Though I thought it was the wrong move for GA, I can see why he went, but it did for our third League One play-off place. It took him ten years of ups and downs to get to a decent level with Wycombe, he was never going to get the time at QPR.
Were they right to sack him then since he had a good run at it and failed to improve and fans were clamouring for him to go despite acknowledging the players were not turning up. His successor has still not necessarily turned things around.
Matt has tried to change the style for which GA was often slated (by some people now missing the direct style they hated) I just think in League One it often does not work as the players are not good enough.
Seasons have been up and down since I've been back as a ST holder (12 or so years now) and I have seen some dire games in that time and some bad runs. The question is...is this just a bad run and we should let MB and the players sort it out and be better for it... or do we get (or even CAN we get) someone else in for six months who will have an immediate improving impact?
I don't think Keogh is that bad (other opinions are available) and it's the eternal problem of failing in front of goal...manys the time a decent defence has finally exhausted itself and conceded because of a game full of toothless attack. If we can get the strikers scoring, I think other problems will take care of themselves, in my opinion.
I'm happy to let Matt sort this out...and I think he can, but thank the Lord, I don't have to make that decision.
The fact QPR gave him so little money might act in our favour if he was to come back, the players he was targeting and scouting might not have been a million miles from what he'd be looking at here.
There are some very big and ambitious clubs in L1,2 and below that might fancy him and have the resources to make it interesting if we don't.
Amidst all this speculation about who might be a suitable candidate to take the job, it might be a timely moment to remind people that we already have a manager and his name is Matt Bloomfield.
Unlike the experts who can foretell disaster/end of playoff hopes/certain relegation when the team is announced...wherever we are in the table I tend to be optimistic about every game until it becomes impossible...
I think MOST of us will as it means we’ve actually won a game.
no-one is saying it will answer the MB or not MB question, but at least there will be a little bit of a feel-good factor for an hour or two.
Having said that, I’m not actually sure if I’d rather we had a really good performance (a full 90 minutes of how we played the first 55 against Port Vale for example) but only draw or an abject performance (take your recent pick) where we somehow fluke a win.
The intrepid explorer waved the flies away, which had been ceaselessly buzzing around his sweaty brow as he hacked his way through the jungle. He had led his party on a long expedition, but something in the air had changed, and he was hopeful that they were getting close to the end of their quest. He thought back to the different twists and turns that had taken them to this point, and allowed himself a grim smile of satisfaction as he contemplated his pending success. At length, he saw daylight through the dense undergrowth, and parting a pair of giant leaves, he stepped out into an expanse.
In the distance, their objective gleamed beautifully. Two white pillars, joined at the top by another graceful bar, with a net draped behind. It was perfection.
"There it is boys, as promised - a sight of goal." said the explorer, triumphantly.
The Wycombe attackers filed up behind, scratching their heads, and looking at one another, before one of them spoke.
I wasn’t going to Orient but I have changed my mind the lads need all the support we can give them just hope Bloomfield doesn’t play Keogh and 5 at the back
Yes according to the club. We’ve sold 600 in advance but it looks like the away area - which is half the old side stand - holds around 1500 so you should be ok.
There is nothing more I’d enjoy than beating the horse punchers . Only one problem, whisper it softly, they are currently enjoying a new manager bounce post Joey. It will be a tough day, but with fireworks!
I desperately want Matt to turn things round. It saddens me greatly to think how dispirited he must have been feeling these last few weeks and at the worst possible time of year as well. I still have a clear picture in my mind of him walking in front of the Main Stand, big grin on his face, chatting to @bluntphil about his great delight at getting the job. To see him now looking so downbeat is gut wrenching.
I’m not wedded to the idea of three central defenders plus wingbacks, not least because, with one exception (against Port Vale with McCleary on the right and Sadlier on the left), we’ve not been well served recently in those positions. Going back before the present barren spell, I thought Pattenden and Boyes were performing pretty well there.
I disagree strongly that our players aren’t good enough to play the ball on the deck. I watch a fair amount of National League and League 2 football on TV and the majority of teams seem to be perfectly able to do so.
