whistleblower 0 Posted December 30, 2014 Is it Adams pi55 poor management and tactics, underperforming players, complaceny...I think these are all factors but to me the real issue is there are NO leaders in the team.Where is the Holtesque figure upfront to get under the skin of the opponents (and opponents fans) and lead the line (a la Chris Martin) - Jerome is an okay player but there no spark or devilry with him. In midefield we have plenty of goodish players - but no one in the moould of a Keane or Vieira who rampages forward and puts in killer tackles. And at the back we are rudderless - Russell Martin is not a leader and not good enough at centre back - we are porous and weak. Four individuals who again are okay as individuals but don''t play as a team. We need big characters on the pitch and we simply don''t have them. Its a team of lightweights. We need to sort that before we worry about tacticsUltimately of course its Adams fault for not getting those leaders in so he has to carry the can but also McNally must bear the blame for entrusting a kids manager to find the magic formula when Adams doesn''t. Know what that formula is - especially in the Championship Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Horse Renoir 1 Posted December 30, 2014 1.Every team is desperate to beat us because they think that we think we''re better than them2.Nobody in our squad can consistently finish, a few of our players can occasionally once every few games hit a wicked shot but on the whole we''re woeful at putting the ball in the back of the net.3.Our midfield was built by Hughton to stifle and they''re just not suited or used to dominating opposition4.We''re not fit enough5.Our defenders are so over rated and are just average at this level6.Adams has made a lot of mistakes 7.we haven''t got a wide player in their prime who can be relied upon to put in a consistently decent cross8.Very few of our players can dribble and hold onto the ball when under pressure9.We''re useless at counter attacking10. We make too many individual mistakes because all of our defenders need to much time to control the ball and get the play movingThey''re the 10 reasons for me Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Year of the tiger 51 Posted December 30, 2014 Unfortunately there has not been a strong leader in the club since the summer of 2013 when Holty left ( correctly) But neither Hughton or Adams have addressed the issue. Very similar to Worthy allowing the big characters to go prior to the Premiership season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Horse Renoir 1 Posted December 30, 2014 [quote user="Year of the tiger"]Unfortunately there has not been a strong leader in the club since the summer of 2013 when Holty left ( correctly) But neither Hughton or Adams have addressed the issue. Very similar to Worthy allowing the big characters to go prior to the Premiership season.[/quote]Very true. We have a nice bunch of players, who are determined to do well. Who care about the club. But they''re all very quiet and none of them are natural leaders. They''re heads go down too quickly and they very rarely get picked up again. Russ doesn''t strike me as a leader, he''s got a great attitude but he doesn''t inspire imo. We really need an inspired signing in January, a great inspiring player like Hucks to get us moving... I''m just saying we need one, I have no idea who that could be! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vos 155 Posted December 30, 2014 There is something wrong but I cannot put my finger on it. On paper we have a far stronger side than both Bournemouth and Ipswich who are turning out sides with most players I have never heard of. I think it is a case of passion and enthusiasm and this is reflected in our best player being Bradley Johnson. We do have a number of players who are not young and hungry and people such as Ruddy, Ollson, and Grabban appear to be just going thro the motions. Ruddy has been slow since his serious injury. Howson, one of the best players in the Champs on his day, disappears for long periods.Redmond is must frustrating. Somehow he continually fails with his final ball and really should be scoring more goals. Overall the team are not as fit and are lacking in fight compared with the Lambert days. I am amazed that Adams does not seem to realise there is no leadership on the pitch.I admit I have still not really convinced myself of what''s wrong. Having swamped Huddersfield and Millwall how on earth did we not turn up in the first half at Reading. When we went to Portman Road even my Ipswich mate said we were different class, but now the Tractor Boys score for fun.Ricardo must know the answer !!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mello Yello 2,265 Posted December 30, 2014 .....Inconsistency.....as individuals, and as a team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Felixfan 53 Posted December 30, 2014 Cannot defend corners and set pieces. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yellowbeagle 0 Posted December 30, 2014 I think some of us had short memories of just how tough this league can be, not to mention there was no obvious candidate to take the managers job that would unite the fans.Player wise it''s been hard to turn around a culture of negativity IMO, not to mention that we don''t have an obvious first 11 like most of the other teams in the top 6. You could ask 100 fans to name a first 11 and you''d get vastly different teams not to mention formations. IMO rather than signing the players w e did over the summer we''d have been better to have spent the money on 3-4 players who would have improvements on what we had. I never understood signing 3 centre backs, sign one but make sure he''s good enough to be first choice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt. Pants 4,090 Posted December 30, 2014 Don''t press high enough up the pitch, too many sideways passes in own half, no real creative quality in midfield, a mishmash of a back four and very unfit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
