Clutton Caveman

I think this style is on the way out in the Prem. Pep sticks with it but Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs have become far more direct.

For me there is a problem of credibility. LM has very little. He has only coached for a short time at League 1 level. He is attempting a huge change in playing style. He replaced a coach that had the respect of the group. So if his new approach fails to bring results fairly soon, how long will he have the dressing room.

Buy what's happened to the Pring that would get up a head of steam and drive to the by line or into the box. No its seems its all about keep the ball at all costs and try to walk to ball into the net.

I wish he had said, " we haven't got any strikers and until we do we can 99% of the ball and draw 0.0." For me this a glaring point and no manager can be successful until it is fixed.

He promised, exciting football playing on the front foot. Sorry but the delivery is something quite different. When the ball spends more time with the 2 centre backs and the goalkeeper than anyone else, I get very bored. When he keeps playing Conway up front on his own with no good result and in the process destroying his confidence and when he can't see that Bell is shot and needs a lone at a lower level it worries me. Great to believe in a certain way to play but when the squad doesn't suit that system and we are not getting results we need a plan B. That is just not evident.

My worry is the second half. Either LM's system is too physically demanding to maintain for 90 mins or the other teams figure us out and get on top. Knight looked knackered after the half time and so did many of the team. To play 90mins of LM ball needs massive concentration and also courage not to just hoof it in tight situations. In may opinion in recent weeks our key players stop making the runs in the second half and although we keep the ball we have it in the wrong areas of the pitch and it becomes really boring to watch.

I think at the point opposition coaches don't yet know who we set up. After the first half they see what we are doing and adapt their style in the second half. As we play more, teams will see what others have done in the second half and do the same.

I still think he is frightened to run flat out after the hamstring injury.

With Mehmeti we just need to teach him to kick with his left foot. He is soooo predictable with the ball at his feet always having to check onto his right foot. Defenders wake up to this and send hi down blind alleys. Perhaps with LM's promise to improve current players Mehmeti can learn that the left foot has a use other than standing.

Cornick brings a whole new meaning to headless chicken but I agree that Wells by his experience improves the others around him. The big lad from Bora who scored the second goal shows just what we are lacking

I think part of the problem is some people can't seem to enjoy a game unless they are off their face on alcohol or white stuff. Great to have a couple pre game beers with friends but is it really necessary to be s*** faced?

I think the best coaches are ex players who were not naturally gifted like Gaza or Cantona but players who really had to work hard on their skills and win using the experience.

Problem is, if we cannot take the chances when they come, our defence needs to be prefect.

I think the way that LM wants to play is really physically demanding and I think we don't at this point have the squad size and depth to support it. Players run more miles per game than ever and the pace is higher. This does not go well with running a thin squad backed up by kids.

The refs were bad enough before but now that many of them are required for VAR the ones on the pitch are even worse. I wonder why recently retired refs can't do VAR

Not exactly the tune to get the blood pumping. I thought the really loud "come on Boro" after their second goal was excellent. Simple old fashioned and loud is my preference.

I agree regarding Dickie, he is a great buy, I think that Tanner had very few options when he had the ball in the first half. Sykes was well marked and there was often no ball into midfield. I thought Mehmeti looked a lot better than recent times when he came on actually taking people on which is what he was bought for. Not too much end product yet but I am encouraged. Bell looks like he needs a few games back in the reserves and I think we look better with Cornick leading the line rather than Conway. At least we had a decent bench this week. What Nige would have given for that!

I think the first home game with an international break to get organised should mean that we see the first impact of a new coaching team. It must be hard for Boro to prepare as they probably have no better idea than we have about our style of play. I would hope that we stop playing Conway up front on his own. If we have 1 up top it has to be Cornick. I hope Wiemann does not start and that we play with a far higher tempo. For me, a draw with an entertaining full on playing style will be enough. Fingers crossed, COYR

Eastville Stadium was great because the away end had a decent capacity and we always filled it. The smell was pretty bad though.

I think this might be a case of absence makes the heart fonder. From my memory Ayman showed flashes of real talent but never did he impact a game like Scott did.

A good start would be stopping abuse by players and spectators when young refs are coming thru. If we have a bigger talent pool the quality and competition improves.

I think the Bournemouth owners wanted to change their style. Bet they wish they hadn't sacked the manager now.

If we put him and Williams in the same slot based on their injury record, hopefully one would always be available. Drop Wiemann, play Knight further forward and have James and one of these two with him.

Its not just the scoring of goals but also keeping the ball in the final third of the pitch. At the moment we have nobody who can receive the ball, hold it up and bring others into the game. As such we hit a lot of long ball with most resulting in lost possession. Since Scott left we also have nobody who can take the ball on the half turn and run at the defence. This makes us very easy to set up against. If you don't leave space in behind or over commit in attack we cause very few problems. Our wide players when finding themselves one on one rarely take their man on and instead pass inside or backwards. When we get in the final third it all looks a bit ad-hoc and our crosses rarely find our player. One last thing is attacking free kicks. It seems that we don't have anybody who can offer direct threat with free kicks around the box or even any clever routines from the training ground. Manning promises attacking exciting football. I hope to to see big improvements in the areas above.

Hope he has learn't that Mehmeti is crap and Weimann is a headless chicken