PRBlueDoes anybody know if Buchanan is available to play tonight? I believe he had concussion but don’t know how long that keeps him out due to protocols. Would make a big difference if he is.
I think it’s seven days; I think it’s unlikely he plays
Robert HopkinsThis thread has already proven he would be given a chance, when WR was first mooted very few people were happy about. I'll happily go and pick him up if he'll come.
This
Cooper would be given time, because he would be hired for his managerial record, not his name
WR Bluegerry1875there is nothing in that squad to even build on apart JJ and a 17 year old youth.
This is clearly not accurate.
Clearly good enough to gets us 6th, with the 3rd best defence in the division after 11 games
Bluenose27Not just that. The second goal against Leicester roberts outpaced him in trying to get back to the Leicester forward. Is Sanderson really that slow or just decided he doesn’t want to play for Rooney?
I suspect he's just slow and he's the type of centre half that can't play as part of a high line. He's not the only one being asked to do something he's either not comfortable with or simply isn't suited to.
Not aimed at you Bluenose27, but I don't buy the narrative that these players are shite. It makes very little sense to me. I'm obviously not saying they're world beaters and many of them will be replaced over the next 18 months or so but, like virtually every other footballer in the world, they have preferred positions and playing styles based not only on what they're used to but also based on physical strengths/limitations.
They suddenly found themselves playing under a manager that wants (or has been ordered to) play in a completely different way and that style has even changed from game to game under Rooney and the players are being branded shite by some because of it. Seems unfair to me.
I agree with you. If we couldn’t defend before Rooney come in then I’d buy that argument more, but statistically we were either 2nd or 3rd best defence in the league, so obviously they could. I thought Sanderson paired well with long, who was our best centre back.
For me it’s clear like you say that he can’t play the high line, and neither can Roberts, and then Rooney makes it worse by having our full backs too far up the pitch, so we’ve effectively only got 2 defenders. He should play a back 3 if he wants to persist with full backs playing as wingers.
quarkfalse position, Carlisle led the old division one in 1974 and got relegated, 11 games don't make a seasonWR Bluegerry1875there is nothing in that squad to even build on apart JJ and a 17 year old youth.
This is clearly not accurate.
Clearly good enough to gets us 6th, with the 3rd best defence in the division after 11 games
"False position" is such utter mind numbing bollocks.
Nikola Zigic"False position" is such utter mind numbing bollocks.
How about small sample size then?
11 games is less than a quarter of the season. There were very few points between teams and there was no guarantee we would stay in that position.
I’ll repeat - we were seventh in December last year. Remind me where we finished.
I agree the position was pretty irrelevant, it was the points total and the general level of performances that was more important. 18 points was good.
Le ModI agree the position was pretty irrelevant, it was the points total and the general level of performances that was more important. 18 points was good.
I think the performances were good in fits and starts; I remember loads of people complaining about some of the away defeats.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Eustace did a good job but I don’t think he’d have taken us much further than mid table. Like when Rowett went, the issue was maybe more about the timing of the change of managers and the choice of replacement rather than the original idea.
It was also a significantly different squad last season, so I'm not sure that the comparison is as relevant as comparing this squad's performances under the two managers they have played under this season.
El MayorNikola Zigic"False position" is such utter mind numbing bollocks.
How about small sample size then?
11 games is less than a quarter of the season. There were very few points between teams and there was no guarantee we would stay in that position.
I’ll repeat - we were seventh in December last year. Remind me where we finished.
Absolutely fine to use those words. It makes sense.
We were 7th in December last year because we'd accumulated enough points to warrant being 7th at the time.
False position means that we didn't deserve to be where we were at the time, we absolutely did.
I agree the position was pretty irrelevant, it was the points total and the general level of performances that was more important. 18 points was good.
.... and we were improving - the team were performing at a level greater than the sum of their parts - players had got used to their roles and were playing them well - morale seemed excellent - fans were happy (apart from complete pricks who didn't understand what was in front of their eyes and still don't now)- we were proving that once you get your flair players gelling in front of the low block then you CAN play good exciting transitional football.
The tactic of only full back going forward and the other dropping across to make 3 centrebacks was beginning to make us extremely difficult to break down
The future was brighter than it had been for ages
Fans were coming back
Then some eejit watches Arsenal on TV and thinks "oh, perhaps we can play like that"
Then another eejit goes to our manager and says "we want to play like that"
Then the very honest and astute manager says "i'd love to play like that - in fact at Kidderminster we were known as the non-league Barcelona - but it will take time to progress to that style and require 18 minths or so to get different players in, and meanwhile i'll over perform against the targets originally set and evolve to that style"
and the eejits said "no, we want it NOW - and whilst you're about it, can you get a few million extra followers on your instagram account ?"
Lots did moan but I didn't, Norwich was the only bad one for me
You may be right about where we ended up (I think mid-table would have been decent anyway) but we were definitely progressing from last season in terms of passing the ball etc, it was a nice trajectory.
It is what it is, hopefully he turns it around and if not, hopefully the next appointment is much better.