channonswindmill 0 Posted December 30, 2014 Lack of discipline...full stop.....players are coasting believing they are premiership through and through and the management is not strong enough to educate them that they are where they are for a reason...we need and have needed since Lambert left an arse kicker who can motivate and make the players sit up and take notice; galvanise the team and the fans.We have been crying out for a Pulis type for so long. I liked Adams as a player but this memory is being ruined by him as a manager..he is weak, naive and tactically useless. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BroadstairsR 2,093 Posted December 30, 2014 Correct.Awful manager.We are now ten points behind Shanty Town FC.Impossible. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BroadstairsR 2,093 Posted December 30, 2014 I will add :He should do a Peter Grant do the decent thing and resign.Clearly he is not up to it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Newton 0 Posted December 31, 2014 Consider thisRetained the majority of our Prem squadGiven £14M to spend in the summer transfer windowonly 7th half way thro the season (10 points behind a team that has only spent £10,000)Who is to blame - the inadequate manager and the fools on the board who appointed him - do they really think they searched the 4 corners of Europe ?They are ruining our club Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tetteys Jig 830 Posted December 31, 2014 [quote user="Darth Catbeard"]1.Every team is desperate to beat us because they think that we think we''re better than them2.Nobody in our squad can consistently finish, a few of our players can occasionally once every few games hit a wicked shot but on the whole we''re woeful at putting the ball in the back of the net.3.Our midfield was built by Hughton to stifle and they''re just not suited or used to dominating opposition4.We''re not fit enough5.Our defenders are so over rated and are just average at this level6.Adams has made a lot of mistakes 7.we haven''t got a wide player in their prime who can be relied upon to put in a consistently decent cross8.Very few of our players can dribble and hold onto the ball when under pressure9.We''re useless at counter attacking10. We make too many individual mistakes because all of our defenders need to much time to control the ball and get the play movingThey''re the 10 reasons for me[/quote]Good answer. The best solution to this is simple... Play redmond more often. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Highland Canary 76 Posted December 31, 2014 The inevitable outcome of appointing an individual to manage a first team, in a particularly challenging league, who simply has never undertaken any of the aspects of first team management. Why could you possibly expect a different outcome than this? The next stage will of course be the gradual dismantling of the squad over the next two windows as the board settle once again for the obscurity of the championship. Ruthless short termism by appointing an experienced manager was the only way we were ever going to have a chance this season but the board took the easy option. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dubai Mark 0 Posted December 31, 2014 Thanks Highland, summed up in one sentence:"The inevitable outcome of appointing an individual to manage a first team, in a particularly challenging league, who simply has never undertaken any of the aspects of first team management."Not nice to have to say it, but it''s true.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Making Plans 929 Posted December 31, 2014 CarelessnessCareless at the back, slack marking and conceding too many stupid goals.Careless in midfield, too many simple passes going astray and losing possession to easily. Careless up front, too many good chances being squandered and often at crucial times of the game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JF 694 Posted December 31, 2014 We''re not under performing if anything maybe we are over performing given the circumstances. We appointed a rookie manager learning his trade and as a result mid table was the best it was ever going to get in this league. If you aim for the stars you may get to the moon, we just took a shot in the dark I''m afraid. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Len 74 Posted December 31, 2014 It was there for all to see in the home game against Reading at home. We were 2-1 down, had completely run out of ideas and were playing the most basic kick and rush route one football. We had twenty odd years of going against the grain and playing a skillful passing game, reaching a pinacle in the first ever Premier League season and the UEFA Cup campaign that followed. Yet there we were with an expensive team reduced to the level of a bog standard pub team, being managed by the U18''s coach.After our relegation we should have had some kind of shake up and rethink of the way we want to play and what the required coaching ought to be at all levels in order to achieve this. Instead we got a stupidly contrived footballing board with McNally, Adams and some bloke who''s managed in New Zealand who happens to be our chief scout.From a footballing perspectve, the way of playing from youth to senior level looks disorganised, lacking cohesion and of a poor standard. Why there''s nobody like Dave Stringer sitting on the