We’ve reached the crossroads - January transfer window

[Guest]

10 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

It's debatable as to whether the strikers are/have been all that poor tbh.

Mixed bag I'd say...what is IMO definitely a thing is that LJ generally cannot get the best out of them!

I don't think we need 2 more- he does, I' wouldn't agree- one maybe due to the Afobe injury. You've also forgotten Afobe and Taylor in your list?

Weimann though, do we play to his strengths? I'd say not! Even Diedhiou to an extent, do we? Again, no. Eisa never got a proper chance, Roddi was just a free, short term as we were low on numbers, Djuric was often injuired but a useful option, Engvall was a big fail but also no real chance. 

Wouldn't surprise me if Engvall e.g. we see as a respectable Europa League striker in a few years- different trajectories, not al peak at the same time. Perhaps more realistically, Eisa in Championship doing okay?

Strikers can't all be bad surely?

Don't think we've done too badly there. I just think we struggle at times to get the best out of what we have.

I look at the top championship sides and what makes them different to us.

Apart from Sheffield Wednesday they all play with one striker.

I don't get why LJ can't just play one of them and then have more fluid movement and passing options for players in behind them. I doubt WBA would be so good if they went 2 up top and had one less creative player in wide or attacking midfield positions. I doubt Leeds pass and move like they do if they take out a midfielder and have a striker up there with Bamford. 

I am not saying 2 up top does not work, but with what we have we have to go with 1 surely.

 

 

[mozo]

4 hours ago, JonDolman said:

Don't think we've done too badly there. I just think we struggle at times to get the best out of what we have.

I look at the top championship sides and what makes them different to us.

Apart from Sheffield Wednesday they all play with one striker.

I don't get why LJ can't just play one of them and then have more fluid movement and passing options for players in behind them. I doubt WBA would be so good if they went 2 up top and had one less creative player in wide or attacking midfield positions. I doubt Leeds pass and move like they do if they take out a midfielder and have a striker up there with Bamford. 

I am not saying 2 up top does not work, but with what we have we have to go with 1 surely.

 

 

Johnson's quandary is this...

If he drops Diedhiou, we lose height and physicality, a big asset defending set-pieces. 

Of he drops Weimann, we lose the tenacious harrying up front, meaning opponents get to build up from the back more easily.

I think he's afraid of what we'd lose.

This is why Eddie Nketiah might not be easy to fit into a Johnson side.

[City oz]

5 hours ago, glos old boy said:

We are too weak in attack, midfield and management and will remain so for the fore-see-able until SL wakes up and changes things (he wont) so we will continue to go around and around.

If LJ loses the next 4/5 or fails to win for 6/7 games no-one here really thinks Steve will act and will show LJ the door do they? and even if he did someone from within will carry on until SL brings in someone just like Lee who will continue with the build and sell policy.

Yet its still not too late to change things and sign some quality players that we clearly need........dont hold your breadth though....and we had better get off our high horses or the gas will really be coming for us, new ground or not.

Post of the week for me. I think if there is 2 or 3 more loses in the next 4 then SL will be interviewing candidates in the pub in Jersey.

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, mozo said:

Johnson's quandary is this...

If he drops Diedhiou, we lose height and physicality, a big asset defending set-pieces. 

Of he drops Weimann, we lose the tenacious harrying up front, meaning opponents get to build up from the back more easily.

I think he's afraid of what we'd lose.

This is why Eddie Nketiah might not be easy to fit into a Johnson side.

Could just not press the centre backs so much. Let them have it and concentrate on pressing the opponents midfield.

[Mr Popodopolous]

6 hours ago, glos old boy said:

We are too weak in attack, midfield and management and will remain so for the fore-see-able until SL wakes up and changes things (he wont) so we will continue to go around and around.

If LJ loses the next 4/5 or fails to win for 6/7 games no-one here really thinks Steve will act and will show LJ the door do they? and even if he did someone from within will carry on until SL brings in someone just like Lee who will continue with the build and sell policy.

Yet its still not too late to change things and sign some quality players that we clearly need........dont hold your breadth though....and we had better get off our high horses or the gas will really be coming for us, new ground or not.

LJ has 3.5 (give or take) years left on his contract. Would there be a clause that means we only have to pay a smaller amount? All counts against FFP either way though! 

What about McAllister and Holden...keep or sack? Again, if the latter it'll cost!

New manager...poach from existing club or hire one who is good or our of work? If the former, more cash. All counts!

