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From NP we get an honest assessment of the games. He won't throw anyone under a bus in public. But neither will he tolerate those not following his instructions.

And with the large number of under 23 young ones in the squad, he will sometimes not get the team selection correct every time.

I'm sure that the half time personnel and formation changes were as a reaction to how Millwall had scored twice in twenty minutes, and how they were nullifying our efforts to run the match. And not due to perceived poor performances by those two subbed.

IMO, Towler got a couple of things wrong but did some good. He was the least experienced when NP wanted to change to a back 3. Not because of those mistakes.

Same for the change from Benarous to HNM. A change of tactics to overcome Millwall. Both Towler and Benarous will soon be back in the side.

Edited by cidered abroad
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50 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Save me typing it again!

I’m sure you all know my views on Nige and that I see him as the man to rebuild us (even if he isn’t the man to take us to the next step as the “manager” itself).

I think he shows a huge responsibility and accountability for the role he has.

Bollox to his 40 game record, yes, I’m being selective, but the record that is important to me is the one this season.  8-6-11 (30/25) isn’t earth shattering, but it’s the base for improvement.  Future success won’t come by Willy-nilly manager changes because we lose a couple / few on the trot.

He gambled a bit on Towler and Benarous today, but he reacted.  We are not a great squad, and to make it harder, we are inconsistent too.  I think the 11 players that started the second half were better than the first half 11, but a couple of mistakes made them look a lot worse if you look at score line.

I just feel massively patient.

Towler and Benarous were dreadful selections In the context of the starting 11. Many fans looking at that selection would have thought what the fxxx is going on, I certainly did. My instincts were correct as Nigel changed it to something much more sensible at ht. How could have experienced football manager have got it so dreadfully and obviously (without hindsight) wrong? TBH I’ve  got zero confidence in the bloke.   

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Good interview Nige.

For me the most pleasing aspect about today was the crowd, an excellent atmosphere helping big time to get the team over the line. It’s brilliant to see that this forum is entirely unrepresentative of the actual fanbase, as around 50% of the fans on this forum believe that the games should be played behind closed doors, yet as we saw today the attendance was certainly far above the 7.5k you would expect to see, if this forum was anything to go by. “I’m too scared to attend, and therefore the other 15,000 who want to go shouldn’t be allowed to attend either”. Thankfully those people are very much in the minority, and home advantage shone through today. 

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16 minutes ago, Aaron-Bcfc said:

Good interview Nige.

For me the most pleasing aspect about today was the crowd, an excellent atmosphere helping big time to get the team over the line. It’s brilliant to see that this forum is entirely unrepresentative of the actual fanbase, as around 50% of the fans on this forum believe that the games should be played behind closed doors, yet as we saw today the attendance was certainly far above the 7.5k you would expect to see, if this forum was anything to go by. “I’m too scared to attend, and therefore the other 15,000 who want to go shouldn’t be allowed to attend either”. Thankfully those people are very much in the minority, and home advantage shone through today. 

I thought it took a while to get going and even at 1 up it was still pretty subdued, then it obviously went downhill with them scoring and taking the lead.

what really kicked the good atmosphere off was there MILLLLLLLL followed by us scoring and taking the piss, after that the atmosphere was great.

we do always seem to need something to get us going and we can definitely get behind the team 15 minutes at the end but I wish we could do it from the start - but better than nothing.

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4 hours ago, aa_bcfc said:

Towler and Benarous were dreadful selections In the context of the starting 11. Many fans looking at that selection would have thought what the fxxx is going on, I certainly did. My instincts were correct as Nigel changed it to something much more sensible at ht. How could have experienced football manager have got it so dreadfully and obviously (without hindsight) wrong? TBH I’ve  got zero confidence in the bloke.   

I think the vast majority of us had concerns, me included.  I’m not gonna lie.  But I always try and put myself in Nige’s shoes and try to imagine what went through his mind.

My “take” was:

he didn’t want to disrupt the 4231 that played pretty well v QPR, and with Vyner having to shuffle to RB, he needed another CB.  I can only guess Atkinson is struggling fitness wise and is just making numbers up (not in a critical way) at the mo, hence why he selected Towler.

With King suspended, I guess he thought that Benarous playing as the 10 meant he could see Alex Scott in his preferred position in the centre of midfield.  Man-Noah has not been in the best form of late.

That was my “Nige logic”.  I might be a million miles out with that though

As it transpired it was a more 4141 (than 4231), but Benarous got a bit lost, and Towler didn’t handle two key moments very well.

