“It’s not his fault, it’s what he inherited”

[Shuffle]

3 hours ago, Olé said:

I like and have supported Pearson but I've realised recently (noting this is the third time in a month I've watched lifetime-bad performances) I'm probably more enamoured by having a manager like Pearson - as in a leader, known in football, speaks from experience, bit of charisma, grin on his face but scowl if he needs one - than actually having Pearson himself. Because there is no way in hell anyone can seriously keep on with this "what he inherited" nonsense and I'm saying that as someone who has defended him and is probably still on the fence.

What alarms me more than even results (although since the last international break those represent a huge collapse from where we started) is that the basic quality that I would expect to be coached on the training ground is not only not there, but rapidly getting worse. The standard of passing is abysmal for a team that we're led to believe trains together every day. We make more unforced errors than any side I've seen us play and I now include League One Lincoln in that (who misplaced one pass to us all night - which outclasses our standards).

How can it be "what he inherited" when it is players making an unacceptable number of basic errors game after game. We had our standard 3-4 occasions of passing the ball straight out of play (two with the chance to get a player clear to the byline), probably a similar number of being caught in possession or just giving it away at close range, and then of course the usual any number of woeful crosses and corners, most notably by Jay DaSilva who this season is like a bad caricature of himself, and specifically under the coaching of the present lot.

NONE of it is excused by prior recruitment or leadership at the club - this is a level of errors and absence of technical ability that'd be alarming several levels down the pyramid, let alone a team in the Championship. This unusual trait can only be a product of the drills and quality control of the current management and coaching staff. Probably the most accurate commentary is by Pearson himself, he's said a number of times he might just be here to point us in the right direction - I think he's done that but he is unable to elevate standards any further. 

Good post & Pearson has had the added bonus of recruiting his coaching team in Euell & Fleming so has his men on the ground.  We have no idea what goes on behind the scenes & the frustrating part is that as well as we played against Sheff U & West bro then  in same block of games we witness Brum, Reading & last night.  We know these players can play & I left reasonably cheered last Tuesday and totally depressed last night.  I think in a nutshell, our strongest starting 11 are decent but we have no depth to us.  The passing as you say was atrocious and a simple 10 yard pass either went out of play or under/over hit.   I believe this to be the basics that you would expect at an amateur level let alone a professional club.  Depressing situation but agree that Pearson has had long enough to make a difference.

 

[ooRya]

Pearson is a "name" nothing more.

Any other manager that wasn't a "name" would have 90% of the fan base calling for his sacking by now.

[Dredd]

4 minutes ago, ooRya said:

Pearson is a "name" nothing more.

Any other manager that wasn't a "name" would have 90% of the fan base calling for his sacking by now.

He’s not just a name though is he. He’s an experienced manager with a record of success. That’s why he’s getting the benefit the doubt from a large percentage of the fanbase

[DaveInSA]

I’m gonna bite too.

On the one hand, the fragility of this squad is there for all to see. Without key players, it all unravels. And we’re left in tatters with low confidence, which leads to individual mistakes and poor decision making costing us goals and a lack of attacking threat. The worst of all worlds. In addition, against big physical teams we just don’t compete - there’s at least 6 sides like this in the division.

On the other hand, with a fully fit squad, we’re a match for the best teams in the division.

We’ve got a Jekyll and Hyde squad and we have since the LJ days. My view and I’ve said this numerous times, is that the players individually are mid table championship players. But as a collective they aren’t.

I don’t think this is down to coaching alone, it’s down to the character and psychological make up of the players.

What I really don’t understand is perseverance with JD and Sykes, when in those positions they just don’t have the quality. And can someone please learn how to take free kicks and corners. 

Last night was a freebie in my view, can we compete with our B-Team. It’s clear we can’t.

[OliOTIB]

10 hours ago, marcofisher said:

Out of curiosity, who would you want to bring in? 

Critchley, Wilder

[marcofisher]

3 minutes ago, OliOTIB said:

Critchley, Wilder

Critchley is a decent shout although I’d question his desire quitting a management job to be an assistant again.

If you see Wilder’s behaviour and complaining at Boro regarding signings and funds, you would see he would be an awful appointment for the point that we are at now.

Edited November 9, 2022 by marcofisher

[frenchred]

11 minutes ago, Dredd said:

He’s not just a name though is he. He’s an experienced manager with a record of success. That’s why he’s getting the benefit the doubt from a large percentage of the fanbase

What's this record of success you talk about? Has he won anything as a manager? 

[marcofisher]

16 minutes ago, frenchred said:

What's this record of success you talk about? Has he won anything as a manager? 

Yes, the Championship and League 1 with Leicester.

