38MC

I think we have had so much of these defensive crab-like tactics that teams and players just wouldn’t know what had hit them or be able to counter if a team set up 4-4-2, fast wingers, big lad little lad (eg Quinn and Phillips) and didn’t park the bus any longer. Break the mould.

I agree. But nowadays games can only be won in the middle of the park - apparently - so both sets of teams have to set up to congest (not contest) the middle of the park. Same with corners. Nowadays it’s absolute madness to even think of leaving 2 players on the halfway line when defending a corner. It’s almost like the attacking team won’t react by committing fewer players forward if you just dared to break the mould. I’d be a Mike basset manager in this day and age. We will play four four f king two, and see how these teams react cus they won’t be used to it.

Absolutely - and that includes Tinnion.

Come on mate, we aren’t predisposed to dislike Tinnion. For eff’s sake he’s in recent memory’s one of our stalwarts from the playing days, he did get that goal at anfield, he did give us those memories and we all do and did want him to do well. No one, absolutely no one, from day zero could have wanted him to fail. And he took the plaudits for the academy and we were happy to heap praise on him. The tide has turned though again, just as it did when he was manager, and it’s not because he’s a bloody victim, it’s because he’s the wrong man in the wrong role and that’s the beginning middle and end of the story.

I think around renewal time you’d say ‘in the playoffs’. Not 6th, but 7th 8th or 9th would be nice

You do realise when a spokesman steps up their words are to be interpreted and analysed? You also must appreciate that aptitude and ability can be interpreted from non-verbal communication and the way you deal with questions and how you demonstrate micro-aggressions or how you deliver your responses. Whether you show confidence and leadership or show agitation and irritation. No one, no one, would have a man at the top setting the culture for a football club who justifies their position on length of service. and absolute bollox did he not need to go on! Did you see the attendance on Sunday? Yes he needed to go on. End of on that. He absolutely needed to go on. He needed to go on a few weeks prior.

We’ll see. Personally putting cock on the block, Tinnion will be gone by 1 June

I’m not a gambler and I give SL very little credit, but I credit him with a little more ruthlessness. Backing Tinnion is going to hit him in his pocket way more than ‘sorry Brian here’s a good severance package mate’ - look at the attendances

A bit more bloody ambition than that when they have to announce renewal prices in the next week or so. At least lie like they did when they sacked Pearson.

Steve’s done it once to him and now he has no option to do it again. Tonight’s interview was sackworthy. - 30 years comment and subtle as a car crash digs at the fans , - disclosing transfer fees, - setting out less than ambitious targets points wise next year, - setting the scene for a quiet summer transfer window against the backdrop of severely low attendances, low mood around the fan base, apathy, just before they’re going to ask us to renew. Tinnion really effed up tonight. Really effed up.

I’m not sure that necessarily means Manning is gone as well. It would make sense for them both to go, but the pair of them is toxic. One obvious way to give Manning some breathing room and to appease the fans is to get rid of this wholly unqualified, out of his depth, blagger who showed again his narcissistic tendencies and his inability to be trusted with private and sensitive data relating to transfers. I think it would do Manning the world of good to have a chance without Tinnion above him. I don’t personally hold the belief it would come good even that way, but it’s so toxic, they drag each other down or you back one horse. Right now, even though Manning doesn’t show enough, Tinnion should go based on tonight alone. The 30 year comment was utterly atrocious

He isn’t going to last much longer. No doubt about it in my eyes. I don’t like the Lansdowns, I don’t respect the lansdowns, I don’t trust the Lansdown’s… but they will have been listening and they will have been holding their heads in their hands at him going out like that just before ST renewal. I just hope even those intending to renew leave it very, very late. Steve will have seen the attendance and felt the atmosphere on Sunday and he’ll not be happy. Not one jot. He has sacked Tinnion once, and he’ll be doing it again soon

Absolutely naff all then, my mistake

Duplicate

I’m sure it was Steve coming in to see for himself first hand before pulling the trigger. I don’t think today has saved him for long, just a stay of execution. Imagine covering losses for that drivel. You wouldn’t be happy, 3 points or not. I do think though that there’s no points target for the next 2. Just improved and spirited attempts. Lose the next two badly then I think SL might again be ready to sign thr P45 after Plymouth. I’m sure it was Steve coming in to see for himself first hand before pulling the trigger. I don’t think today has saved him for long, just a stay of execution. Imagine covering losses for that drivel. You wouldn’t be happy, 3 points or not. I do think though that there’s no points target for the next 2. Just improved and spirited attempts. Lose the next two badly then I think SL might again be ready to sign thr P45 after Plymouth.

Are you sure?

And you don’t think Sykes should start right wing over Harry cornick? Or that knight shouldn’t be a false 10 with 2 strikers on the pitch? Or that Roberts for Pring after an hour was handed on a plate after Tuesday, or King to come on?

