Alessandro

Interesting comment, given your posts in this thread..pot kettle. Your thoughts on Manning, the clubs decision making and our chances of promotion, as set by the club?

Ah I see we’re not taking the rough with the smooth very well…

@Marina's Rolls Royce any thoughts?

Right 10 minutes at 10 men

Is that 4 players in as many weeks that have been injured again whilst either nearing the end of rehab or recently returning from injury? Not good.

I know and what the **** is that about?!? How on earth can that be the case? Motivation and effort the absolute bare minimum - if that’s not there…huge questions to answer

People saying “this is better”…is it? All I’m seeing is Wednesday sitting back a bit more and looking to catch us on the break, which they very nearly just did. We still don’t look anymore likely to score despite some more ball in their final third. EDIT all Wednesday at mo

It’s really, really not very good. I just don’t understand. Are we a footballing team or a direct team? They don’t seem to know. Where’s the movement? Where’s the energy? Why are we playing like strangers so often? Why are there such massive gaps in the middle and Manning persists with a stretched 3 at the back and wide pushed up players with little cover in the middle? Why so much lack of composure? Why does this team, that should be doing so much better, show such lack of quality, effort at times and so few chances created?

Well throwing Rennie under the bus hasn't helped with injuries yet...

I think lessons will be learned from QPR and we will up our game today. Away from home might suit us - if Wednesday have a go, which they need to, we have the ability to punish them and win well. If we're dragged into another scrappy game, it's coming down to that one moment where someone on either team takes a chance for 1-0 either way. As others have said, would be good to see us control more of the game today too.

Yes I thought the same thing - they're all salesmen though and he's clearly learning fast

It’s interesting for me as I never really expected top 6 this season under NP - especially after selling Scott - unless the chequebook suddenly opened in Jan (which it didn’t) - so my eyes were always on next season - where I felt NP could start to really show the fruits of his foundations and be judged fairly on results. Why am I frustrated/concerned/now a little negative about next season: 1) Apart from the club taking us for fools talking about top 6. 2) I have my concerns that appointing Manning just isn’t that continuity appointment from NP. Is that a problem? Well maybe..: My question - is his style of football (desirable as it may be) realistic for us as a club, with our budget? Is his style of football too expensive for us? If so, can he adapt to find a way to “successfully” work with the resources he actually has? Successful being a ‘top 6 challenge’, not us playing some nice football a couple of a times a month amongst many frustrating losses. Every mid table championship team can do that. So it feels like we could be heading for another re-build and one we might not be able to afford - if it’s not working this time next year, what then? Another re-build again? And so on so on. The Lansdown Loop. Ultimately if you like the guy you’ll be patient, if not you won’t. We all do it, we all have a personal hunches on managers. Feels to me like nice guy, good coach, Wrong time wrong club. How long will the majority of fans give Manning - Time will tell. As always I’ll sign off with hope I’m wrong.

I’m not ready to criticise Manning for blooding or not blooding youngsters yet - far too early to say. We will probably have to reflect on that in at least a years time. One thing that is a fact - the necessity for NP to bloody so many academy prospects has meant we’ve seen so many come through, yes - but….. Where has it got us? If we’re going to achieve our goal of promotion, the academy has to be one cog in the machine, not what we rely on: We’re still at a hit rate of about 1 a season max that could be sold for good money to the prem and about 1 to 2 players a season max looking like they could be a consistent part of a top 6 team. So although we’re ‘producing’ players in the academy…it’s still a case of they’ve got to be good enough for a top championship challenge eventually. I don’t want us to simply become a nursery for young players who ‘get a game’ while we remain mid table at best in the champ only for the best of them to be sold and the worst released. I think we’re still some years off the academy providing the first team with 3,4 or even 5 players with the potential of the likes of Pring, Conway and Scott etc over a shorter period of time than 3, 4 or 5 season time span.

Watford away and Southampton home performances in the league looking more like anomalies and we’ve seen many more performances like that today. Plan A was frankly awful and there was no plan B again and an inability to affect a game going against us, again. That squad today - as good as it’s been for years, we have to be doing better than that, so poor and the players just looked like they gave up there. A win % of 0.3 - This is why the jury is just still out for me on Manning. And that’s not me saying Manning is shit full stop - but me saying I’m seeing little to show Manning has the tactical x-factor needed to take this club from a mid table budget group to play off contenders. As always, I hope I’m wrong.

Mate we’re a mid table team with a mid table budget. There’s a reason everyone says “anyone can beat anyone” in the championship - we are like all the other mid table teams, capable of a big result but massively inconsistent. How do we beat these teams? Well there’s the million dollar question….the answer all too often is you get out what you put in…££££££

Well, well well. After a week of play off chat and didn’t the club play a stroke of genius appointing Manning…reality strikes. An impotent, over worked and under cooked first half display. Big half coming up - changes needed and time to show us your tactical nous Liam - this is a game we should 100% not be losing.

@Davefevs - I think, whether people agree or disagree with your opinion, you’re one of the most level headed posters on here and always seem willing to accept if/when you’re wrong. Ultimately you’re a keen fan, not an expert, nor do you pretend to be, despite your knowledge shown in your analysis work. You don’t need me or anyone to ‘protect’ you on here but IMO you don’t have to prove anything to anyone. I do think @Marina's Rolls Royce’s going after you quite so early in the fashion they have…well, I hope they’re as able to eat humble pie as they’re willing to serve it out - these things usually come around to bite back. EDIT - especially as I don’t think you’ve made many statements that could yet be classed undoubtedly as ‘wrong’. Long way to go….

A broken clock is right twice a day… As you seem so ready and keen to “remind” others if they’re wrong - what’s your opinion on Manning? Good or bad appointment? Expectations? You seem defensive of him and the Lansdown’s so presume you approve? Promotion under Manning? Why don’t you stick your neck on the line, put your money where your mouth is and give us some statements we can “remind” you of? Given you’re happy to be critical of others and clearly feeling bullish, 2 wins and suddenly everyone was wrong to criticise the club…hmmm

Pring/Roberts great dilemma to have. On the whole it’s great to see so many players lift their game with the competition for places we now have… Atkinson - actually realise now I don’t know what the latest is since his set back after his (nearly) return from injury?

Seeing that bench last night, you got a sense of that - looking stronger all the time. And we were missing Pring and Twine who likely go straight in the team and the likes of Naismith and Atkinson hopefully not miles off adding even more depth - hopefully in time for the run in.

Absolutely take a bow LM. Very positive signs now appearing - the thing for me is I think he is learning and adapting, which is absolutely key. You got a sense he came into the club with his idea of how he wanted to play already and didn’t deviate from it. But recently performances show he has taken a step away from that and adjusted the approach. That’s two big wins in a row with 30%-40% odd possession…perhaps a realisation…. Building on some of the style and foundations already in place in the squad and giving us another gear - 4 at the back, pressing at the right time, counter attacking football, excellent organised defence. Always felt to me under previous manager were weren’t miles off that kind of performance, 1 or 2 players off - if LM has been able to unlock it and can find consistency then we’re onto something IMO.

Gutted to have missed tonight as i'm out the country - but what a win and a great week...dare to dream. Keep it going COYR

Oh sorry, I give my opinion about what championship managers do and I’m trying to be a championship manager and when you give your opinion about what championship managers do your…what…not?! OK mate.

To suggest a championship manager is watching opposition managers interviews to understand their tactics, is...well...silly. All they have to do is watch the game, analyse the stats and learn all they need to.