Harry

Yep. Defended well all game. Didn’t really allow much down the middle. Stayed compact and forced Wrexham back and wide and they had to rely upon aimless crosses for the most part. Keogh martialled the defence well. Midfield were energetic. Didn’t see a lot of the ball but they all worked hard and for the most part kept Wrexham at arms length. Osadebe took the goal well but then had to work hard off the ball for most of the game. Cotts has definitely got them playing with more organisation and more belief.

Some folks say that Manning was employed because he’s a Yes man. And now they’re also saying that he’s single handedly ripping up the pathway. mmmm….?? You do know, don’t you, that Tinnion is in charge of all footballing matters. Manning didn’t phone up Bath City and say “hey, there’s this talented prospect who the previous bloke was playing for about 10 minutes a game but I don’t want him - EVER. Please take him away from me”. The decision to loan out Yeboah will have been one that was fully (and I mean FULLY) agreed and arranged by Tinnion. And the reason will be because Tinnion thinks it is the very best thing for his development right now. I’ve spoken to Tinnion about Yeboah - he absolutely bloody loves him. I don’t think he’d sit back and allow Manning to “ruin his mental state” as someone has suggested.

Hopefully they heard me shout rather loudly, as Mullen was bawling for a foul that never was “cry more Mullin”. He did have a little glance over. The joys of a small ground, the players can hear your shouts

I think the official term in JizMopper. I understand they are employed in places like Amsterdam at the peep shows, cleaning up the booths after the patrons have dispensed.

Very disappointing tonight. Cotts must be ripping his gelled hair out! It was pretty much all Wrexham. Lots of the ball but very few clear cut chances as FGR defended brilliantly. You can see that they are far better organised since Cotts arrived. Defended superbly and then in the 93rd minute the keeper flaps at an easy cross and they get a penalty! Absolutely gutted. But positive signs since Cotts got here

Mopping up the cum

I’m not criticising Nige. You’ve clearly mis-read the whole thread. I’ve basically just been saying that the player availability was only a huge issue for the Cardiff game. For all the other games there were options. It’s the narrative that LM has had better availability than NP that I am challenging, not Nige himself. Another one that needs to re-read the context of the thread. Only Cardiff game was a big problem. The 2 games before Cardiff were limited in options but he did still have a RB option. But again, just to make it absolutely clear - I have not criticised Nige in this thread. Just challenging the ‘injuries’ narrative. It was bad for 1 game and limited for 2 games. Those 3 games aside, LM has had equal challenges with availability.

Steady on now boss. I’ve had a busy day at work so only just came back to here! I’ve acknowledged many times that the Cardiff game was a totally impossible situation. When I mention TGH at RB it’s in the previous 2 matches when Knight & James were both available to play in midfield. With Tanner out, TGH should really have been the next logical option. And Pearson has already played him there 3 times so I don’t see why he wouldn’t have done so on those 2 occasions? 100% incorrect. I was watching MK that season as I was keen on Twine (and O’Reilly). Nothing to do with Manning. And I think you’ll find that on the lengthy Manning thread which started a few days before he arrived, on the early pages I was the first person on this forum to raise the concern over the appointment because I didn’t feel his style would suit our squad. I have no particular love for Manning. I was the first to raise concerns over his appointment (as clearly evidenced in that first thread in November). I’m just of the opinion that it’s only fair to give him a fair crack of the whip, rather than want him out after 2 weeks (which some posters on here wanted and have never given him a chance). To be absolutely clear - I was never “Manning In” but I’m now “Just give the bloke an effing chance ffs”.

I think you need to re-read it all. I mentioned TGH was an option at RB a number of times and didn’t backtrack on it. It was an option that I felt NP could and should have used when Tanner was out. I still believe that. I’m not backtracking on it.

I just think it’s a little odd that you’d message me privately and tell me to stop responding to you and then a few weeks later you start engaging with my posts again. Nothing personal. I just think that is rather odd behaviour. So, have you not got me on ignore any more? Am I now allowed to respond to you if I wish? Or does this only work one way?

Well no. I didn’t conveniently forget that. You’ll note that I’ve mentioned TGH at RB a number of times. Am I off of ignore now then? In answer to this point, I explained this to you weeks ago. I didn’t “relentlessly proclaim” that we were well coached. I mentioned it once. Yes. Once. After Watford away. And I went on to explain exactly what I meant - which was to do with the way we pressed in the 2nd half, which I thought was highly organised and was probably the best I’ve seen a City team press in a long long time. So yes. I said it once. That in that one half away at Watford how I thought it was a very well coached press. And as a result you put me on ignore, DM me to tell me not to reply to you, and then a couple of weeks later start quoting me again and make up bull about me “relentlessly” saying something that I mentioned once. I must admit, I find you a little bit odd.

Are you still part of my conversation. I thought you didn’t want to be involved with me any more. I thought we were over. Were we just on a break? I hadn’t realised.

Don’t worry. Easily forgotten. You didn’t miss much. He wasn’t very good. I was actually banned for the majority of that period anyway so didn’t enjoy the full pleasure of his abilities.

And for once I agree with Robbored. The injuries and availability are sideshow and are being used for pro/con arguments against each manager. When in fact overall it’s been somewhat negligible. We were an inconsistent team under Nige and we are still an inconsistent team under Liam. Whose fault is that? Well. BT and JL for making what seemed like an unnecessary change but making it worse with their reasons for doing so and their expectations of this squad. And secondly, BT and his recruiting team for putting together a squad of footballers with many flaws.