We all love Matt, we all want him to succeed, we want him to be a managerial legend as much as he was a playing legend but wishing for something don’t make it so. The disconnect between what he and we want and what’s delivered is the problem. A passionate player is delivering passionless performances in his team. He is choosing faux intellect tactics over roll up your sleeves get the job done easy system. Being your own man is great but if that own man sees defeat after soul destroying defeat maybe it’s time to concede you are plain wrong. Also someone needs to get into the dressing room and kick some cups around the place. We are not used to rolling over, this is not our way.
Surely, some of the senior pros in the team need to take some responsibility. They should be saying to Matt, 'Look, this just isn't working, you are asking us to play too deep and we are not creating enough chances. Let us play higher up the pitch like we did against Fleetwood, and the goals will come'.
If Matt doesn't agree, they should just do it anyway.
I think we have a void of leadership on the field. Josh leads by example, Grimmer leads when he plays, but what when when we concede there is lack of a leader going round and doing enough to change the heads that a dropping. One of the many things that I recall from the play off final is Darius shouting to the defence 'we can do this all day' when we were backs against the wall with the PNL coming at us. That is leadership. That put our defenders mentally in state of not accepting anything but victory and making the opposition think they were not going to beat us. We don't have a Darius.
Comments
Though I thought it was the wrong move for GA, I can see why he went, but it did for our third League One play-off place. It took him ten years of ups and downs to get to a decent level with Wycombe, he was never going to get the time at QPR.
Were they right to sack him then since he had a good run at it and failed to improve and fans were clamouring for him to go despite acknowledging the players were not turning up. His successor has still not necessarily turned things around.
Matt has tried to change the style for which GA was often slated (by some people now missing the direct style they hated) I just think in League One it often does not work as the players are not good enough.
Seasons have been up and down since I've been back as a ST holder (12 or so years now) and I have seen some dire games in that time and some bad runs. The question is...is this just a bad run and we should let MB and the players sort it out and be better for it... or do we get (or even CAN we get) someone else in for six months who will have an immediate improving impact?
I don't think Keogh is that bad (other opinions are available) and it's the eternal problem of failing in front of goal...manys the time a decent defence has finally exhausted itself and conceded because of a game full of toothless attack. If we can get the strikers scoring, I think other problems will take care of themselves, in my opinion.
I'm happy to let Matt sort this out...and I think he can, but thank the Lord, I don't have to make that decision.
If and when MB goes it has to go to Josh Scowen*
He’s pretty much carrying the team on his back at the moment so it won’t be that much different.
*For the avoidance of doubt I am not being remotely serious
The fact QPR gave him so little money might act in our favour if he was to come back, the players he was targeting and scouting might not have been a million miles from what he'd be looking at here.
There are some very big and ambitious clubs in L1,2 and below that might fancy him and have the resources to make it interesting if we don't.
Amidst all this speculation about who might be a suitable candidate to take the job, it might be a timely moment to remind people that we already have a manager and his name is Matt Bloomfield.
Roll on this quick fire double of games over the next 5 days.
4 points from those and we'll all feel a lot more relieved.
Will we?
I feel absurdly confident against Orient, for some reason.
Yea so do I at the moment. It’s that weird thing about football doing what you least expect it to.
(Although I’m sure as kick off approaches my normal pre-match pessimism will kick in)
Cup 99% empty types probably won't granted
I'll feel better if we suddenly look like we're on a markedly upward curve
Unlike the experts who can foretell disaster/end of playoff hopes/certain relegation when the team is announced...wherever we are in the table I tend to be optimistic about every game until it becomes impossible...
I think MOST of us will as it means we’ve actually won a game.
no-one is saying it will answer the MB or not MB question, but at least there will be a little bit of a feel-good factor for an hour or two.
Having said that, I’m not actually sure if I’d rather we had a really good performance (a full 90 minutes of how we played the first 55 against Port Vale for example) but only draw or an abject performance (take your recent pick) where we somehow fluke a win.