He could’ve easily gone 352, and still played Towler (as LCB).

What we have is a mix of players playing inconsistently and / or players learning on the job.  There isn’t a great choice available with a few injuries and King’s suspension, and such a small squad.  Gonna be some pain, today we remedied it at h-t.

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40 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I think the vast majority of us had concerns, me included.  I’m not gonna lie.  But I always try and put myself in Nige’s shoes and try to imagine what went through his mind.

My “take” was:

he didn’t want to disrupt the 4231 that played pretty well v QPR, and with Vyner having to shuffle to RB, he needed another CB.  I can only guess Atkinson is struggling fitness wise and is just making numbers up (not in a critical way) at the mo, hence why he selected Towler.

With King suspended, I guess he thought that Benarous playing as the 10 meant he could see Alex Scott in his preferred position in the centre of midfield.  Man-Noah has not been in the best form of late.

That was my “Nige logic”.  I might be a million miles out with that though

As it transpired it was a more 4141 (than 4231), but Benarous got a bit lost, and Towler didn’t handle two key moments very well.

He could’ve easily gone 352, and still played Towler (as LCB).

What we have is a mix of players playing inconsistently and / or players learning on the job.  There isn’t a great choice available with a few injuries and King’s suspension, and such a small squad.  Gonna be some pain, today we remedied it at h-t.

I do the same but I’m far more simple.

who are my guaranteed experienced players at each “layer” - need Kalas, James & Weiman. Then who’s my next best available player COD - stick him on the left. Have I got anyone else that should be playing - nope, right …….. well with Max that’s almost half a team time for tea break.

While having his tea break JL phones him up and reminds him about the 5 pillars and playing young players so he comes back and thinks everyone thinks Vyner and Pring are young so he can get away with that but He has a choice at centre back between Atkinson that’s been out of form and Towler who’s started shouting a lot since he got back from Grimsby (probably a hearing problem) - I’ll give Towler a go, time for another tea, oh almost forgot I can stick Semenyo up front because everyone else is knackered.

right, then midfield, who’s left, HNM, AB or Scott - we’ve already got James and no one else that’s fit is capable of shielding the defence, we need something going forward so Scott is probably best at that, HNM or AB, I’m sure I saw a tombola around here.

oh maybe it’s not as simple and assumes he thinks about the formation without knowing which players to play in it which would be stupid, oh well back to the drawing board. Knew I shouldn’t have had that double coffee at half time!

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It’s a results business, this week has inescapably highlighted that. 

The performance against QPR was good/very good in parts. Ironically it was the experienced King, whose presence alongside Tanner gave the XI a much more reassuring feel, who cost us the game. We lose and those who have made their mind up that Pearson isn’t the man surface - whether blatantly or with subtle, snarky remarks.

The performance against Millwall was poor/fine/good in parts. Better 2nd half, clearly, but not the performance of a few days earlier where we were very unfortunate not to claim a point at least. I didn’t like the team selection, I didn’t like the blinkered optimism that it was more (if not entirely) an endorsement of the academy than necessity and I didn’t like the way that giddiness inevitably turned to criticism. But we win. So the pessimists retreat when they have greater ground to criticise than QPR, and the optimists advance when they had greater reason to do so following a defeat a few days earlier.

There’s multiple things in play here and, as has been said before, this season was always going to have enough for the opposite ends of the spectrum to exchange blows.

This squad has more than enough about it to not be anxiously looking over its shoulder. Factoring in we’re in full reset mode, so excluding many of the higher paid who we’re clearly trying to move on, we look hugely vulnerable. The starting XI yesterday was a walking wicket. At season start if it were known in early Jan we’d have an XI featuring Towler, Pring, Scott and Benarous, and that’s overlooking Vyner (for who the jury seems very much still out) and O’Leary, it would have drawn gasps. And rightly so.

Put it a different way. Players who didn’t play yesterday (for whatever reason) could make the following team - Bentley, Simpson, Baker, Atkinson, Dasilva, Massengo, Williams, King, Palmer, Wells, Martin. 

Personally, I don’t believe that Pearson was ‘trying to make a point’. Yesterday’s starting XI screamed two things for me;

1. Pearson himself has no concerns what-so-ever over his position.

2. We’re in much deeper trouble generally than is/was widely acknowledged.

Yesterdays starting XI showed, in my opinion, that Pearson has full backing and will almost certainly be backed through a theoretical relegation. Clearly there are extremes which change the landscape but with a three year deal and Lansdown looking for investment it seems clear we’ve handed the reigns to an experienced head with the aim of being a more attractive investment opportunity by the time his contract ends - PL seems a pipe dream at present, the hope is a Championship club whether through survival or promotion.