Again, aside from the Cardiff debacle, there were only 2 games where he only had 1 fit CB. And we had to fill in with a combo of Pring & King. And we got 3 points from those 2 games. As said, LM has only had 2 fit CB’s now for 23 games! He hasn’t been able to rotate these. But the rotation across the rest of the team has been there, almost equally, for both managers. We’re basically just talking about only having 1 CB fit for 2 games. That’s the only real difference and hence why I’m not willing to hear that injuries and availability were so much worse for Nige. Yes - it was the case for 3 games.

I’m not sure on that to be honest. Have another look at Dave’s injury data on page 1. Let’s take out the Cardiff game as it’s absolutely acknowledged that we were screwed in that game. If we take NP’s other 13 games he’s had : Midfield : 11 of 13 games where he had James, Williams, Knight, TGH & King all available. Front 3 : 11 of 13 games where he had Wells, Cornick, Bell, Sykes, Mehmeti, plus Yeboah (who he was using). Add Weimann too for 7 of those 13 games. Left back : He had Pring & Roberts available for all games. Centre backs : Yes this was a problem area. He only had Vyner, Dickie & Naismith for 4 of those 13 games. So we were down to 2 fit CB’s for the majority of NP’s games. However - LM has only had 2 fit CB’s for every single one of his games. Right back : the only area where we technically didn’t have proper cover, however, TGH has played there plenty so there was always an option. The rotation options were definitely there for every position expect CB. Which is the same for LM. I think we’re getting a bit carried away by the ‘availability and rotation’ argument. Yes, the Cardiff game was horrendous for us, but in the other 13 games NP presided over there were rotation options in every position.

Right back. Signed by Tinnion. Bombed by GJ. He was at Sheff as assistant to Darren Moore

Bakinson. Hunt. Jamie Smith

As noted in the stats I presented, we pick up most points against that ‘middle 9’ sides. Based on the games played so far, if the same PPG rings true then we hit 59. Not saying it’ll happen, just saying that at the moment we are on course for that, based on all games played so far and where in the table those other teams sit. If we get relegated then Manning will rightly be sacked and I’d also suggest that Tinnion should be too. And Jon relieved of any input whatsoever. If we end up on less than 59, then we’ve ended up worse than last season and therefore questions would need to be asked about Manning’s future but again also Brian & Jon too.

Okay I’ll compromise The Cardiff game was a crisis. There were 9 players out. The previous 2 games were a challenge, with 6 players out. But I still think TGH could have been deployed at RB to help matters. But, as an overall comparison based on your chart : Nige had 2 games with 6 missing, 1 game with 9 missing and 1 game with 4 missing. Liam has had 5 games with 5 missing and 7 games with 4 missing. I’d say that, Cardiff game aside, it’s a pretty even record overall.

It was only the Cardiff game in which he had to play a kid. The other 2 games listed above he had 3 first teamers on the bench plus Yeboah who he’d already used a number of times. In the Cov & Ipswich games, yes we had a shortage of CB’s. But as said earlier, he then weakened us at RB as well. He should have played TGH there (who he’d already played there 3 times before). Knight & James in CM. Yes we were a bit short at CB but it was only the Cardiff game in which we had a ‘crisis’.

TGH was available for all those games to play right back but he chose not to. Even though he’d played him at right back 3 times before and he’d had experience at right back for West Brom. Please don’t tell me we “didn’t have a right back for 4 games” when we clearly did.

So if we take NP’s 14 games and then LM’s first 14 games to make an even representation. NP had players unavailable 53 counts. LM had players unavailable 55 counts. So. More unavailability for LM. The only biggies during NP’s 14 games was Conway (during which we actually gained good results without him) and Vyner. The only game that injuries seriously hampered us was Cardiff. Thats the only one in which there were no defensive options. Ultimately I’m not having ‘squad availability’ as an excuse. It’s not a factor, apart from 1 game v Cardiff. They’ve both had injuries to players that have hampered them.

Re Point 2. I agree. We should be aiming higher this season. We finished on 59 last year and so we’d want improvement. So neither is good enough. Re point 1, I’m not having that. Nige was without Conway for 7 games. A period in which he got 11 points. Nige was without Wells for 3 games whilst Liam was without him for 7 games. Liam has had Pring missing at times. Hasn’t had a single minute out of Naismith. Has had Twine out. Has had Sykes out. The only major change really is that Nige had Vyner out for 6 or 7 games I think. Ultimately though, none of that matters. End of the day, current trend would suggest 59 points. The same as it was trending for Nige. As I mentioned the other day, we are basically getting the same results overall but just in a slightly different way. Does that mean Liam should be under scrutiny. Yes. To an extent. But it certainly doesn’t mean “get rid” like many on here are ridiculously shouting for. It basically means we are where we are and neither manager was able to get any more out of it. We’re a 59 point team, whether Nige or Liam is in charge. And that is purely down to the players we have. 2 managers playing different ways are getting roughly the same results in different ways. We have a 12th place squad of players. That’s where we are.

Why are you replying to me? You told me I wasn’t allowed to reply to you. Does this only work one way?