Coaching staff. A new man may want ones he has worked with before, not uncommon in football. At a club? Yet more cash/compensation!

Finances aside, I don't see our squad as that poor. Quite a few are internationals, have come from a decent level or both. I do though see LJ's tactics as unable to get the best out of quite a few. 

I actually think we have a reasonable 2 season window to go up. Including this one...if no promotion by end of May 2021, then yes it'll be rebuild etc time!

[Red-Robbo]

6 hours ago, JonDolman said:

Don't think we've done too badly there. I just think we struggle at times to get the best out of what we have.

I look at the top championship sides and what makes them different to us.

Apart from Sheffield Wednesday they all play with one striker.

I don't get why LJ can't just play one of them and then have more fluid movement and passing options for players in behind them. I doubt WBA would be so good if they went 2 up top and had one less creative player in wide or attacking midfield positions. I doubt Leeds pass and move like they do if they take out a midfielder and have a striker up there with Bamford. 

I am not saying 2 up top does not work, but with what we have we have to go with 1 surely.

 

 

We haven't got anyone with the  pace, ability to retain the ball or the poacher's instinct to allow us to play one up front.

Maybe we might get someone in January, or maybe we will get an out-and-out striker to partner Fam up front. 

At the moment, he's being partnered by a midfielder.

[Mendip City]

22 hours ago, mozo said:

I think Johnson has earned the right to finish the season. One good streak and we're back on track. Plus with a striker on board and a genuine left back fit and playing, LJ then has no excuse not to perform.

Buy a striker or two. Get to the end of the season. Reassess.

If we finish lower than 8th, I'd be tempted to look elsewhere. 

Completely agree with this. Right now Lee is on course for his 8th mid-table finish in 8 seasons as a manager. To his credit, he brings stability and no relegations shouldn’t be overlooked... trouble is, he had yet to get anything tangible over the line. No promotions, no play-offs. 
mum not a fan, never have been, but now isn’t the time. Equally now doesn’t feel the time to throw loads more money at him. He’s had his 3 windows and plants more. For me it’s time to pick a formation, be positive in all games and work with what he’s got. Too many formations and as a result too many “clubs in the bag” isn’t helping. 

[CotswoldRed]

7 hours ago, glos old boy said:

We are too weak in attack, midfield and management and will remain so for the fore-see-able until SL wakes up and changes things (he wont) so we will continue to go around and around.

If LJ loses the next 4/5 or fails to win for 6/7 games no-one here really thinks Steve will act and will show LJ the door do they? and even if he did someone from within will carry on until SL brings in someone just like Lee who will continue with the build and sell policy.

Yet its still not too late to change things and sign some quality players that we clearly need........dont hold your breadth though....and we had better get off our high horses or the gas will really be coming for us, new ground or not.

Quality players in or not, does anyone think we'll get the best from them? 

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

We haven't got anyone with the  pace, ability to retain the ball or the poacher's instinct to allow us to play one up front.

Maybe we might get someone in January, or maybe we will get an out-and-out striker to partner Fam up front. 

At the moment, he's being partnered by a midfielder.

I disagree with that. Preston always play one up front and they have Stockley, Nugent or Barkhuizen doing that role. None of those are that good but it seems to work.

Even WBA, the best team in the league only have Robson Kanu up top. He doesn't score that many.

We went on a 15 game unbeaten run, winning most of those games with Fam up top on his own. 

I don't see what this Fam and Weimann partnership does. Weimann doesn't seem to want the ball unless he's in space. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 hour ago, Red-Robbo said:

We haven't got anyone with the  pace, ability to retain the ball or the poacher's instinct to allow us to play one up front.

Maybe we might get someone in January, or maybe we will get an out-and-out striker to partner Fam up front. 

At the moment, he's being partnered by a midfielder.

That'll just open the midfield and expose us even more I reckon- certainly if LJ continues along his current path.

1 hour ago, JonDolman said:

I disagree with that. Preston always play one up front and they have Stockley, Nugent or Barkhuizen doing that role. None of those are that good but it seems to work.

Even WBA, the best team in the league only have Robson Kanu up top. He doesn't score that many.

We went on a 15 game unbeaten run, winning most of those games with Fam up top on his own. 

I don't see what this Fam and Weimann partnership does. Weimann doesn't seem to want the ball unless he's in space. 