football board, god only knows. At the moment it looks like a poorly thought out corporate steering committee, lacking anyone with sufficient footballing experience.The whole set up looks like a total joke, so it''s no surprise that we''re playing like a low skill pub team. But at its root it''s a structural problem rather than being eg purely tactical. Phelan ought to stay if we had the necessary clear out, but he can''t carry the whole club by himself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grefstad 0 Posted December 31, 2014 The easy explanation: We lack smartness in the team. Only Wes is imho a smart player. The rest seem to me to be rather slow in their minds, and their feet (ex Redmond).Lack of leadership is virtually the same as lacking of smartness Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yellow Wal 314 Posted December 31, 2014 We have produced a strong squad of players who cannot play together.By trying to play our best players we have sacrificed teamwork.It is virtually impossible to play Hoolahan, Redmond and Hooper in the same team and be effective. Players have been accommodated because they are better than others individually but this has led to the team being disjointed.The manager has been unsure of what his favoured formation is all season. We no longer have to wonder about if the manager has a ''Plan B'' but to wonder whether he will be playing plan A,B,C,D,or E or more. Just how many formations have we played this season? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Year of the tiger 51 Posted December 31, 2014 Funny you should mention Dave Stringer Tenpenny as of course he was the youth team coach who made it as a top flight manager. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim Smith 2,290 Posted December 31, 2014 The boards decision to appoint Adams. Simple. I sincerely believe that had we appointed Lennon instead we would be 10-15 points better off.Adams has not been helped by complacency amongst some of the players which I think has manifested itself in silly mistakes and the team not keeping its shape but ultimately it all comes back to that idiotic decision in the summer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cantiaci Canary 556 Posted December 31, 2014 1. It''s rarely easy to play impressively following relegation from the Premiership. Look at Cardiff and Fulham. Consider what has happened to Blackburn, Wolves, Reading, Wigan, Bolton, Charlton, Blackpool, Forest, Ipswich, Sheffield utd, Sheffield Wed, Middlesbrough, Leeds since they were expelled.You are a club tainted by failure trying to shake yourself afresh in a division of battle hardened teams desperate to take a scalp and hungry for their stab at the big via promotion.2. Having a manager who has never coached through a full season before let alone in the Championship. Adams'' appointment could only ever have been an unnecessary gamble on very high stakes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Len 74 Posted December 31, 2014 [quote user="Year of the tiger"]Funny you should mention Dave Stringer Tenpenny as of course he was the youth team coach who made it as a top flight manager.[/quote]Stringer was youth manager from 1980 to at least 1983 when he won the FA youth cup. He also had experience of being reserves manager until stepping up to become first team boss in 1987. Seven years before becoming manager Neil Adams was iirc managing the U10s and in charge of the bovril and biscuits for Roy Waller. He was still working as Radio Norfolk''s pundit in 2010, leaving upon taking over the U18s.Given his level of experience, Adams would have been a fair choice as an assistant to someone with more managerial experience. Regardless of Adams, the footballing side of the club still looks disorganised and lacking in direction. People need to ask themselves why we''ve been in decline for so many years and whether the roots of the problem lie away from the first team.The manager, not playing certain players, the tactics or formation don''t explain two decades of underachievement. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZLF 261 Posted December 31, 2014 Lack of consistency and discipline from both management team and players Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herman 9,583 Posted December 31, 2014 A risk free approach to team selection. Find one that works and then stick with it until the oppo knows exactly who is going to play, and what subs are going to be brought on. Easy to work against, especially for a manager like Steve Clarke. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kanadyan Kanary 118 Posted December 31, 2014 I think this is interesting. Our stats against top-half teams puts us 2nd in the league but against bottom half teams, we are 11th and if you drill-down further you will see that our performance against bottom half teams at home, we are 18th in the league . This might suggest a complacency or show an inability to break teams down when they defend against us. I think that was certainly true in the early part of the season but the last two home victories might indicate an improvement on that front. We will see.Anyway, the stats for performance against top half teams are shown here:http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-championship/2014-2015/versus-top-half/full...and against bottom half teams; http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-championship/2014-2015/versus-bottom-half/full Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canary001 0 Posted December 31, 2014 We needed a snarling gritty winner like Neil Lennon , we got a watery eyed softly spoken little Bambi . Delia loves him though . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites