SHA Small Heath Alliance

Just said on MOTD

"I wanted to change things but I can't ask the players to drastically change from what was working well for us, there's no way I'd get their buy in for that"

Common sense really and a good indication of what's gone wrong here, imo.

Not exactly the best example to demonstrate you should stick with what you know? One win against 10 men Sheff U aside they have been dreadful.

Besides we still get round to the fact that irrespective of what Rooney isn’t doing well at the moment the answer to success in this division is highly unlikely to be how Eustace, Bowyer or Rowett set up their teams.

Nikola Zigic

Just said on MOTD

"I wanted to change things but I can't ask the players to drastically change from what was working well for us, there's no way I'd get their buy in for that"

Common sense really and a good indication of what's gone wrong here, imo.

I get that but in this league he did indeed join and changed everything and they did buy into that. Our aim is to change from Dyche ball (Eustace) to Kompany ball (Rooney and the future) so it’s probably not the best example

GBBlue

Not exactly the best example to demonstrate you should stick with what you know? One win against 10 men Sheff U aside they have been dreadful.

Besides we still get round to the fact that irrespective of what Rooney isn’t doing well at the moment the answer to success in this division is highly unlikely to be how Eustace, Bowyer or Rowett set up their teams.

The point is you change things gradually. We've destroyed morale, the players look confused and nervous because we've ripped everything up straight away.

My worry is the people now demanding we replace the entire squad for a manager who's shown absolutely no reason to back him.

It’s not the same scenario because Kompany implemented the total football at Burnley, and it got them promoted.

Ok just ignore the point to make a completely different one. No worries.

We certainly do not need to replace the entire squad. The majority of our players can easily play the more possession based game that we’re trying to implement. The problem is when you have 2 or 3 who can’t it all grinds to a halt. A new GK, CB and Striker would make a dramatic difference. The players have lost confidence, it only takes one or two and it spreads throughout the team. You could see it yesterday as clear as day- on the odd occasion we played quick one touch football we cut straight through them. The problem was as the crowd got anxious so did the players- then they were taking 3 or 4 touches to control the ball, then passing too slowly, putting each other under pressure. To play front foot attacking football the players need to be relaxed and confident, ours are neither. Rooney has got a problem which I’m not sure how he’s going to solve.

I cant comment on the performance yesterday as I wasnt there. But I've had first hand reports from people I trust.

You are right, this squad is more than good enough for mid table. I think that was what many would have taken as progress this season and anyone saying we have to gut this set is wrong - we have 7 or 8 off in the summer, replace them properly and we should be looking at cracking the top 10.

The question as to who will manage them is, I think, in the balance for the first time because if this goes on into 2024 I can't see how Knighthead don't act. I did (a bit tongue in cheek) raise the spectre of Barry Fry the other day, but we are (unfortunately in many ways) a world away from those days now. If we hit the new year with only 1 or 2 wins from 12 games and still looking so bad, I'm not sure even they can hold back the river.

The biggest issue I have with Rooney at the minute is as others have mentioned, the chopping and changing of personnel and approach looks amatuerish. By now, you'd think he would see that a bit of consistency in approach is probably the only way to get out of this little rut.

Pick your best 11 available, decide EXACTLY what you want them to do on the positions you put them in, and stick with it for a couple of months to stop the panic.

Then in the summer, improve the squad and go from there. But get there in one piece first...

Rab C Nesbitt

Nikola Zigic

Just said on MOTD

"I wanted to change things but I can't ask the players to drastically change from what was working well for us, there's no way I'd get their buy in for that"

Common sense really and a good indication of what's gone wrong here, imo.

I get that but in this league he did indeed join and changed everything and they did buy into that. Our aim is to change from Dyche ball (Eustace) to Kompany ball (Rooney and the future) so it’s probably not the best example

I think the important word here is drastically. And you could possibly add mid season into the equation

Firstly how do you change from a possession light, passing light, defensively stoic team slowly? The main difference i can see is an exchange from two deep set defensive midfielders under JE to one under Rooney. It isn’t working at the moment and this juncture may be painful and Rooney’s tenure in the project short and calamitous but it needs to be done.

It also serves to question how good our recruitment was in the summer and how much more we need.

And who is to say the owners want things slowly. I have no doubt, maybe slightly naively, that they expect to be pushing for promotion next season. We want get there with an evolution of a style that has us 17th most seasons.

quark

Rab C Nesbitt

Nikola Zigic

Just said on MOTD

"I wanted to change things but I can't ask the players to drastically change from what was working well for us, there's no way I'd get their buy in for that"

Common sense really and a good indication of what's gone wrong here, imo.

I get that but in this league he did indeed join and changed everything and they did buy into that. Our aim is to change from Dyche ball (Eustace) to Kompany ball (Rooney and the future) so it’s probably not the best example

I think the important word here is drastically. And you could possibly add mid season into the equation

I’d say Kompany’s change was more drastic. As I’ve said before though if Rooney wasn’t prepared to come in pre season we should have looked elsewhere or stuck, but they were seemingly always going to change

number8

I cant comment on the performance yesterday as I wasnt there. But I've had first hand reports from people I trust.

You are right, this squad is more than good enough for mid table. I think that was what many would have taken as progress this season and anyone saying we have to gut this set is wrong - we have 7 or 8 off in the summer, replace them properly and we should be looking at cracking the top
The biggest issue I have with Rooney at the minute is as others have mentioned, the chopping and changing of personnel and approach looks amatuerish. By now, you'd think he would see that a bit of consistency in approach is probably the only way to get out of this little rut.

Pick your best 11 available, decide EXACTLY what you want them to do on the positions you put them in, and stick with it for a couple of months to stop the panic.

Then in the summer, improve the squad and go from there. But get there in one piece first...

Yep it’s the swapping and changing of players every game and now it appears a new style again that dives me mad.
Unless you have a Man City quality of squad, you pick your best 11 and start them if possible.
Even if you have a Man City quality of squad you still play “ your way” I have no idea what our way is

If making comparisons shouldn’t it be identical to make it fair and balanced?

Ignoring the above I will engage you on the point you’re trying to make. Yes it could be seen as a mistake to change the playing style mid season.

I was under the assumption he’s doing it to learn who stays and who goes when he strengthens in January and in the summer.

Personally I am happy with that. I also don’t think relegation is the disaster some seem to think it is. We have ambitious owners now it would be ok.

Ipswich and Sunderland would be the examples I’d use to validate my point.

For me he doesn’t know his best 11, his best formation, and the style of play is not consistent at all. It changes from game to game, like what le mod said.

Unpopular opinion but I think I’d rather the old style atm than whatever Rooney is serving up. Watching us yesterday and seeing us having 60% possession and create pretty much nothing was dire.

Nikola Zigic

Just said on MOTD

"I wanted to change things but I can't ask the players to drastically change from what was working well for us, there's no way I'd get their buy in for that"

Common sense really and a good indication of what's gone wrong here, imo.

I get the point and this approach is what WR should have applied when he came in.

Even if this new system is what WR is trying to implement who’s to say he’s the man to do it?.He hasn’t proven he’s been able to do it.
They all look so confused.

What doubles the frustration for me is that Gary Cook was the only one that thought all this was a good idea.Going for the name to raise the profile to the wider audience instead of going for a proven candidate.
Give it to Xmas Gary and cut your losses otherwise it’s going to be a relegation battle.