YGBjammy

I feel like he's an average manager, but could still go either way.

Derby in the playoffs was probably expected given their players (still credit though, as plenty of teams haven't made it when they've had good players)

Chelsea was basically a free hit, no transfers and they have amazing academy players anyway. Not exactly brave to bring them through as it's all he could do, and if they were bad then always had a get out clause of no other option.

Everton just a shit show of a club at the moment, any manager with similar experience would probably have been sacked around now too.

Needs to go to a more stable club for 3 years or so to see how he really is. I'm sure he's learned a lot along the way though.

Clearly a player who Pearson's management has worked for. But still massive credit to Vyner, must have worked his arse off. I thought he was going to be out and probably playing in league 1. Just shows you can never write players off and good management/player mentality can make a huge difference. Literally looks like a new player.

Has got so much time on his side so makes sense for him to wait until the summer IMO. I just really hope he doesn't go to a premier league team and then just get farmed out on loan for years.

I think a club like Burnley or Bournemouth would be pretty ideal for Semenyo really. Will get paid a fat pile of cash and get some play time. I would if I was him. Probably Burnley over Bournemouth though. 

Bell's involvement in both goals was class. 

Wonder how he's feeling waking up this morning!

Would just like to see another game or two of him in the same position to make any opinions on him really. If Weimann came back in and we kept 433 then Weimann would have to take one of the midfield spots really. We could put him out on the right but I think we've had that debate already a year or so ago?

I think Sykes makes sense in the RW position, I think he simply has too much to do when he plays RWB and isn't quite up to it at this level; it's such a tough position these days.

If we do keep a 433 then who are out players at RW? I feel we have a lot of players who could play there, but not their natural position. 

He summed it up well, was good to finally get a result to reflect a performance.

As others have said he has and is changing the culture of the club for the better and hopefully setting the groundwork for progress later on. Not having loads of cash to splash on players might be something we look back on in years to come as a good thing at this point; forces your hand to look within a bit more and focus on the culture and players attitude, rather than just buying someone in to "fix" it

FA cup replays are so stupid these days. Just do extra time and pens

I think Gabby Logan is the best for the main anchor role. Always great and posing questions and keeping the discussion going from what I've seen

Am I right in thinking it looks like:

Vyner Naismith Atkinson

Tanner Scott James Pring 

Weimann

Semenyo Conway

Wow that's a better appointment than I expected considering Gould leaving was a bit unexpected.

Don't know the details of Palace's history but always seemed like a well run club and a similar path to one we'd like to follow (minus th administrations :laugh:)

Can't complain about 3 promotions in his tenure?!

We're way too close to January to sack Pearson, want to see what he has planned. Sacking Pearson won't magically make our players better, might get a 3 week new manager boost but that'd be it. 

Don't let king at CB distract you from Weimann at RWB. How do we have such little depth

I sometimes wonder if HNM had a crew cut and was called Joe Smith, and had arrived here from Tranmere rather than Monaco, would he still be here now? Feel like he's improved since he arrived, but maybe only half as much as we expected, if that. 

I think he needs a decent midfield around him to flourish, probably as part of a 3. I wouldn't be surprised either way if he ends up:

a) playing in Europa League within 2 seasons

b) Moves to French 2nd Division and we never hear of him again

Great potential, but as others on here have said, his variability is huge.

This feels like something that was planned for a bit of restructuring once Gould leaves, but I think the announcement has been brought forward a few weeks due to the current mood. Maybe I'm too cynical.

8 hours ago, billywedlock said:

One day we will change manager, of course. But this moment , right now, we are not yet through the reset and rebuild phase, we are another 6 months away from point where we can reset. That might then be a point where the club and Nige reflect. Does he want to follow that rebuild through (12/13 players out of contract, all the big earners gone, some salary space to sign a balanced squad) , in that case he also has to commit going forward, or the club takes a new direction, having got through a financial melt down, and put in place the basis for the next steps and cleared out and set up the club for a more professional and financially viable future. Now is most certainly not the time to be playing with fire and the managerial lottery game. We are simply not in the position to attract the next coach the club needs whilst we have the squad issues we have. As I say, next summer is a conversation. If Nige has kept us in the Championship these three seasons, halved the wage bill , unloaded all the dead weights and over paid players, and set the club up with a strong youth development link , some great youth players with great potential, an off the field structure that has an idea of what the Prem might look like, he will have done an exceptional job, and saved us from a L1 total melt down. (which would have been our historical result). But Nige may or may not want to carry on, who knows. Then and only then can you start to attract a coach/manager of quality. But it should also be recalled, that new FFP and maybe new owners will not be funding £20m to £40 m losses, the new football reality will see dramatically lower wages being paid, few if any transfer fees and a very different future (IMHO for the better) for Championship teams. So there will be no big spending sprees to get to the Prem, it will be all about exceptional scouting and recruitment and exceptional youth development. 

This is the correct answer.

7 hours ago, mozo said:

Completely agree. The wing back situation has consistently appeared flawed so why not let DaSilva and Tanner play full back (or whoever is in favour), and reduce the need to play players out of position. 

It's weird because we've heard NP say in at least one interview earlier in his tenure that he prefers a back 4 and yet when he had a shortage of centrebacks he chose to fudge a 3 instead of reverting to 2 CBs.

I know some people don't think formations are particularly relevant but even if it reset the focus it would be worth it. 

I'd support NP trying the current formula, with his strongest available squad vs Watford, but if that doesn't go well, use the world Cup break to rip it up and start afresh.

Definitely agree with this, would like to see us try 4 at the back for a few games. Either 433 or 4231 or 4312

Well this isn't ideal

Just noticed that George Baldock now plays for the Greek national team? Can't be many Baldocks in that squad!

Really like this central midfield 3. Bit more balanced now that Weimann isn't in the form he was in earlier in the season 

Games like this make me think Scott and Semenyo won't want to stay here beyond January. I wouldn't!

Both at 2-0 and 3-1 I thought we would be truly down and out, as we usually are in these games. But both times we clawed one back and then looked to be in the ascendancy. That in itself is a MASSIVE change and makes me feel so positive about this team for this season. It will give belief to the players too surely.

On Naismith, I obviously hope he can find a bit more of a balance of risk/reward (or even simply concentration levels) but some of the posters on here seem to think you just flick the "stop making mistakes" switch or something. If he was playing at his peak every game, and managed to cut out every mistake from his game, then he wouldn't be playing in the championship!!

There are some players who I have an interest in after they leave us and want to know how they are doing. Kasey Palmer is very much not one of them.

I think something is indeed "brewing" but I think if we're being realistic we should be very pleased with anything in the top 10, considering the last few seasons. That said though the championship can be quite turbulent so you never know.

My heart wants to get whisked away with the hype and excitement, but my head remembers all the prior seasons where we've had an awesome start and then it just hasn't happened! (Including getting pretty close to being relegated not too long ago!)