Coming to the conclusion that LJ is tactically limited. End of...he tries things but his imagination, his thinking has problems. I dunno what the answer is under him.

i'd like to see Weimann up top, with the correct support- he moves more, he's better technically than Diedhiou- the back 3, I'm not a great fan of.

[BS4 on Tour...]

23 hours ago, Prinny said:

We have had multiple years of improvement in terms of league position. The only thing that really matters.

Yeh, but you are looking at one, single point in time per season - ie, the final whistle on the final day. You are ignoring the fact we plummeted from 2nd to 11th a couple of seasons back and then fell from a comfortable play off spot to 8th - this doesn’t smack of continuous improvement - it shows we can’t maintain lofty positions and manage the ‘pressure’ at the important stage of the season ...

[Mr Popodopolous]

6 minutes ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

Yeh, but you are looking at one, single point in time per season - ie, the final whistle on the final day. You are ignoring the fact we plummeted from 2nd to 11th a couple of seasons back and then fell from a comfortable play off spot to 8th - this doesn’t smack of continuous improvement - it shows we can’t maintain lofty positions and manage the ‘pressure’ at the important stage of the season ...

I'd debate as to whether last season was that comfortable a playoff spot- certainly should've made top 6 in 2017/18 though.

[BS4 on Tour...]

2 hours ago, Mendip City said:

Right now Lee is on course for his 8th mid-table finish in 8 seasons as a manager.

He finished 18th (2016) and 17th (2017) - not sure these can be described as ‘mid-table finishes’?

[Wrongagain]

LJ knows what he’s doing - Peterborough have the top scoring front 3 all 11 or 12 goals each and

one of them is Eisa!  
LJ couldn’t do anything with him, so now it’s rumoured that 1 of those 3 equally well performing strikers could be on his way to City, sure LJ will get us to the top??

not holding my breath

[Mendip City]

10 minutes ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

He finished 18th (2016) and 17th (2017) - not sure these can be described as ‘mid-table finishes’?

I go on to describe it as no relegations and no play-offs... but yes the overall point is that his career record isn’t all that good in terms of actually achieving tangible success.
Add in the regular poor streaks (here and Barnsley) and it’s a strange one why he’s still so highly rated... or so we’re told... the fact that he’s never talked about for higher ranking jobs suggests that others in the game aren’t convinced. 
 

[Mr Popodopolous]

24 minutes ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

He finished 18th (2016) and 17th (2017) - not sure these can be described as ‘mid-table finishes’?

17th could be classed as lower mid-table.

He inherited a mess in 2016 so did okay to steer us to 18th- where was your expectation for when he came in??

To use that as a stick to beat him with is a bit out of context,, the 18th place I mean.

[Major Isewater]

On 22/12/2019 at 15:05, Red-Robbo said:

But lemonade made from real lemons is horrible and bitter.

As we might all be, if we endure another winless run with players we know CAN do better.

You’re meant to add sugar to the juice.

May be all we need us a little sugar .

23 hours ago, Fordy62 said:

I wonder if we could throw in COD as a buy one get one free deal?

A sort of BOGOFf ? 

[Up The City!]

On 22/12/2019 at 14:37, Fordy62 said:

January is fast approaching. Performances are as bad as they were under SOD and to be honest, show not much sign of improvement. 
 

You’re a billionaire owner of a club you support, the coach wants some (more) heavy funding in January, but isn’t performing to the level you’d like. Do you:

1. splash the cash and back him?

2. save the cash and see how he gets on without funding and a the current very talented squad?

3. get someone else in and either back them or see how they get on with the squad?

 

If I were SL/JL I’d have a very itchy trigger finger right now. But what would you do?

 

 

 

As bad as they were under SOD? Come on mate have a word with yourself and stop being so dramatic. 

[Major Isewater]

12 minutes ago, Mendip City said:

I go on to describe it as no relegations and no play-offs... but yes the overall point is that his career record isn’t all that good in terms of actually achieving tangible success.
Add in the regular poor streaks (here and Barnsley) and it’s a strange one why he’s still so highly rated... or so we’re told... the fact that he’s never talked about for higher ranking jobs suggests that others in the game aren’t convinced. 
 

He has given the club some of its best moments in years . 

He has coached players who have gone on to be sold for millions of pounds.

 

He is fresh faced , media friendly and modern in his approach. 
 

Everyone at the club seems to love him 

and yet ...

 

[Mr Popodopolous]

On 22/12/2019 at 14:37, Fordy62 said:

January is fast approaching. Performances are as bad as they were under SOD and to be honest, show not much sign of improvement. 
 