I’m as big a detractor of Manning as any and I don’t have any confidence in him whatsoever. But, today, the only thing that mattered was 3 points. I’m sure a loss today and he was sacked. I know many don’t think the owner nor the board would have taken that decision but I truly believe it. I don’t care that the performance was crap. This was like the striker that needed to scuff the ball in the net and maybe, just maybe, they then go on a run. GJ had it too let’s not forget - an absolutely torrid time to start and then turned the corner and got us within a whisker. Do I believe Manning will do it? No! Do I want him to? Bet your life I do. He goes again. Lets see what you got. In terms of subs I don’t give him much credit though. Anyone that picks cornick on the right when playing a false 10 with Knight with Sykes on the bench is an eejit in my eyes; and it’s even worse because Sykes is ex-Oxford. No wonder we look better when Sykes comes on and why you putting cornick out right in any case? It’s almost like cherry picking a substitution to make to make it look like you’ve impacted a game whilst leaving system intact. Roberts just made the decision to not introduce him vs Ipswich look even more stupid with hindsight. And King… ^ I think he reads the forum. There was a stay of execution today and I stand by the performance was irrelevant today, we had to win ugly because if we didn’t I truly believe he was unemployed at this point. Performance starts to matter for the next 2 now. I don’t expect points from West Brom or Leicester (that’s quite damning if you think about it), but Plymouth’s his next milestone for me. That’s another win ugly game unless we play better in the next 2. That might shift the needle slightly.

Exactly. He was hardly bloody Pirlo in the middle like some portray him. He was also blessed with bloody good front foot, fast wingers that he could sit deep and play for them to run on too rather than playing precision, to foot, football. I don’t ever really remember him being linked with a move away from us or to a bigger club, which I think says a lot.

I honestly believe, can only believe, he’s been sent out to do this interview because he’s off. He’s been absolutely silent and M.I.A for too long. On the back of a very bad run of very bad performances, I really think the puppet master (SL) in the background, has said get BT out there because anything other than 3 points on Sunday he and LM are on their way. It is too weird to hear from him now at this point… and I will say I’ve said quite some times I thought tomorrow would be the end of the road for him and Manning. This stinks too much from me as the board saying ‘get out there and appease the fans’ whilst in the background thinking ‘that’s him gone too’. BT in his naivety probably thinks he’s been sent out to give LM the dreaded ‘vote of confidence’ from the board level, but doesn’t realise he’s actually been sent out because he will be blamed for backing him and they both go. It seems pretty bloody blatant to me.

Very sad indeed. Hopefully the club can arrange a bucket collection on Sunday and announce it so people can remember to bring some cash. Would no doubt go a very long way to covering the cost of care.

Spot on. Not only that, it's potentially a dangerous path to follow. LM even if backed is only going to have the funds for 3 or so quality additions to the first team squad to play 'his way', because technical players ain't cheap - look at figures quoted for the number 10 we were after. And then they'd probably just get injured anyway, or be dragged down to playing at a mediocre level. We will lose Conway and we will lose James, we will lose King from the dressing room and I dare say we might lose one or two more. We will then be left with a mixed match of players, some able to play in a counter-attacking system, some in a recycle the ball and go again system. But there will be a large incompatibility and a total imbalance in the squad. Manning has already shown he cannot get the players to perform in his system, and without giving him the licence to go and get 7-8 first teamers (and back the horse the whole way FFP wise - and why the fk would we do that?!), it just cannot work in my mind. We can't even look to the academy for these technically strong players to step up as the pipeline doesn't seem there for Manning-ball. The only way I see we can continue with Manning is to trust that he can (eventually) coach what is here. That seems absolutely foolish to me based on what we've seen so far. But if he goes into the summer he simply cannot get the chance to make wholesale changes or significant signings. He hasn't shown enough to be trusted to spend money that we will carry for 3 years from an FFP position. So to me, the only way we keep him is to trust the coaching process and not let him hamstring us further down the line because he hasn't yet shown enough to trust him with money. And to me that's destined to fail.

That I can agree with. What I can’t is that giving Manning time and money can do no harm. It will leave us with a really disjointed squad for one as he tries to integrate new signings used to his system with the existing players who aren’t capable of it. We’ll have the worst mish-mash.

The added spice is that it would be Cardiff and Swansea in quick succession; off the back of terrible form and poor performances against lower table sides. Normally I’m with you, but Cardiff and Swansea back to back is pure paraffin if the performance is crap.

I don’t understand how you can say that. Did Nigel Pearson not show you that a manager can stabilise the club in spite of the Lansdowns. To say persevering with a manager who is out of his depth will do us no harm is really surprising. I agree we are unlikely to progress beyond this league with the Lansdown’s, but Manning has to go because otherwise you’re letting the house burn down