If Ainsworth had stayed he would still have had to deal with Anis going and GMac and Vokes being injured, and him leaving himself short of other options unless we are somehow blaming Blooms for that.
Our front line is absolutely critical to get right next season - I mean duh, yes, goalscoring is generally pretty important, but even more so than usual given it’s an area where we’ve struggled so often this season.
Will we even play with a target man next season, if we are going to be all about the passing?
We don’t seem to be able to make the most of Vokes right now, as our crossing is generally poor and we don’t give him the kind of service upon which he thrives.
Sure, the role of target man is about more than scoring, and we certainly look very poor when we don’t have anyone to hold the ball up.
But it’s also been a weakness that we don’t have any healthy competition for the striker role. I guess it costs big £££ to have genuine competition between proven goalscorers, and you can argue it’s wasted money to leave a quality striker on the bench.
I thought he was great and he probably would have done better than Blooms over the last months but I just don't think that is a particularly fair comparison given time in situe and having built the squad and the whole environment. I may disagree ten games into next season but I can't see how Blooms is taking so much flack.
Particularly noticeable on social media (avoidable I know) how some people who've given Ainsworth stick for ten years and would have sacked him 5 games into this season and again just before the run we went on now want Blooms out, declaring it a ridiculous appointment and hailing Gaz as the obvious saviour. We've done brilliantly in the last few years and over his reign but we also had dips and it took him a while, and some luck at the beginning to stay in a job and formulate what we have now.
Bloomfield was clearly the right choice for manager once GA left. I'm not sure what serious alternative there was? Whether he can be successful is a different story, but he's had rotten luck so far with key players missing.
Will be interesting to see what he can do given time and we certainly need to give him that. Having some decent options up front is surely a high priority before the start of next season.
I think I also said familiarity might be out best chance of pushing on and making the play-offs, but that obviously hasn't happened. I'd he'd still been here, I guess we might have promoted him on an interim basis and then reassessed at the end of the season, but we were never going to get him to drop Col U for that.
I'd like to know more about what Richard Thomas brings to the team. Is he a tactician, a motivator, just the guy who does the drills? Does he complement Matt's strengths or just duplicate them? Ainsworth and Dobson worked so well because they brought different skills to the table while working in lockstep. Does Thomas? Is he promotion chasing League One level or could we do better with a new deputy?
'Particularly noticeable on social media (avoidable I know) how some people who've given Ainsworth stick for ten years and would have sacked him 5 games into this season and again just before the run we went on now want Blooms out, declaring it a ridiculous appointment and hailing Gaz as the obvious saviour.'
@StrongestTeam it's almost as if some football fans even in the Home Counties are as thick as mince.
It's not over until it becomes mathematically impossible to get into the top 6. But it's very much odds against now.
The defeat at Morecambe wasn't as disastrous as it might have been, with Peterborough, Derby and Portsmouth all dropping points.
What it all boils down to, is Tuesday night's game at Cambridge. Yes, it's a must win. So is the next game v Lincoln on Saturday, and I'll be at AP for that one.
If Ainsworth becomes available, we should offer him the job back. It might sound brutal, but it's a rare case where we know the grass is greener. Whether he'd accept it is another matter entirely (I feel like he'd rather take a breather for a bit after a whirlwind couple of months).
I can't even deny that it'd be an instant upgrade of manager, but it'd be such a horrible thing to do for us as a club who pride ourselves on doing things the classy way etc.
You'd utterly cause ructions with our longest serving player, cause havoc in the fanbase, probably losing a large amount of the proper long term support base and on top of that put an incredible amount of pressure back on Ainsworth himself.
I think you have to accept we can't go back, Ainsworth & Dobbo would need to re-invent somewhere else, and if Bloomers hasn't made much of us in 2-3 years, then entertain it.
Comments
'Gilded truffle'? Is that a euphemism for poo?
You can’t polish a gilded truffle but you can roll it in glitter.
Isn't a Ferrero Rocher nothing more than a gilded truffle?
Monsieur Chaletdevoyage! With these novelty kettles, you are really spoileeng us!
If Ainsworth had stayed he would still have had to deal with Anis going and GMac and Vokes being injured, and him leaving himself short of other options unless we are somehow blaming Blooms for that.
Our front line is absolutely critical to get right next season - I mean duh, yes, goalscoring is generally pretty important, but even more so than usual given it’s an area where we’ve struggled so often this season.
Will we even play with a target man next season, if we are going to be all about the passing?
We don’t seem to be able to make the most of Vokes right now, as our crossing is generally poor and we don’t give him the kind of service upon which he thrives.
Sure, the role of target man is about more than scoring, and we certainly look very poor when we don’t have anyone to hold the ball up.
But it’s also been a weakness that we don’t have any healthy competition for the striker role. I guess it costs big £££ to have genuine competition between proven goalscorers, and you can argue it’s wasted money to leave a quality striker on the bench.
