Silvio Dante

Theres a stock phrase I use to the kids I coach - don’t make a mistake last five minutes, make it last five seconds. Id actually like to say five milliseconds but not sure they understand that timeframe! The whole point in a game as we all know is that mistakes happen. The issue is that if you make a mistake and think about it, you’re prone to another mistake immediately. With the kids it can be as little as an “oh no” when shanking a pass - you see their focus has gone for that moment, and they’re susceptible to the opposition. Longer that focus goes, more susceptible they are - also goes with expecting to be given fouls and getting annoyed when they’re not. In a wider basis it’s about concentration, Again, don’t have a problem with the principle. Bizarrely by using the word “emotion” LM taps into an overly emotive reaction!

And to reiterate the point, if that is the case it speaks again to how poorly managed we are at upper levels. If he’s not an LM player that’s not LMs fault. It’s the fault of Tinnion and Lansdown for buying the player knowing full well they wanted rid of Pearson. All roads once more lead us back to them.

Tbf I’m not sure there’s masses wrong there. He felt it post Watford, then seems to have been ok on a light schedule so they upped the workload (not to game level) pre Coventry to see if it had recovered enough for the game - he felt it on the mid level schedule so they reset

They do get my goat. Theres a guy in the Dolman that shouts it continuously. On a broader basis, I think that is an example of a 10-90 or 20-80 pass. Not a huge chance you’ll make something, likely turnover. What I do think we do a lot currently is err too much to 80-20 passes the other way. We don’t really play the 60-40 or even 70-30 which unlock teams, and I think that feeds into the wider point about if we’re “stifled”

I’m going to say again that there is no guarantee that LM will get it right given time - we all hope he will, but he’s never been in a job more than 18 months. And his record with a pre season is sacked in December or jumping ship in October. For that reason, I’m not sure August is a totally clean slate. He needs performances this season - if he’s been in charge for 30 games this year and we’re not seeing consistent improvement there isn’t a compelling argument that he will get it right given a pre season, and if after 10 or so games next year it’s not looking fantastic, there may be a bit of a difficult decision to make.

Pegs. Holes. Jason Knight was signed to play in a side that pressed hard and won the ball high up the pitch. Hes excellent at that. The board made a decision (and had probably decided before Knight signed) to move away from the manager who was playing that way and to appoint a manager who plays a different style that doesn’t suit the player. In hindsight, it may have been a poor signing for that reason. But only because the board made it so, and knew of their intent at the time of the signing.

I’m not sure the OP or anyone on the thread suggested the team lack passion. The points on the thread have been more around a lack of creative freedom, spontaneity or instinctiveness which the OP suggested may feed from the “emotion” piece. I don’t think over 14 league games that’s necessarily an unfair observation.

What clearly doesn’t help on threads like this is whenever Max makes a decent save (and it happens on in game threads) you get people saying “can’t believe people don’t rate Max” and then when he makes an error it’s “Max is crap”. Again. He’s an average mid table keeper at this level. Hes 27 - I’m pretty sure he’s not going to improve or regress markedly in the next 2-3 years. He’s neither the messiah or a naughty boy - he’s just average overall, fine for where we are, and will need to be improved on if we are to progress.

Oh I agree it’s textbook and overly so. I’ve been consistent from the first games that a big concern of mine was LMs inability/unwillingness to deviate from the textbook and manage/change things in game (counter the counter). To be fair he did that last night but only after a totally formulaic and pre planned sub. I don’t think he’s “instinctive” if you see what I mean. And if we work on teams being reflections of managers, then yeah, that does feed into a lack of “instinctive” (or brave) football. Again, avoidance of doubt no issue with result/performance last night in isolation or with the language, but I’m not seeing anything 14 league games in overall that shows marked deviation from the initial concerns.