[archie andrews]

46 minutes ago, Dredd said:

Personally I wouldn’t get rid of Pearson, he’s kept us up on free transfers and youth team players. It’s the same old discussion and it won’t go away: is he/the team performing better or worse considering what he’s had to work with? The fan base is understandably split. I’d argue at the moment it’s probably performing as expected. Inconsistent. When our key players are firing we look good, when they aren’t we look dreadful. My biggest bugbear though is that we have never looked solid at the back (regardless of who we have played at any one time) and that’s something that’s up to the manager to resolve. What he can’t be held accountable for however is individual errors and these at the moment are rife.

I’d love to know what happened during that first international break. We were scoring at will and looked so dangerous in attack. Then all of a sudden….meh. 
 

 

We got sussed out with no plan b..... 

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

40 minutes ago, Dredd said:

He’s not just a name though is he. He’s an experienced manager with a record of success. That’s why he’s getting the benefit the doubt from a large percentage of the fanbase

 

10 minutes ago, marcofisher said:

Yes, the Championship and League 1 with Leicester.

His last success was in 2014 He has failed in every job since (according to his employers) resulting in his sacking.

He has indeed got immense experience but for 8 years he has achieved nothing. His time at BCFC has been mixed in that I believe he has done some good off the field but little on it. Only SL can decide whether now is time to call it a day with a new appointment but the timing of making such a move does seem right.

[BasSavage88]

53 minutes ago, Dredd said:

He’s not just a name though is he. He’s an experienced manager with a record of success. That’s why he’s getting the benefit the doubt from a large percentage of the fanbase

Success is a massive ******* stretch. 2 promotions in 14 years

[marcofisher]

5 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

 

His last success was in 2014 He has failed in every job since (according to his employers) resulting in his sacking.

He has indeed got immense experience but for 8 years he has achieved nothing. His time at BCFC has been mixed in that I believe he has done some good off the field but little on it. Only SL can decide whether now is time to call it a day with a new appointment but the timing of making such a move does seem right.

He hasn’t really had an extended stay at an English club since then however. Derby he didn’t agree with Mel Morris and Watford he was doing well and had them on track to avoid relegation before telling the board some home truths.

Edited November 9, 2022 by marcofisher

[BTRFTG]

12 hours ago, Bs4Red said:

it’s frontline is full of goals,

Martin? Goals?

One assumes you include Semenyo. A bloke, to remind, whose Football League career to date (including spells in the bottom divisions,) has produced 13 goals from 117 appearances. That's a goal every 9 games, fewer than 5 per season. 

Edited November 9, 2022 by BTRFTG

[Alessandro]

I’ve been saying since the summer I think people have overestimated the depth and quality of this squad - but we can’t click a finger and change that, perhaps not for sometime and as @Davefevs said it may get worse before it gets better. 

So we’ve got to focus on what we can change, if you think we need to change.

We all know the reasons we are where we are and that brings a level of goodwill - the questions you have to ask: 

Is Nigel Pearson and his team taking us in the right direction, longer term?

Are you willing to, worse case, accept relegation in order to instil that culture while we don’t have the quality we need, can develop or can afford?

It’s much harder to ask, can someone get more from this team? Hypothetical, who knows. So that’s why I prefer the above two questions.

I’m on the fence about this still - I guess it depends how realistic you think a relegation scrap is and mentally I’ve been considering it for longer than it feels the majority of others have on here.

Although I appreciated a few wins would help massively, it’s that tight this season. But that argument works both ways and we’re trending sharply downwards in form and levels.

Eitherway NP needs wins soon and I think, ala Cotterill, “if” we cross that dreaded line, I can see them pulling the plug.

[BTRFTG]

44 minutes ago, marcofisher said:

Yes, the Championship and League 1 with Leicester.

And as any Leicester fan will attest it was his squad that formed the basis of the side with which The Tinkerman won the Premier. 

[ooRya]

33 minutes ago, BTRFTG said:

And as any Leicester fan will attest it was his squad that formed the basis of the side with which The Tinkerman won the Premier. 

But that's the relevant bit isn't it.

[lenred]

34 minutes ago, BTRFTG said:

And as any Leicester fan will attest it was his squad that formed the basis of the side with which The Tinkerman won the Premier. 

I was going to say ‘but but but’ but someone has beat me to it already

[mozo]

1 hour ago, DaveInSA said:

I’m gonna bite too.

On the one hand, the fragility of this squad is there for all to see. Without key players, it all unravels. And we’re left in tatters with low confidence, which leads to individual mistakes and poor decision making costing us goals and a lack of attacking threat. The worst of all worlds. In addition, against big physical teams we just don’t compete - there’s at least 6 sides like this in the division.

On the other hand, with a fully fit squad, we’re a match for the best teams in the division.

We’ve got a Jekyll and Hyde squad and we have since the LJ days. My view and I’ve said this numerous times, is that the players individually are mid table championship players. But as a collective they aren’t.

I don’t think this is down to coaching alone, it’s down to the character and psychological make up of the players.

What I really don’t understand is perseverance with JD and Sykes, when in those positions they just don’t have the quality. And can someone please learn how to take free kicks and corners. 

Last night was a freebie in my view, can we compete with our B-Team. It’s clear we can’t.