You’re a billionaire owner of a club you support, the coach wants some (more) heavy funding in January, but isn’t performing to the level you’d like. Do you:

1. splash the cash and back him?

2. save the cash and see how he gets on without funding and a the current very talented squad?

3. get someone else in and either back them or see how they get on with the squad?

 

If I were SL/JL I’d have a very itchy trigger finger right now. But what would you do?

 

 

 

Interested to see your financial workings etc.

https://www.efl.com/-more/governance/efl-rules--regulations/appendix-5---financial-fair-play-regulations/

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/01501663/filing-history

Fill yer boots!

I've the following questions therefore for you:

Quote

1. splash the cash and back him?

Could you give some financial parameters here? Expensive loans, expensive fees- disregard £25m loss in 2017/18?

Quote

2. save the cash and see how he gets on without funding and a the current very talented squad?

Could quite possibly be a way- though I think one more striker needed due to the Afobe thing. However there's no doubt we can get more.

Quote

3. get someone else in and either back them or see how they get on with the squad?

Comes back to 1. a bit.

• Do we know Johnson's salary? What we do know is that he has 3.5 years or thereabouts left on his deal- one year payoff or three and a half years that we have to take a hit on?
• Will coaching staff be kept or retained?
• Will new man want his own coaching staff?
• Costs of replacing current ones? Costs of bringing in new- again, if contracted to a club it all costs.

Not one bit of this is exempt from FFP. Could yet have the hypothetical costs of 3.5 years of LJ contract, coaching staff severance, paying a club to get their manager, paying a club or clubs to reunite their favoured coaching staff- as well as the salaries for the new manager/managerial team!

Very costly business for a club, potentially. But then again, get the right man and it could pay off in the most lucrative way (promotion)!

[Davefevs]

4 hours ago, mozo said:

Johnson's quandary is this...

If he drops Diedhiou, we lose height and physicality, a big asset defending set-pieces. 

Of he drops Weimann, we lose the tenacious harrying up front, meaning opponents get to build up from the back more easily.

I think he's afraid of what we'd lose.

This is why Eddie Nketiah might not be easy to fit into a Johnson side.

 

3 hours ago, JonDolman said:

Could just not press the centre backs so much. Let them have it and concentrate on pressing the opponents midfield.

Which is what we did away at Fulham. We pressed the halfway line rather than the CBs, unless there was a really good opportunity to pinch the ball high up. It conserves energy. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 minute ago, Davefevs said:

 

Which is what we did away at Fulham. We pressed the halfway line rather than the CBs, unless there was a really good opportunity to pinch the ball high up. It conserves energy. 

The energy and conservation one is an interesting thing- agreed pressing takes it out of a side, a lot. So does playing without the ball though.

Mentally, physically- over games, weeks, months it all adds up IMO. Resting in possession- and I'm not saying it's the only answer, you need a balance but I feel we could do with a bit more of that too- resting in possession means we can then press in a large yet shorter bursts. More effective though potentially- triggers, strategic point etc.

[mozo]

29 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

 

Which is what we did away at Fulham. We pressed the halfway line rather than the CBs, unless there was a really good opportunity to pinch the ball high up. It conserves energy. 

Agree with you both re the press. So poor Weimann has just been benched from our hypothetical 11!

Regards what Diedhiou offers defensively and physically is another issue though.

I don't think it has been said enough that Diedhiou was incredible defending set-pieces yesterday. He cleared most of them, with either head or foot.

Ideally, I'd have an Nketiah on his own up front, but with a big solid enforcer in centre mid alongside Nagy.

I'd then have Brownhill right and Eliasson left.

 

['Orns]

As someone said earlier, for me LJ has earned the right to see the season out

Afobe we couldn't have known about the injury and then the truly devastating events that took place there. Don't underestimate what that has done to the squad either. They seem like a tight bunch, they will all be hurting with the big man and his wife

LJ has always been marmite, Fordy has been one of the more vociferous 'LJ out' gang from day one, and I will expect an abusive message from him and another certain member of this forum within minutes of them reading this. Happy Christmas, lads 

It's obvious we need another option up front, Palmer hasn't kicked on in the way we hoped (a few of us mentioned this in the summer, the comfiness of a permanent contract may not be the best thing for such a hot and cold player), I echo the 'what does COD offer' comments. Never really got him. The current run does have the feeling of another 12 game without a win run, and that worries me. If we had gone into Christmas 3rd then I suspect SL would have signed off a few big cheques, but on the back of a bad run, coupled with tepid performances he may choose not to. If the latter is the truth of it then SL must question whether LJ is the man he wants to take the club forward. If he is, back him