Anyway, lots to resolve in the close season.
He found a way to beat some quality teams at home just before he left.
I struggle to think he wouldn't gave beaten MK or Exeter at home for starters or converted a defeat or 2 into a draw.
I thought he was great and he probably would have done better than Blooms over the last months but I just don't think that is a particularly fair comparison given time in situe and having built the squad and the whole environment. I may disagree ten games into next season but I can't see how Blooms is taking so much flack.
Particularly noticeable on social media (avoidable I know) how some people who've given Ainsworth stick for ten years and would have sacked him 5 games into this season and again just before the run we went on now want Blooms out, declaring it a ridiculous appointment and hailing Gaz as the obvious saviour. We've done brilliantly in the last few years and over his reign but we also had dips and it took him a while, and some luck at the beginning to stay in a job and formulate what we have now.
Bloomfield was clearly the right choice for manager once GA left. I'm not sure what serious alternative there was? Whether he can be successful is a different story, but he's had rotten luck so far with key players missing.
Will be interesting to see what he can do given time and we certainly need to give him that. Having some decent options up front is surely a high priority before the start of next season.
We would have been an attractive option to plenty of coaches. I see why we went for Blooms, but I was never convinced and I'm still not yet.
Same here, I can absolutely see why they did it, but I do think it was an easy option
I think I also said familiarity might be out best chance of pushing on and making the play-offs, but that obviously hasn't happened. I'd he'd still been here, I guess we might have promoted him on an interim basis and then reassessed at the end of the season, but we were never going to get him to drop Col U for that.
I'd like to know more about what Richard Thomas brings to the team. Is he a tactician, a motivator, just the guy who does the drills? Does he complement Matt's strengths or just duplicate them? Ainsworth and Dobson worked so well because they brought different skills to the table while working in lockstep. Does Thomas? Is he promotion chasing League One level or could we do better with a new deputy?
We drew and lost some vital games under Gaz...and we still would have had he stayed.
'Particularly noticeable on social media (avoidable I know) how some people who've given Ainsworth stick for ten years and would have sacked him 5 games into this season and again just before the run we went on now want Blooms out, declaring it a ridiculous appointment and hailing Gaz as the obvious saviour.'
@StrongestTeam it's almost as if some football fans even in the Home Counties are as thick as mince.
Oh quite, any abuse is ridiculous.
But social media works to a simple win the game, all good. Lose the game, all wrong.
Same as it ever was really.
It kept the culture and on paper was a smooth transition.
But how on earth can you ask what alternatives there were? Unless you're limiting your comment simply to an immediate guy who knows the set up.
Would we have only managed 3 wins out of 10 straight after a 5 game winning run beating 2 of the top 4 though. Doubtful but it is what It is.
Back to the thread title - wouldn't putting your hand up negate the secret?
Depends where you're putting your hands up?
It's not over until it becomes mathematically impossible to get into the top 6. But it's very much odds against now.
The defeat at Morecambe wasn't as disastrous as it might have been, with Peterborough, Derby and Portsmouth all dropping points.
What it all boils down to, is Tuesday night's game at Cambridge. Yes, it's a must win. So is the next game v Lincoln on Saturday, and I'll be at AP for that one.
We move onto midweek, but we need an exceptional turn around from here immediately.
Us winning, and Bolton, Peterborough and Derby all dropping 2-3 points each immediately.
Ideal scenario in my view would be Gaz getting sacked, then us poaching Dobbo to work with Matt.
I've seen a few people talk about this Dobbo coming back as some sort of assistant to Bloomfield.
He's a humble guy, but surely he can't be a number 2 to someone he previously outranked?
As we already have a number 2, it might not even be as an assistant, so a further step down?
Some people prefer the hands on coaching role, without all the extra crap (and pressure) you have to deal with as the main manager.
Obviously I can’t speak for him, however if this was the case for Dobbo I’d love to see him back.
If Ainsworth becomes available, we should offer him the job back. It might sound brutal, but it's a rare case where we know the grass is greener. Whether he'd accept it is another matter entirely (I feel like he'd rather take a breather for a bit after a whirlwind couple of months).
The only way Dobbo comes back without Gaz is as DoF, and that's not something we've ever had.
What sort of sign does that give to agents about the way our club is set to be run? Circus conduct.
Ok, maybe not immediately, but if things aren't going any better come October sort of time and he's still available, I don't see a problem.
I can't even deny that it'd be an instant upgrade of manager, but it'd be such a horrible thing to do for us as a club who pride ourselves on doing things the classy way etc.
You'd utterly cause ructions with our longest serving player, cause havoc in the fanbase, probably losing a large amount of the proper long term support base and on top of that put an incredible amount of pressure back on Ainsworth himself.
I think you have to accept we can't go back, Ainsworth & Dobbo would need to re-invent somewhere else, and if Bloomers hasn't made much of us in 2-3 years, then entertain it.