The Blobster
Prediction Champ
Pathetic, nothing from open play and beaten by a poor Watford team .
Lets kick the hornets nest
- Thread starter The Blobster
- Start date
That's what you get by appointing a manager like Duff. He hasn't got a clue has he? Pity our poor team, they have to play against their opponents, incompetent/corrupt referees AND THEIR OWN MANAGER!!! Is this man fit for purpose? If he used his players properly, allowed them to play the way they know how and what comes naturally, he'd see some good football from them. I'm convinced that if he took several days off then sat in the stands next Saturday, our lads would play better, far better, than they have been doing. His coaching, his game plan/tactics, team selection, substitutions etc etc are nothing more than a hindrance to the team. Those four wins have proved to be a false dawn. Unfortunately they earned him a stay of 'execution'. As a man I wish him nothing but the best. As our manager I wish to hell he'd bugger off somewhere else before we get relegated.
I think we're now firmly in a cult-of-the-manager era. The top guys like Pep and Klopp are the celebrated avatars of footballing ideologies they didn't invent, merely perfected, and now everyone fancies themselves as a potential mastermind so they can get some plaudits, too. Didn't we see enough of that with Martin? The introduction of more and more analysis, all these "coaches voice" style youtube videos, all this celebration of the cerebral side of football which I'm naturally a fan of but...
At it's heart, football is a simple game. We're now watching trained athletes in their prime brow-beaten into overthinking systems and details and shapes just to flatter the aspirations of the latest unproven pretender in the manager's seat. How hard is it to just move your ass, run like fcuk for 90 minutes, and make sure the ball spends more time in their third than yours, regardless of if you're passing 5 or 50 yards a time to achieve it?
For all the nuance and dimension and genius of Pep and Klopp and the rest, sometimes you just need a Harry Redknapp to galvanise the dressing room and get the players fired up enough that they want to run til they puke. Duff's tinkering with shapes and this absolutely absurd "sub Cullen for a defender when you need a goal" nonsense we've seen two games in a row now tells me Duff thinks he's a lot smarter than he is. It has failed miserably twice. He doesn't need to be clever - it's the Championship, not the Champions League. He just needs to inspire his players to run, put in 90 mins of effort, and attack either the ball or the opposing team with purpose every second. Do that and the rest will work itself out.
At it's heart, football is a simple game. We're now watching trained athletes in their prime brow-beaten into overthinking systems and details and shapes just to flatter the aspirations of the latest unproven pretender in the manager's seat. How hard is it to just move your ass, run like fcuk for 90 minutes, and make sure the ball spends more time in their third than yours, regardless of if you're passing 5 or 50 yards a time to achieve it?
For all the nuance and dimension and genius of Pep and Klopp and the rest, sometimes you just need a Harry Redknapp to galvanise the dressing room and get the players fired up enough that they want to run til they puke. Duff's tinkering with shapes and this absolutely absurd "sub Cullen for a defender when you need a goal" nonsense we've seen two games in a row now tells me Duff thinks he's a lot smarter than he is. It has failed miserably twice. He doesn't need to be clever - it's the Championship, not the Champions League. He just needs to inspire his players to run, put in 90 mins of effort, and attack either the ball or the opposing team with purpose every second. Do that and the rest will work itself out.
Frustrating game when everyone can see what's wrong except our manager. Some stats:
POSSESSION: 59-41 SHOTS: 9-12 OT: 3-5 CORNERS: 6-4 FOULS: 7-14 GOALS: 0-1
Despite less possession Watford out-scored us in shots, on target and goals. Michael Duff should learn something from that. But then again, maybe not....... Note that they committed twice as many fouls as us but the referee was 'alert' enough to spot one of our few 'fouls' when we scored what at least one Watford supporter, I read, considered was a perfectly legitimate goal. They spent the match physically bullying us but, when we matched them, we were penalised and had a goal disallowed. I know what I think of that and it ain't pretty, referee.
Other comments from our fans on the net echo our sentiments here. One wondered if we were playing for a draw when we changed from 4 to 5 at the back. Michael Duff has had long enough. We need someone better, someone in tune with how our club likes to play football. CT anyone?
POSSESSION: 59-41 SHOTS: 9-12 OT: 3-5 CORNERS: 6-4 FOULS: 7-14 GOALS: 0-1
Despite less possession Watford out-scored us in shots, on target and goals. Michael Duff should learn something from that. But then again, maybe not....... Note that they committed twice as many fouls as us but the referee was 'alert' enough to spot one of our few 'fouls' when we scored what at least one Watford supporter, I read, considered was a perfectly legitimate goal. They spent the match physically bullying us but, when we matched them, we were penalised and had a goal disallowed. I know what I think of that and it ain't pretty, referee.
Other comments from our fans on the net echo our sentiments here. One wondered if we were playing for a draw when we changed from 4 to 5 at the back. Michael Duff has had long enough. We need someone better, someone in tune with how our club likes to play football. CT anyone?
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
Taking off Cullen and leaving Yates on the field is absurd, coupled with not having Myk on the bench compounds the felony.
Cooper is now running around like a chicken without its head. He’s just gabbing and grappling at everything. Why? Congreve would have been the better sub.
Cooper is now running around like a chicken without its head. He’s just gabbing and grappling at everything. Why? Congreve would have been the better sub.
Cooper's had his confidence rocked no doubt. He really asserted himself under Martin only to be back on the fringes when Duff came in. I think he's trying too hard to impress. Also, turns out Big Myk has a knee injury. I think Duff's "high intensity" approach is showing up more on the treatment table than it is in matches.
We all had a bad night watching this game but spare a thought for poor @LadyGG who was pushed and fell down the steps on her way to the lounge. She has a fractured ankle and will be out of commision for a while with her leg in plaster. I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing her a speedy recovery.
The Blobster
Prediction Champ
That's awful .
Get well soon @LadyGG
Get well soon @LadyGG
CroJack
Key Player
Of course.
Behindthegoal
Key Player
Best foot forward milady