[Fordy62]

29 minutes ago, 'Orns said:

As someone said earlier, for me LJ has earned the right to see the season out

Afobe we couldn't have known about the injury and then the truly devastating events that took place there. Don't underestimate what that has done to the squad either. They seem like a tight bunch, they will all be hurting with the big man and his wife

LJ has always been marmite, Fordy has been one of the more vociferous 'LJ out' gang from day one, and I will expect an abusive message from him and another certain member of this forum within minutes of them reading this. Happy Christmas, lads 

It's obvious we need another option up front, Palmer hasn't kicked on in the way we hoped (a few of us mentioned this in the summer, the comfiness of a permanent contract may not be the best thing for such a hot and cold player), I echo the 'what does COD offer' comments. Never really got him. The current run does have the feeling of another 12 game without a win run, and that worries me. If we had gone into Christmas 3rd then I suspect SL would have signed off a few big cheques, but on the back of a bad run, coupled with tepid performances he may choose not to. If the latter is the truth of it then SL must question whether LJ is the man he wants to take the club forward. If he is, back him

So lose the next 5 and you’d be alright with that cos he’s earned the right to stop until the end of the season?

[Fordy62]

1 hour ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Interested to see your financial workings etc.

https://www.efl.com/-more/governance/efl-rules--regulations/appendix-5---financial-fair-play-regulations/

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/01501663/filing-history

Fill yer boots!

I've the following questions therefore for you:

Could you give some financial parameters here? Expensive loans, expensive fees- disregard £25m loss in 2017/18?

Could quite possibly be a way- though I think one more striker needed due to the Afobe thing. However there's no doubt we can get more.

Comes back to 1. a bit.

• Do we know Johnson's salary? What we do know is that he has 3.5 years or thereabouts left on his deal- one year payoff or three and a half years that we have to take a hit on?
• Will coaching staff be kept or retained?
• Will new man want his own coaching staff?
• Costs of replacing current ones? Costs of bringing in new- again, if contracted to a club it all costs.

Not one bit of this is exempt from FFP. Could yet have the hypothetical costs of 3.5 years of LJ contract, coaching staff severance, paying a club to get their manager, paying a club or clubs to reunite their favoured coaching staff- as well as the salaries for the new manager/managerial team!

Very costly business for a club, potentially. But then again, get the right man and it could pay off in the most lucrative way (promotion)!

You’ve thought about this far more than I ever expected anyone to. I like your style. 

[Whale Eye Beef Hooked]

On 22/12/2019 at 14:46, Prinny said:

These highlighted bits show the problem with the Johnson out brigade.

We have had multiple years of improvement in terms of league position. The only thing that really matters. It's a fact, we're not going to pull the trigger based on 3 poor performances and results.

We've consistently out performed our budget in comparison to the rest of the teams in the league. We're competing with parachute payments and clubs selling their grounds to themselves. SL and JL see what we see, they won't be enjoying the football, but they like we have known for months we need forwards to fix this.

It's not talented up front. It isn't. Hence the need for two forwards.

So based on the evidence of multiple years, and what they would have been told over and over about the need for forwards, why would they sack him? What reason would they have to sack a manager who has done really well for us? Why bring in someone who might want to change the entire squad, when you can see if the current one succeeds when you bring in 2-3 players?

It makes no sense to sack LJ from the boards point of view. None at all.

 

Now if the team fails after we get the forwards in, assuming they don't both get injured for the rest of the season immediately, then you can look at it. To suggest they do it before then, is pathetic.

Great post 

[Davefevs]

FWIW I’d be going with a lop-sided 4411, that looks something like this (next choice in brackets):

                                                           Bentley (Mäenpää)

           Hunt (Pereira) | Kalas (Moore) | Williams (Baker) | Dasilva (Rowe)

Brownhill (Szmodics) | Nagy (Smith) | Massengo (Morrell) | Eliasson (O’Dowda)

                                                           Palmer (Paterson)

                                                        Weimann (Diedhiou / Semenyo)

Brownhill is narrow, Eliasson wide, so we’ll be a bit unbalanced.  I don’t care!!

