KegCity

I think he's the right person to rebuild the club, as I've said I have no issue with his transfers or his comments about the club. I'm not convinced he's the right man to actually manage the team, he's made some really questionable decisions with lineups/subs. Wouldn't be against him moving upstairs to a Director of Football role and helping a younger manager, so that there was experience within the club but also fresh ideas. I don't have a name for you I'm afraid.

Kalas made the same mistakes he does every week for us at the Euros. Absolutely calamitous from set pieces but he had a centre back to talk him through positioning which he doesn't have here. I don't know why he doesn't play right back, I'm not Pearson. My opinion on James is based off watching him, I think he suits having Massengo next to him as he can provide the energy and ability to drive the ball forward which James doesn't have. For whatever reason we don't see this combination too often and when Massengo is out of form we don't have someone else who can bring those qualities. Bring in another box to box midfielder and I'm more comfortable with James. I clearly don't know what I'm talking about as nobody agrees with me but Williams seems like a defensive midfielder, not a box to box one. Very little dynamism in his game aside from some quick feet whilst he breaks up play really well.

Kalas and Bentley aren't leaders. Not a knock as not everybody is, but they aren't. Neither have suited the captaincy role. Klose I can't comment on as I've not seen enough of him but neither Martin or Weimann have appeared particularly vocal, but both lead by example. Agree about training though. How have we not fixed the inability to mark a player in nearly 3 years now?

Kalas got promoted twice as a right back and with 20/20 hindsight was carried by Webster. Good player absolutely, doesn't suit our needs. He's been average to poor since Webster left for me, certainly not justified his transfer fee and wages. James is a tidy player but again pretty middle of the road for me, I wouldn't want him starting every week but that's a controversial opinion. Dasilva is ok, again not done a lot since his loan spell here. Baker is retiring so pretty irrelevant. Simpson and King aren't long term and surely weren't brought in to play regularly. Again, right now they're average championship players who I can't see getting many minutes for anyone in the league. Yes I mentioned the youngsters. I have said several times they would do better in a better team, and the same can be said for Atkinson. The point being, as you've nearly said but not quite been able to, they're surrounded by players who aren't good enough to bring the best out of them. Atkinson and Tanner certainly have the potential to be top players in a few years time. Right now they're again pretty average. So no I don't question Pearson's transfer record as I am able to understand context. I have issue with his tactical decisions, but think recruitment is one area he's done reasonably well in given the circumstances.

Like who? Weimann is class, obviously the youngsters are too. Joe Williams is made of quavers so barely counts at this point. Bentley is a good keeper. After that you're looking at middle of the road (at best) championship players. If you've got a squad made of average players, with some quality and some dross sprinkled in, and they're low on confidence with little leadership, they're going to struggle. By no means have we got a League One squad, but with a few exceptions either way we've got a bottom end of average squad and they are where you'd expect them to be. Don't think anyone other than those I've named starts for many clubs above us.

Don't think Pearson rates him. Like Palmer, if he can't get a sniff when we're this poor he's clearly on his way out.

Apologies in advance as this isn't technically boxing but it's a combat sport and there's no MMA thread as far as I'm aware... The UFC is coming to London this Saturday. If anyone's got BT Sport and hasn't properly watched MMA before I'd really recommend giving it a watch. Prelims start at 6 and Main Card at 8. The bill is absolutely stacked from top to bottom, the best British fighters from a variety of disciplines going at it in the O2. I'll be there and I can't wait. Really recommend watching Paul Craig and Jack Shore, one of the best submission artists about and someone who will probably get the Bantamweight belt respectively. If you're interested, there's a great preview below and apologies to any boxing purists I may upset by sullying this thread with MMA.

Considering he did at the start of the season and he's since had several injuries I'm sure he will do when he's fully fit and sharp.

That's what it boils down to for me. By the time we had an experienced manager a lot of damage had been done. Both on and off the pitch. Whether Pearson is the right man I don't know, but he deserves the summer to try and properly shape the squad. The last few games have made me change my tune and I'd cash in on HNM plus Scott or Semenyo in return for a new defence and some proper midfielders.