People need to buckle up. If yesterday’s XI is a sign of things to come and January is more about out than in, which it surely will be, there will be more bad days than good. At the start of the season my expectation was something like 12th-16th (from memory), if yesterday’s starting XI is an indication of where we are I’d snap your hand off for survival.

Edited by S_C
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We are not going to win promotion with the current squad but are also highly likely to avoid relegation. Nigel has to keep reasonable results bubbling along and at the same time has to develop the excellent crop of young players that we have coming through from the academy.  He has a small squad and, at the same time, to manage injuries and form issues amongst the experienced players.  He appears to be handling the difficult balancing act very well - albeit in the face of criticism from the usual quarters.  In my humble opinion, we have good reason to be optimistic about the future.

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15 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Save me typing it again!

I’m sure you all know my views on Nige and that I see him as the man to rebuild us (even if he isn’t the man to take us to the next step as the “manager” itself).

I think he shows a huge responsibility and accountability for the role he has.

Bollox to his 40 game record, yes, I’m being selective, but the record that is important to me is the one this season.  8-6-11 (30/25) isn’t earth shattering, but it’s the base for improvement.  Future success won’t come by Willy-nilly manager changes because we lose a couple / few on the trot.

He gambled a bit on Towler and Benarous today, but he reacted.  We are not a great squad, and to make it harder, we are inconsistent too.  I think the 11 players that started the second half were better than the first half 11, but a couple of mistakes made them look a lot worse if you look at score line.

I just feel massively patient.

In some ways, this evolution feels akin to Terry Cooper's in 82-83. Financial pressures, and experienced players leaving the club; have forced the introduction over the last 12 months of young players into the starting 11.

The championship is an unforgiving league, where there are small margins in 75% of the games (1 goal difference). It's hardly the best place to blood youngsters, and give them the necessary experience, which will come coupled with making mistakes; and hopefully learning from them. As NP says "We know where we are as a club".

The club as a whole is undergoing a massive evolution (Millions being shaved of Operating Costs, and hundreds of employees being let go from all departments). Whether that would have happened so quickly without Covid, we don't know. But it probably needed to happen a lot earlier than it did.

Unlike the 82-83 side, we are in the second division of the country; and having to deal with a massive unfair playing disadvantage forced upon us by FFP, and Parachute payments. Supporter's expectations after the perceived highs of 2017/18 are still probably a little bit too high. But unlike 2013, we're not at the bottom of the league, and in some ways are performing above expectation. I realise the team's actual performances have been poor on occasion. But where would we be as a club without the 6 x 90+ min goals against us. We are certainly not the basket case of a team now that we were in the latter part of the 20-21 season.

The 3 year timescale that NP talks about, is not necessarily one based on "Give me time to sort out this mess". It's more based on the fact that all of the highest paid players at the club's contracts finish in Summer 2023 (Hence the 3 years).  At that time, the manager in charge will have a lot more scope to completely rejig the squad, and be free of all of the financial constraints that are currently haunting us.

The club as a whole, from a financial point of view would be better off in L1, without the financial limitations. But you only have to look at some of the clubs in L1 now, to see how competitive a league that is. There are no guarantees that if we are relegated, that we would be able to get back into the Championship for a number of years. The gulf now between L1 to Championship looks huge from a playing standpoint (Hull, Peterborough smashed that league last year).

It's been a horrible 12 months supporting this club, with very few high points. But at least now, I can see a sense of purpose, and direction. We're a very average Championship as per NP's comments. We will win some, and lose some; and on occasion put in a dreadful performance. But to change Manager now would cause the club to lose sight once again of the end goal. Which is by the end of the 22/23 season, to be a better team on the pitch, with a better run club beind it providing the impetuous to finally after 40+ years to get into the PL. 

Now once again, deep breaths; and strap ourselves in for the second half of the season; and the fallout that will come with our next loss. ?

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53 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

it is a shane so few are able to follow and enjoy a different strategy at play

This continues to amaze me that so many just don’t seem to get where we are, even after last weeks announcement. If these folk could actually wake up and appreciate where we are at it it would massively improve their match day experience imho. Certainly my pals I go with have got it and we’re loving what’s going on at the moment and it seems that lots of those around us in the SS are getting it as well. It’s forged a new sense of togetherness that has been missing for a long long time. Of course there will be the usual bumps in the road but it’s going to be a great journey over the next couple of seasons for those that are bought in imho. 

