Mr Chappers

Looking at the number of shysters/ undesirables owning football clubs, seems a pretty pointless thread.

Good break for some ground-hopping…

23 hours ago, GrahamC said:

We all love a trier but Tanner is becoming a bit untouchable on here.

What on earth was he doing for the second goal? Nowhere near quick enough to block the shot that went in.

At fault (with Vyner) for Birmingham’s second, too.

GT has had just a handful of games at L2, and is thrown into a struggling Championship team, with no support on too many occasions. Pring has little experience, Atkinson was in National League two seasons ago, Vyner has been around a while but struggling at this level. Same with Bakinson, HNM is still young and not yet lived up to the hype consistently. All still learning, the experience mostly in the forwards, all struggling with 3 games a week, playing in a side lacking confidence. Nothing much on the bench, if you exclude one inconsistent expensive signing who is clearly out of favour.

Let’s be honest, who looked at our midfield line up against Coventry and thought it would be competitive defensively at Championship level? Add to that two very inexperienced full backs and double cover often being absent. With so many young (and old) players, many on their third game in a week due to lack of options,  hardly surprising that they tired late on. 
In the unlikely event of James, Williams and King being fit together, the midfield would look a lot better, guide the younger players and might paper over the other cracks.

Personally, I would prefer a young up and coming manager rather than looking backwards. 

Painful, but just far too many inexperienced players, and horribly unbalanced. Thought we kept our shape well first half and frustrated Cov, second half they had worked us out. We have a number of players, both young and old, who need a rest, but the cupboard is bare. 

2 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

Tanner is. Atkinson is. James is. Baker is. Weimann is. 

Tanner & Atkinson look promising, but caught out a lot defensively, James looks shattered (understandably), Baker & Weimann bit of a stretch. King & Simpson have not really been a success.

18 hours ago, tin said:

The players who remain from LJ/MA’s watch outnumber Nige’s players and simply aren’t good enough. End of. 

And Nigel’s signings are?

Pretty accurate report, full backs are both suspect, often caught in no mans land as alleged wing backs, then once James went off we had no direction in midfield. Two young players totally overwhelmed. Trouble is that we have no options, down to bare bones and it’s clear that COD and KP are out of favour.

27 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

What's always interested me about successful sides around our level is how they have a clear plan for managerial appointments as well as players.

I think what they've essentially got right is the 'identity' of the entire side - thus managerial appointments are easier because they can appoint managers who will work within that structure.

Two clubs who consistently get managerial appointments right are Brentford and Swansea. Russell Martin was a very obvious choice for Swansea, he fits that Graham Potter mould of young progressive coach. I wouldn't be surprised if Ryan Lowe ends up there in a season or two actually. Likewise Brentford seem to recruit managers really well - I wonder if they recruit managers using a similar statistical technique to how they recruit players.

Easy to say from the outside - but those clubs seem to don't let sentiment get in the way when choosing managers. If we look at our last decade or so of hirings and firings.. It's been a scattergun approach littered with heart ruling head. Feels like we seldom make managerial appointments in a rational or consistent way. 

 

We tried that by appointing DH with two good coaches to support him. Fans were in uproar because the groupthink was ‘experienced manager’ and even a huge injury list was no excuse. 
 

0-0, Dover look the better team, but Yate doing OK

3 minutes ago, The Bard said:

You do realise that Ranieri came into Leicester on his own when they won the Premier league? 

All the staff were appointed previously.  That's why Pearson has been appointed- to build a club.  We can have our opinions on his tactics etc but his record shows he is successful in the long term when given control. When appointed into an existing set up, things don't last long as he will inevitably clash with someone who has a power base.

 

At City he seems to be working with what is here initially but will make changes as he goes along. I've always felt his role was more akin to that of a Director of Rugby who have control of a lot more than just picking the team. 

If you look at his statistical record, apart from his spells at Leicester, it’s very ordinary.

