenge etc, he gets in a bit of a strop where he doesn't try so much or puts in a silly challenge himself. I think we can do better and would love Mason to be the 2nd choice LB who gets some game time. (I wonder if Gibbs is regretting his decision now... could we pick him up on the cheap this summer?)

 

Do you think Holebas’s strops can be controlled by a modern manager. Years ago (pre-Bosman), he’d have been benched until he shaped up. But is it possible to control the petulant player now?

 

A young player I think you could but at Jose's age, I think it is pretty much impossible now.

In the world of social media it is much harder to control them now too... it is so easy for them just to put a little rant out there to vent their frustrations.

 

Sadly, I think you’re right.

 

No mention of Janmaat here, did he not get a run in the Dutch team recently?

 

I did mention if we played Femenia as a RW, I'd like a new RB - but if he plays RB, Janmaat is perfectly good cover... but think he is just a bit too injury-prone and sometimes defensively suspect. I don't think RB is as much a priority over CB and LB though.

 

Was in the squads but not sure he played..

We cannot keep chopping and changing managers can we?

Performances at home have been ok generally but we've just not got the results.

Away form not so but we have had Arsenal and Liverpool plus West Ham was after the Chelsea game.

There always seems to be some issue with players no matter who the managers is - guess as stated above its the modern footballer for you!

Remember the transfer window shuts early in the summer so we want to do business quite quickly and having a new manager won't help that.

 

The club have said that they expect there will be a quiet transfer window this summer with not much movement.