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I agree last 4/5 weeks he’s seemed much more into it (the job) he seems more attached and also I see a growing confidence, he also appears more relaxed, we maybe starting to see the real Nige he’s hopefully shrugged off his health problems he seems to be growing into his position as he understands more about the players and the position the club is in.

I’m beginning to see signs of a plan and some patterns of play. I think we will continue to pick up points in pockets along with the odd dodgy 45 minutes and a disappointing loss along the way. But the shoots are there, the players seem more committed and comfortable with what they’re being asked to do. 
 

We’re also starting to see some strong management he clearly knows and has made decisions around some of the playing staff and is sticking to them Palmer, JD and Wells. The dropping of Bentley e (that was a shock) and Martin (to date hasn't hampered us). He’s also for me making better substitutions right players on/off (people will argue he got it wrong to start yesterday, maybe he did, if he did he put his hands up and changed it, that’s good management. He’s also not been frightened to expose the youngsters and give them confidence and a platform. Yesterday was maybe one too many but the example yesterday was he kept Scott on he wasn’t having a bad game neither was he setting the world alight but when he’s on there’s always that chance he may pull something of the bag surely this will give Scott huge confidence. Towler & Benarous will have learned from yesterday no question. 

my confidence and trust in NP is growing we’re now creating more (appreciate we’re struggling to keep a clean sheet) something he admitted yesterday it’s just about finding that balance. 

We’re told that there is a 3 year plan for me this season is year one, last season didn’t count, inherited a squad low on confidence he was understanding that and also the club set up and stakeholders all whilst not being 100% health wise and hames being played behind locked doors let’s not forget that until recently he was also using someone else’s coaches in Simpson & Downing. 

If we can end well and finish around 11th or 12th even 13th or 14th for me that’s good progress and gives us something to build on in 21/22 and an aim to break into the top 10 and then further push on. 
 

In Nige we trust. 
 

 

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15 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I think the vast majority of us had concerns, me included.  I’m not gonna lie.  But I always try and put myself in Nige’s shoes and try to imagine what went through his mind.

My “take” was:

he didn’t want to disrupt the 4231 that played pretty well v QPR, and with Vyner having to shuffle to RB, he needed another CB.  I can only guess Atkinson is struggling fitness wise and is just making numbers up (not in a critical way) at the mo, hence why he selected Towler.

With King suspended, I guess he thought that Benarous playing as the 10 meant he could see Alex Scott in his preferred position in the centre of midfield.  Man-Noah has not been in the best form of late.

That was my “Nige logic”.  I might be a million miles out with that though

As it transpired it was a more 4141 (than 4231), but Benarous got a bit lost, and Towler didn’t handle two key moments very well.

He could’ve easily gone 352, and still played Towler (as LCB).

What we have is a mix of players playing inconsistently and / or players learning on the job.  There isn’t a great choice available with a few injuries and King’s suspension, and such a small squad.  Gonna be some pain, today we remedied it at h-t.

I’d heard through the grapevine the day before that the 7 ‘academy’ lads would be starting. 
My thoughts were, as I posted early in the matchday thread yesterday, that with these 7 plus Kalas & James sure to play, one of Weimann or O’Dowda would be dropped in order to keep the 4-2-3-1,  as I thought it needed another CM to play (ie HNM in for one of AW or COD). 
 

As it was, he changed the shape and played James as a DM with Scott & Benarous as 2 AM’s. 
I felt this left us short in the middle. I think Pearson was relying on the legs and energy of Scott & Benarous to cover a lot of midfield ground. 
This might have worked, but what happened for both goals against was that James didn’t stay in his ‘cage’. James continued to play the traditional CM role and often went forward too far for my liking in this formation. 
For both goals he was caught too far upfield and our midfield shape was lost. We had no one screening the CB’s. The 2nd goal particularly was horrendous. 
 

I think the half time changes were correct, but only because we needed the 2nd CM in there as opposed to a wandering DM and 2 AM’s. 

Edited by Harry
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5 hours ago, billywedlock said:

Looking at the last few seasons finishing positions of Blackburn and QPR . You need time to build and you need time to shape and give experience . This is not just about this season and the financial challenges it is about where we are going to be in a couple of seasons . We don’t have parachute payments so have to go a different road . We are 14 th . Despite all the bitching , it is 14 th . Not bottom . A number of the younger players have a higher ceiling than the older pros . That is why many are being used and exposed .  
 

it is a shane so few are able to follow and enjoy a different strategy at play . It is very interesting to hear and read Rangernik talk about Leipzig and how he used youth to get to the top . The challenges and requirements . It is similar to the path we are taking . Yesterday we got 3 points and a lot of players continued their education . It might just be Pearson sees genuine promise and potential in our youth . He is working under big constraints . Has not moaned once about it and is getting on with it and setting the groundwork for future seasons. . I prefer to see this as an enjoyable journey and far prefer it to spending millions on players who either don’t want to really be here or or already at the peak of their development . 
 