A comparison between the stats of ‘failure’ Holden and ‘saviour’ Pearson is interesting. Obviously you can’t just judge on stats, but equally, you can’t judge on blind optimism alone. The summer signings were a very mixed bag, worryingly very ‘old mates’, and leaving us desperately short of forward options. 
What I found most interesting was that under Holden, the Forum group-think was excellent squad, poor manager. Then it changed to rubbish squad, good manager. You have to objective, if things don’t improve by Christmas, think of accepting things haven’t worked out, just like Forest and Hughton didn’t work out.

Time will tell….

2 hours ago, MC RISK77 said:

For me and given his experience I would have expected at the very least

Some kind of identity to our play, players mentally stronger, some leaders on the pitch. 
 

it has been a little better than Holden but I still see none of the above. 

McCarthy, Hughton, Pearson. Maybe experience is an over-rated quality.

Cheers Ole, not a great performance again. If this carries on, definitely a chance of joining the relegation battle, and NP’s position will be under scrutiny. So far, no signs of improvement since he joined.

Good old City fans, decide on a scapegoat and all join in. No problem with him personally, decent player who will only get better with more games.

Just proves that there is no magic formula when choosing a manager. Main criticism I hear from a Forest fan is that the football under Hughton was very dull and negative.

So do I take it that a strategy of ditching the Academy and buying in journeymen is proposed? The only way we can afford to challenge consistently is by player development, which requires a degree of patience, especially after a number of very poor purchases and Covid, giving us zero income, and making it harder to shift players off the wage bill.

On 09/01/2021 at 00:02, Mr Popodopolous said:

What was great- watching some of the Tests in New Zealand and Australia, and some of the latter vs India in the 2nd Test had a great first hour, passage of play on Boxing Day but anyway.

Fans! Not especially socially distanced- easier for them due to population density and island, plus seasonal elements but Bravo tbh! Didn't even have to wear masks, with the possible exception of Sydney,

Health and safety is 1st, 2nd and 3rd but here is an interesting snippet I saw online earlier.

Football is just that in the scheme of things, but there surely should be someone NOT from an EFL club overseeing it.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-9127447/AHEAD-GAME-Ralph-Hasenhuttl-features-Chelseas-list-Frank-Lampard-replacements.html

One very small point... We are an island

2 hours ago, Alex_BCFC said:

It’s not just the economy, it’s so many other things (mental and physical health of millions plus lots of other social things like education etc). It’s a disgrace that kids are missing out on education.

We can’t go on as we are for much longer in any respect. Either the vaccine works or there will need to be a time when we stop millions being jobless and homeless as the government can’t keep dishing out financial support forever. Let alone all the cancers missed, mental health being in pieces etc. Personally I think lockdowns (apart from the first one) are just short termism that do more damage than good. It’s the criminal underfunding of the nhs that the current government can use as a reason for lockdowns and people to agree. If it was funded properly and they actually got their arses into gear and vaccinated anyone over 50-60 ASAP then we wouldn’t be in such a big mess at the moment.

I don’t fundamentally disagree, but I think the latest virus has changed things a lot. The problem with vaccine speed is not the bodies, it’s how fast the batches of vaccine can be produced and tested, plus a rumoured shortage of the vials. And don’t forget the two doses, I think it’s going to be a very long job and it worries me that the focus is on big numbers, rather than getting it right.

We shall see, I’d rather it was sooner, but suspect restrictions will be around for quite a while.

7 hours ago, pillred said:

At the moment there are no plans to vaccinate everybody in the country (well not for quite a while) the idea is to vaccinate the people most a risk first, that should be done in the next 8 weeks, there are more vaccines coming on stream very soon so I think your estimate of Christmas  is very pessimistic to say the least though I don't think we will be going back to the gate this season I will be surprised if fans are not there by the start of next season.

Personally, I think Christmas is highly optimistic. The virus is going nowhere, and vaccines will just be one method of control and reducing the impact. The scientists are suggesting we may need lockdowns next winter and really need to get our T&T functioning as something more than a Corporate gravy train. My guess is no return this season, reduced capacity 21/22, and see where we are then. Pessimistic, but being a pessimist means that you are rarely disappointed. 

I do hope that you are right and I am wrong though.