George Rs

6 minutes ago, BCFCGav said:

Yes Manning in. He’s not the enemy, that’s above him. And I can’t shake the feeling he has something. The real acid test for me - how do we look come October/September. We need to compete in 24/25, though it’s difficult for any manager with owners desperate to sabotage from within.

Exactly how I feel. When all is dead and buried he pulls those results out the bag, multiple times. But also fails to capitalise on the momentum afterwards. 

Would be happy with him and the side going into the summer if he gets at least 10 from the remaining 7, taking us to 60+ beating last years mark. 

Feel like that’s both achievable and a decent benchmark with the injuries and the general turbulent season we’ve had. 

1 minute ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

I don't subscribe to that. 

Leicester cut us open many times and it was only their poor finishing that saw us win. 

We got lucky, fair play, but the chances Leicester had show there are still big problems.

As we did to them? Obviously you’re going to concede chances to top of the league with a squad worth literally 10x our own. 

But they didn’t score. And we did. Piling on when he’s doing poorly but failing to even consider that he can do a good job is completely pointless. 

Luck plays a factor yes but you can easily call leicester lucky for not receiving a first half red card. Or for Sykes not scoring right after we went ahead. 

2 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

I'll counter this by saying, if Leicester would have scored some of their numerous one on one chances, is it a brilliant set up and game management etc? 

Yes? 

Singular errors may still be overly prevalent and that needs to stop. But that doesn’t take away the good work we did all game, completely nullified KDH and both mavidid and fatuwu were ineffective for the majority of the game. 

Have no problem calling out LM when he gets it wrong, which he has recently. But deserves his plaudits when he gets it right, which he did today. 

Especially with the subs, which were proactive and changed the game. Something most thought LM wasn’t capable of. 

He isn’t off the hook yet but perform like that against good sides and find a way to beat the low block and i’m happy for him to stay. 

Elated but just realised we’ve handed the league to Leeds or Ipswich with the wins against southampton & Leicester. Don’t know how to feel now

Brilliant game management, brilliant set up, brilliant performance. 

Do that against a team below us will change my view on manning tbf. 

Somewhat lucky with vardy missing chances but had quite a few ourselves and should’ve been a red in the first half. 

ANISSS

Maxs fault they’re not zak’s, should’ve just booted it king. Good recovery with that save. 

Poor covering from zak to let KDH in there 

The composure and technicals James offers does really make the difference as well though. Consistent ability to take a single touch and pass, and pass to the right option. 

3 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Good first half.

Amazing what a of intent has when we press rather than block.  It’s like a pentagon with the two DMs, both 10s and TC, but importantly the DMs are 20 yards higher than normal.  Why only now are we doing that?

James excellent, Pring too both ways.

Haven’t thought about it till now but it’s highlighted quite well in that first half the similarities in how LM sets up in the 3421 to Alonso at Leverkusen. 

Their fullbacks have the license to get forward a lot more often then ours but apart from that there isn’t too many differences. 

Nice to see us pressing with purpose and a bit of strategy as well, although it was quite obvious we are doing well to pressure Faes when he gets on the ball. 

Need to keep discipline here, done well to limit their chances but they are starting to get a foothold now. 

Mehmeti would be a brilliant player if he just had some consistently decent decison making.

Couldve easily slipped in Twine there. 

All that on the grass work and 10 yard passes still incredibly difficult…

3 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Was he that exciting against Watford on debut?

Fevs he scored an open goal header, he’s clearly the english Messi get with the programme smh! 

Leicester’s starting 11 is fking outrageous for the championship. That’s genuinely a lower midtable prem midfield. 

Make or break this now (for Manning). Arguably a fully fit squad, including someone especially bought in for him that he’s backed to the heavens. Playing in his preferred system as well. 

At the very least need a commendable performance. 

6 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Think he’ll play Knight and Twine as two 10s….3421.

I failed a late fitness test, arthritis flare-up, in effing agony, can’t drive.  So sky for me.

Club must’ve stated your match fit! Have been very good at rescinding on those types of comments recently, a la Naismith. 

Naively out of touch from the club doing this now with the current climate of the fan base but see no point piling in on Zak. 

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

Well, actually I’m not, they’ve just applied a “young head-coach” filter to a long list, ranked them in likelihood of being available and gone from there.