On the cup vs league thing, I think what you have to do is see if the cup is an outlier to the league performance. If you take 2017, we were good in league cup and league - so I’d absolutely say we were in form, and it wasn’t a case of weakened teams/sides not being up for it. Conversely, as I’ve mentioned before, if you take the Liverpool season we were poor in the league with barely a goal a game and turgid football. The performances were outliers, maybe due to the pressure on Souness, maybe due to the atmosphere. But we got relegated the following season with a whimper as the league performances were undoubtedly the norm. With us currently, our cup performances are markedly better than the league. So it’s erring more to the Liverpool season than the Man U. With any statistical analysis you remove outliers - and the cup games are that. So, I think it’s probably wisest to review based on the league performance alone. And as I’ve said elsewhere, I think 3 from the next 3 is a decent haul in isolation, but when that makes it 20 points from 17 games that’s pretty close to relegation form over a season from a good sample size. So yeah, I’m a touch worried about next season. @Davefevs - you mention the Oxford game. I really wonder if that was sliding doors. I’d be confident we’d sounded LM out way before NP left and I wonder if that game convinced LM he would be coming to a side that could challenge, and he overestimated his ability to get the side playing his way or the sides ability to adapt in view of the scoreline. Either way, he’s never felt like a natural “continuation” so you start to wonder why here, and why not wait for a better fit. I’m thinking that league cup game was a big factor.

To be honest, I don’t like the phrase and LM is a bit “buzzword bingo” but all I think it is would be the modern equivalent of “It’s still nil nil lads” - play your game and don’t get overly drawn into the situation. Not to my taste but understand what he means. As for whether LM has made us more passive/regressed us that’s a whole wider conversation….

I said pre game that 4 from 4 would have been an acceptable return (predicated on us playing well) and with 1 from 1, we’re on track. So I’m not unhappy overall. But… - I think Cov were below par and a bit there for the taking - The reason we didn’t was the wide men. Anis was abysmal, and I didn’t see any real threat until we went 2 up top. The real positive for me there was that it was LM trying to impact a game - the prior subs were scheduled and passive - Yes, absolutely Max should save the second. I think had we played more front foot earlier it wouldn’t be a factor but it was Overall, fine. But I think being braver we could have had more.

He sees all the way and as opposed to pushing it away from goal parries it into the striker. Yes, the shot shouldn’t have come in but there is no excuse for Max there

Yep 5-0. Up the bluebells!

I’m guessing these are planned subs. Tactically, and performance, you’d take Anis off. Subs made directly on the hour is always a sign.

I’d probably go with this. Thought we were better first 5, then they came back. Took advantage (territorial without threatening) after Sheaf went off and the goal marginally against the run. They were then on top for ten-fifteen and we scored after great work from Cam to force the corner pre build up. Id call it an even half, but we don’t look overly threatening on the whole.

He’s not far off now. I think he’s got the same number of league goals (non penalty) as Conway now with only Sykes ahead of him. What that says about our creativity generally is a different matter!

Possibly. I’m not sure I’d necessarily play this system but I’d rather Harry over Anis - he’s at least got awareness. The one positive as to where we are for me though, considering that I don’t think either are long term answers, is there is an opportunity to at least give young players a run and I’d be disappointed (but not shocked based on record to date) if LM doesn’t do that soon.

Sorry, I’m just so tired with him now - didn’t mean to snap. He’s just wasted another ball. At one point we just need to say he’s not up to it, and considering where the season is, I would much rather try and see what one of the academy boys can do. He’s nowhere near good enough.

Who says there is no agreement on OTIB?

This is a ridiculously reductive argument. Hes shown nothing to say he’s up to standard in his time with us, and it’s totally factual to state that he’s been wasteful tonight. So yeah, I would - I’m confident in saying he’s not up to the level needed and I’d sooner see what someone else can do - be that Nelson, be that Yeboah, be that anyone else as LM has said he’ll look to the academy first. Do you think he’s not been wasteful so far?

Lee Majors was available but was outside of our budget.

The problem is he’s exceptionally wasteful. Three opportunities for cross or decent shot already and hasn’t delivered.

Chris Honor stating he doesn’t think Cov played on the weekend. Nothing like research is there Chris?

The thing with loan players (and remember we’ve had a loan physio previously) is that you naturally (a) have to tread carefully and (b) defer to the parents judgement of the injury. It’s one reason why I’m not a fan of loans overall - the time out of the team is always going to be a touch higher as on a 50/50 call you, out of deference to the parent club, err on the side of caution. There may be nothing wrong in that long term but it is a fact that the judgement is not that of your medical team alone. And city may think he’s fine but if Burnley have any doubt - he’s not playing. (NB - he is clearly injured, this is more to say any period out is likely to be longer than if he was contracted)