There's getting enough points to stay up, and there's building something strong for future success.
We need immediate wins to help objective A for now.
Will you though?🙂
Yes, but I don't remotely expect it to happen.
You'd be gutted
I'll be gutted if we keep playing like shit, yes.
Only meant in gentle jest, but...
The intrepid explorer waved the flies away, which had been ceaselessly buzzing around his sweaty brow as he hacked his way through the jungle. He had led his party on a long expedition, but something in the air had changed, and he was hopeful that they were getting close to the end of their quest. He thought back to the different twists and turns that had taken them to this point, and allowed himself a grim smile of satisfaction as he contemplated his pending success. At length, he saw daylight through the dense undergrowth, and parting a pair of giant leaves, he stepped out into an expanse.
In the distance, their objective gleamed beautifully. Two white pillars, joined at the top by another graceful bar, with a net draped behind. It was perfection.
"There it is boys, as promised - a sight of goal." said the explorer, triumphantly.
The Wycombe attackers filed up behind, scratching their heads, and looking at one another, before one of them spoke.
"So...what now?"
A win at Orient and then another 3 points against horrible Bristol Rovers will change the mood completely. Keep the faith.
Come on you Blues!!!!!
I wasn’t going to Orient but I have changed my mind the lads need all the support we can give them just hope Bloomfield doesn’t play Keogh and 5 at the back
Can you buy tickets on the day for the Orient game?
Yes according to the club. We’ve sold 600 in advance but it looks like the away area - which is half the old side stand - holds around 1500 so you should be ok.
Thank you.
There is nothing more I’d enjoy than beating the horse punchers . Only one problem, whisper it softly, they are currently enjoying a new manager bounce post Joey. It will be a tough day, but with fireworks!
I desperately want Matt to turn things round. It saddens me greatly to think how dispirited he must have been feeling these last few weeks and at the worst possible time of year as well. I still have a clear picture in my mind of him walking in front of the Main Stand, big grin on his face, chatting to @bluntphil about his great delight at getting the job. To see him now looking so downbeat is gut wrenching.
I’m not wedded to the idea of three central defenders plus wingbacks, not least because, with one exception (against Port Vale with McCleary on the right and Sadlier on the left), we’ve not been well served recently in those positions. Going back before the present barren spell, I thought Pattenden and Boyes were performing pretty well there.
I disagree strongly that our players aren’t good enough to play the ball on the deck. I watch a fair amount of National League and League 2 football on TV and the majority of teams seem to be perfectly able to do so.
We all love Matt, we all want him to succeed, we want him to be a managerial legend as much as he was a playing legend but wishing for something don’t make it so. The disconnect between what he and we want and what’s delivered is the problem. A passionate player is delivering passionless performances in his team. He is choosing faux intellect tactics over roll up your sleeves get the job done easy system. Being your own man is great but if that own man sees defeat after soul destroying defeat maybe it’s time to concede you are plain wrong. Also someone needs to get into the dressing room and kick some cups around the place. We are not used to rolling over, this is not our way.
Surely, some of the senior pros in the team need to take some responsibility. They should be saying to Matt, 'Look, this just isn't working, you are asking us to play too deep and we are not creating enough chances. Let us play higher up the pitch like we did against Fleetwood, and the goals will come'.
If Matt doesn't agree, they should just do it anyway.
I think we have a void of leadership on the field. Josh leads by example, Grimmer leads when he plays, but what when when we concede there is lack of a leader going round and doing enough to change the heads that a dropping. One of the many things that I recall from the play off final is Darius shouting to the defence 'we can do this all day' when we were backs against the wall with the PNL coming at us. That is leadership. That put our defenders mentally in state of not accepting anything but victory and making the opposition think they were not going to beat us. We don't have a Darius.
Senior players having an input and being the manager's "generals" on the pitch yes.
Senior players thinking they know better than the manager and in effect staging a mutiny? Just ridiculous.
Not sure if that's what happens in rugby, but you can't have that in football. Once that happens the manager is pretty doomed.