Still seems to me too many need a relegation to wake up . Yet here we are in 14 th and still all you get is moaning a few days after announcing a 38 m loss . 

I agree with every word.

And definitely agreee that we do not need a relegation (that some seem to want) Whatever I have thought about City managers, it has never included the dreaded drop. When one has suffered seven "R's" in a lifetime with three in three years, you will never want another!

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Some great posts above, together some very good individual points ??????.

1 hour ago, Harry said:

I’d heard through the grapevine the day before that the 7 ‘academy’ lads would be starting. 
My thoughts were, as I posted early in the matchday thread yesterday, that with these 7 plus Kalas & James sure to play, one of Weimann or O’Dowda would be dropped in order to keep the 4-2-3-1,  as I thought it needed another CM to play (ie HNM in for one of AW or COD). 
 

As it was, he changed the shape and played James as a DM with Scott & Benarous as 2 AM’s. 
I felt this left us short in the middle. I think Pearson was relying on the legs and energy of Scott & Benarous to cover a lot of midfield ground. 
This might have worked, but what happened for both goals against was that James didn’t stay in his ‘cage’. James continued to play the traditional CM role and often went forward too far for my liking in this formation. 
For both goals he was caught too far upfield and our midfield shape was lost. We had no one screening the CB’s. The 2nd goal particularly was horrendous. 
 

I think the half time changes were correct, but only because we needed the 2nd CM in there as opposed to a wandering DM and 2 AM’s. 

I don’t think James is a true DM (holder / sitter)….it’s probably why he works well with King, who knows to sit if James ventures forward.  I thought Benarous played too high, which would’ve been ok had we gone 4231, but in a 4141 he perhaps showed his inexperience in terms of understanding the game going on around him.  Scott has a superior football brain imho.  That’s no slight on Benarous, just what it is, they are both talented 18 year olds.  Their passing heat maps and ball receipt positions reflect that.

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44 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Some great posts above, together some very good individual points ??????.

I don’t think James is a true DM (holder / sitter)….it’s probably why he works well with King, who knows to sit if James ventures forward.  I thought Benarous played too high, which would’ve been ok had we gone 4231, but in a 4141 he perhaps showed his inexperience in terms of understanding the game going on around him.  Scott has a superior football brain imho.  That’s no slight on Benarous, just what it is, they are both talented 18 year olds.  Their passing heat maps and ball receipt positions reflect that.

Yep. I guess that’s part of my overall point. 
In the way Pearson set them up he had James deeper, with Scott & Benarous higher. 
Given this, I’d have hoped that Pearson would instruct James to sit deep. That’s not his game though and he seemed to play his normal CM game rather than a DM game. I don’t think he was under any instruction to hold and shield and just let the two young uns  do the donkey work. 
That’s why the half time change worked, because we then had 2 CM’s, enabling one to cover the other. First half we didn’t have that. If James went higher, there was no one sitting in for him (I suppose, no ‘partnership’ in that respect), leaving the Cb’s exposed. 

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2 hours ago, Harry said:

That’s why the half time change worked, because we then had 2 CM’s, enabling one to cover the other.

Really, really simple stuff, but having two midfielders who can rotate coming deep, picking up off CBs, allowing them to split if a back 4 and get the FBs forward, can make a big difference to progressing the ball.  You can move the pressing midfielder around and they don’t know who to go with.

Its the first time I’ve seen Massengo and James really work together since Sept.  We saw the same mixing it up with James and King v QPR.  A bit of desire and coordination between the two makes a big difference…both with and without the ball.

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5 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Really, really simple stuff, but having two midfielders who can rotate coming deep, picking up off CBs, allowing them to split if a back 4 and get the FBs forward, can make a big difference to progressing the ball.  You can move the pressing midfielder around and they don’t know who to go with.

Its the first time I’ve seen Massengo and James really work together since Sept.  We saw the same mixing it up with James and King v QPR.  A bit of desire and coordination between the two makes a big difference…both with and without the ball.

Partnerships. 
One of the most important things that is rarely talked about. 
 

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