These are the 23 players (Dasilva aside) I would give a run of games to.  The players in brackets are ready to replace.  No pissing about with picking players in positions to keep them in the side.  Kasey if you don’t perform, Paterson comes in.  Coach them, drill them.

So what about the players outside of this?

Gilmartin - continue coaching responsibilities.  (Bloody nice bloke by the way)

O’Leary - either he’s Niki’s replacement next season or we move him on....think he’ll be Bents’s no2 next season.

Wright (Vyner) - contract up, decide between him and Vyner, and what their view on being back up is

Pring - continue to develop with loans until ready

Walsh - tough one, he’s the one who’ll bite us on the bum if we let him move on, but he ain’t getting game time here

Watkins - I don’t see a place for him even though I think he can be effective

Taylor - toss up between him and Pato as my no10, and if he wasn’t out of contract I’d be tempted to keep him for his pest skills, but Pato with a rocket up bus arse has undoubted quality, and could rekindle 17/18 form in the no10 with a less exposed midfield behind him.  If Semenyo was to go on loan and Morrell be Club-developed, then I might keep him until we bring in a striker.

Rodri - have to move on, but because he can’t get game time.

I know you can all pick holes in, but as it stands there is not enough consistency of selection, players being picked not necessarily on merit.

Its a bit football-managery I admit, but as we aren’t privy to the inside goings-on, what else can we do with our opinions.

This is a squad that is much better than the one we saw over the last couple of games.

 

[mozo]

10 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

FWIW I’d be going with a lop-sided 4411, that looks something like this (next choice in brackets):

                                                           Bentley (Mäenpää)

           Hunt (Pereira) | Kalas (Moore) | Williams (Baker) | Dasilva (Rowe)

Brownhill (Szmodics) | Nagy (Smith) | Massengo (Morrell) | Eliasson (O’Dowda)

                                                           Palmer (Paterson)

                                                        Weimann (Diedhiou / Semenyo)

Brownhill is narrow, Eliasson wide, so we’ll be a bit unbalanced.  I don’t care!!

These are the 23 players (Dasilva aside) I would give a run of games to.  The players in brackets are ready to replace.  No pissing about with picking players in positions to keep them in the side.  Kasey if you don’t perform, Paterson comes in.  Coach them, drill them.

So what about the players outside of this?

Gilmartin - continue coaching responsibilities.  (Bloody nice bloke by the way)

O’Leary - either he’s Niki’s replacement next season or we move him on....think he’ll be Bents’s no2 next season.

Wright (Vyner) - contract up, decide between him and Vyner, and what their view on being back up is

Pring - continue to develop with loans until ready

Walsh - tough one, he’s the one who’ll bite us on the bum if we let him move on, but he ain’t getting game time here

Watkins - I don’t see a place for him even though I think he can be effective

Taylor - toss up between him and Pato as my no10, and if he wasn’t out of contract I’d be tempted to keep him for his pest skills, but Pato with a rocket up bus arse has undoubted quality, and could rekindle 17/18 form in the no10 with a less exposed midfield behind him.  If Semenyo was to go on loan and Morrell be Club-developed, then I might keep him until we bring in a striker.

Rodri - have to move on, but because he can’t get game time.

I know you can all pick holes in, but as it stands there is not enough consistency of selection, players being picked not necessarily on merit.

Its a bit football-managery I admit, but as we aren’t privy to the inside goings-on, what else can we do with our opinions.

This is a squad that is much better than the one we saw over the last couple of games.

 

Woof woof! I like that team but replace Weimann with new striker please and ensure Palmer is replaced if he can't perform.

[BS4 on Tour...]

2 hours ago, Mendip City said:

I go on to describe it as no relegations and no play-offs... but yes the overall point is that his career record isn’t all that good in terms of actually achieving tangible success.
Add in the regular poor streaks (here and Barnsley) and it’s a strange one why he’s still so highly rated... or so we’re told... the fact that he’s never talked about for higher ranking jobs suggests that others in the game aren’t convinced. 

Cheers for the reply. I think one of your points above is very interesting - “..it’s a strange one why he’s still so highly rated ... or so we’re told...”  - you’re right, i’ve regularly read that LJ is regarded as a progressive, innovative, go-ahead young coach..” etc - but I’ve never read who has actually said that, or who actually thinks that - and those three terms don’t actually make much sense in the context of being a football coach - perhaps he does some ‘innovative’ stuff (measuring the grass at away grounds before the games?) but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s effective ... and ‘progressive’ and ‘go-ahead’ are just media soundbites without much obvious definition...