Wouldn’t be surprised if they wacked on FM, searched for Managers in england and set a “40>x” age filter, and that was their candidate list done and dusted. 

That video couples with the tinnion interview on SOTC paints quite the picture. 

Could’ve been filmed a while ago but they still chose to release it, they are quite evidently backing Manning to the sword here. Doesn’t suggest they think relegation is a possibility next year and they think, rightly or wrongly, he’s the man that can actually do this. 

Suspect he’ll be given the “keys to the kingdom” to build his own side in the summer as well. Will be a very interesting next 6 months. 

16 minutes ago, Dolman Exile said:

(Hopefully someone with direct experience can shed some light here…?)

At professional levels of the game, it’s mandatory to hold a minimum level of UEFA Coaching License.

LM is one of a raft of new managers who are all linked by holding the top UEFA Pro License at a relatively young age. He’s not alone in struggling within this cohort. How many of us know what the license entails and could its influence explain some of his recent difficulties?

Is it pure coincidence that so many of the so called young, modern managers have similar possession heavy philosophies and playing styles? Is this solely down to growing up in the Guardiola era or are UEFA courses encouraging it?

Whether he has or he hasn’t or whether he’s capable of implementing it or not, LM certainly believes that he has a detailed blueprint in his head. Is this what the UEFA courses do, facilitate a manager to choose a formation and pattern of play and then validate it via assessment? Do they leave the programme with a fully assessed and approved Plan A which they are then scared to deviate from? Does it explain why so many supporters of so many clubs lament the lack of a Plan B?

I want to believe that LM has a coherent plan that he will quickly find a way to execute but I fear he might be one of a generation of Pep-ball Pro License academics when what we really need is a free thinker or maverick who happens to hold a license?

An over emphasis on the tactical side of the game imo, as you say most likely caused by the current “Pep era”. 

Too much focus on tactically outmanoeuvring an opponent, rather than your 11 men having more desire, determination and confidence than the opponent. 

Tactics win you games. Passion, determination and confidence wins you seasons. At least in my opinion. 

15 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

I believe the Club (this time) when they say this (mythical?) striker wasn't available in January . I doubt he will be in the summer, seeing as how we want a big, strong, quick goalscorer ready for Championship football and within our budget. No doubt there are 23 other sides want the same .

Exactly this, to me it just screams inexperience from Tins & co. 

From the profile they are suggesting, they want a Mitrovic/Gyokeres. Would be like West ham saying they want Haaland. Well yes obviously everyone would want them but we have neither the money, the pull nor the scouting prowess (or haven’t shown it up to this point) to find one on the cheap. 

Think you could find some lower league clubs that could be duller but we are comfortably the most dull club of our size or bigger. 

2 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

6 game rolling average is quite interesting!

To be completely honest i don’t really understand what these represent, all i know is that red is bad and i’m seeing a lot of it

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

We are bored aren’t we?

since Watford (a), the halcyon day (days???) of Manningball, we can see the decline in our attacking play.

If you look at Build-up (*) attacks, Direct (**) attacks as opposed to other open play attacks from shorter possession phases or set-pieces, we are more effective when we press!  Yet we don’t attempt that, preferring a block more often than not.  Maybe Krause should stop looking at our opponents and look at ourselves!

QPR is the only game where Manning’s approach resulted in more than 2 build-up attacks, 6 in total.  And total open play xg was 0.43!!!

The decline in quality of open play chances is also evident.

Just three times in 14 games have we achieved a match xg of 1.00 from open play in a match.  Some real lowlights in there too!

Then compare to what’s happening at the other end!

I don’t think any of us really need a set of numbers to confirm this, we are seeing it with our eyes.  But there is no hiding from the fact we are regressing.  Do we need more evidence?

sorry, was bored watching Man Utd v Liverpool, although not anymore!!!

+++++

* Build-up attacks - The number of open play sequences that contains 10 or more passes and either ends in a shot or has at least one touch in the box.

** Direct attacks - The number of open play sequences that starts just inside the team's own half and has at least 50% of movement towards the opposition's goal and ends in a shot or a touch in the opposition box.

That last graphic is so telling, didn’t realise it was THAT bad. Would love a change now to hopefully give us some momentum going into the summer for a change but can’t see it happening. Oh to be a Bristol City fan.