Yep, he's a tidy player. Not the finished article for the championship just yet but like HNM and others, he'll undoubtedly improve with better players around him. He's trying to move up a level whilst playing in one of the worst defences in the league, if he'd adapted perfectly and sorted our problems he wouldn't be playing for us next season.

Starting to feel like Kalas is dining out on his season with Webster. Undoubtedly a good tackler but his positional awareness, leadership and ability in the air are poor these days. Taylor Moore is undoubtedly not good enough but he was crucified by some last season when he'd actually been thrown under the bus by Kalas ball watching, take the goals against Norwich as an example. Was the same at the Euros as well. Strange one as there's clearly a class defender there but it's becoming harder and harder to see it. Rip it up and start again at the back. Pring and Tanner at full back but the mess that is our centre backs needs a complete refresh bar Atkinson and possibly Cundy. If Klose can be a regular player next season I'd keep him too.

Think James has been ok, don't think King was brought in to play too often and not convinced Simpson was either. It's all ifs and buts but there's clearly been something wrong with the club culture and I'm guessing they were brought in to address it. I think Atkinson has looked good, but it's his first season in the championship, same with Tanner. Equally I'm not blindly defending Pearson, I just think that we're making the same mistakes we have for the last few seasons now. I'd have liked to see Pearson address them, I just think in fairness to him we are struggling for personnel. There's been talk of signing championship players but we're going to struggle to pay for them. My main concern is the tactical decisions he makes mid game than anything else. Can't help but feel he's the right person to rebuild the club, but not the right person to manage the team. Wouldn't be against moving him upstairs and having someone come in to run the team and work with Pearson long term.

He's certainly struggled to make a huge impact but in fairness to Pearson, things like not being able to deal with a cross and folding under pressure have been issues since the end of Lee Johnson's time here. We lack leadership all over the pitch, we haven't got a player that can win a header in either box.

Class elbow that mind. Great to see Bisping on TalkSport, shame Simon Jordan hasn't got a clue what he's talking about.

He'll have his ups and downs like any of the other young players. Clearly out of form at the moment though, may be down to the contract situation but ultimately young players are just inconsistent.

That's my worry. All well and good looking to cash in on the youngsters and build a squad but I've got very little faith in us spending that money wisely.

Think Bentley, Kalas and Massengo will go in the summer. If Webster or Kelly move as well and we can shift Wells/Palmer we're looking ok.

The Hummel gear has been really disappointing, terrible designs and terrible quality. If we could get some retro bits going then I'd like to see us in Umbro

Next season's sponsor looks considerably worse to me. I quite like the MB logo for some reason, always thought the Spurs kits with it on looked good.

Can only repeat what I’ve heard. Supposedly here as a favour to Pearson to give him the run down on the dressing room. Don’t know why King or James couldn’t do that, but that’s what I’ve heard. If he gets a new club then that’s obviously bollocks, if he retires then I’d say it’s probably true.

All stems back to the idea of "trading" and that every player is for sale. Means we're constantly trying to plug gaps in the squad rather than building towards an end team. All very well and good taking tens of millions of pounds in transfer fees every summer but when it's reinvested into players we have no intention in keeping long term we end up in a never-ending loop of having a half decent squad that never gets finished.

We're not great when things aren't going well. The team deserved stick on Saturday but we collapse both on and off the field as soon as we hit a bit of adversity.

But then if he'd played and been unfit or got turned too often there would be those moaning about playing a past it old boy who's blocking the minutes of an academy player. From what I've heard he was brought in to help off the pitch and give Pearson a better idea about the culture in the dressing room. He's probably done that job so isn't needed anymore. He's been a disappointment, but no more so than any of the other old players we've thrown far more money at in recent years.

Again heard similar. No idea if he did his job or not but don't think he was brought in with a view to play regularly.

Heard the same. Hundreds of pounds a week with a sizeable bonus for being on the bench/playing.