Whilst I agree that we rely on key players, that raises two points....

When our key players aren't available, what should NP do? Has he used what was available correctly?

Aren't many others Championship clubs equally thin on the ground? Preston, Millwall, Coventry, Rotherham... All outperforming us at least slightly and I'm not convinced they have any luxuries that we don't have? 

[Clutton Caveman]

12 hours ago, big dosser said:

 

well have to say im with you, many managers of other teams have been delt worse hands and its worked out fine. I think the Ashton and Johnston excuse has gone on for far too long.plus there was a spell of games where we played bloody well and scored goals for fun not to long ago.

I have to say the situation that Joey Barton took over in Gasland was far worse than NP had. I am absolutely no gas fan but he seems to be getting a tune out of a pretty poor bunch including youngsters.

[BTRFTG]

5 minutes ago, ooRya said:

But that's the relevant bit isn't it.

The relevant bit is folks questioned what Pearson had done and won? Leicester's an interesting case in point as unusually for a manager he was sacked, not for a poor run of results (the opposite in his case,) rather a 'difference of opinion' with the owner (not helped by his son's infamous video.)

I didn't want Pearson appointed but that was rather more to do with his apparent 'attitude' than his footballing nous. If anything  his attitude to date has been commendably restrained in not publicly stating what he (and some of the rest of us,) think of certain players, to which his gritted teeth give hint.

[Banjo Red]

2 hours ago, DaveInSA said:

I’m gonna bite too.

On the one hand, the fragility of this squad is there for all to see. Without key players, it all unravels. And we’re left in tatters with low confidence, which leads to individual mistakes and poor decision making costing us goals and a lack of attacking threat. The worst of all worlds. In addition, against big physical teams we just don’t compete - there’s at least 6 sides like this in the division.

On the other hand, with a fully fit squad, we’re a match for the best teams in the division.

We’ve got a Jekyll and Hyde squad and we have since the LJ days. My view and I’ve said this numerous times, is that the players individually are mid table championship players. But as a collective they aren’t.

I don’t think this is down to coaching alone, it’s down to the character and psychological make up of the players.

What I really don’t understand is perseverance with JD and Sykes, when in those positions they just don’t have the quality. And can someone please learn how to take free kicks and corners. 

Last night was a freebie in my view, can we compete with our B-Team. It’s clear we can’t.

Got to say prefer pring and tanner both have a bit of grit and like tackle.

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 hour ago, mozo said:

Aren't many others Championship clubs equally thin on the ground? Preston, Millwall, Coventry, Rotherham... All outperforming us at least slightly and I'm not convinced they have any luxuries that we don't have? 

All of them have had the luxury of a) To some extent, a steady plan and b) None of them are in such a financial state that they cannot even sign a PL loanee. For 2 years.

[red ponty]

So maybe its about time to take a long hard look at  our defence coaches,  if we have any ?  Because clearly there is something wrong here,. This is isnt an overnight thing that we cant tackle mark or defend set pieces, this has been a problem for a few years now.. I think they need to go and get some proper coaching staff in who can do a better job.. They have the players 4 to 5 days a week, just what are they doing with them..  Defending is not rocket science , other clubs manage it, why cant we....We are piss poor at it....

[ashton_fan]

It's all down to what SL thinks rather than us. He has a history of sacking if we're in the bottom 3 around Christmas/January time eg McInnes, Cotts and SO'D. He's trying to sell the club but his business model falls apart if the team is in L1, he has to give a new manager time to turn things around so December realistically is the latest he can leave it, giving the new manager a transfer window so he has a fighting chance. I'm sure he'd rather that results improve so he doesn't have to make a decision but if he thinks there's no alternative he'll do it.

[Davefevs]

8 hours ago, DaveInSA said:

I’m gonna bite too.

On the one hand, the fragility of this squad is there for all to see. Without key players, it all unravels. And we’re left in tatters with low confidence, which leads to individual mistakes and poor decision making costing us goals and a lack of attacking threat. The worst of all worlds. In addition, against big physical teams we just don’t compete - there’s at least 6 sides like this in the division.

On the other hand, with a fully fit squad, we’re a match for the best teams in the division.

We’ve got a Jekyll and Hyde squad and we have since the LJ days. My view and I’ve said this numerous times, is that the players individually are mid table championship players. But as a collective they aren’t.

I don’t think this is down to coaching alone, it’s down to the character and psychological make up of the players.

What I really don’t understand is perseverance with JD and Sykes, when in those positions they just don’t have the quality. And can someone please learn how to take free kicks and corners. 

Last night was a freebie in my view, can we compete with our B-Team. It’s clear we can’t.

This is it in a nutshell.

It’s why it’s a squad game.  You don’t get to play your “best xi” week in week out, sometimes you never get to play it at all. And that’s where depth comes in, or in our case, doesn’t come in.

What we tend to see (generalisation) is that the better players also seem to have the better characters too.  It’s probably why they are / will be successes.