Someone tell me...

[Tac-tics]

I agree, 3-5-2 would be alot better, 10x as much hard work for the wingers but more effective.

 

I think Jan saw the attackingpotential yesterday and believed that they had a goal comming unfortunately they did'nt, guys he is going to make mistakes, jeez

[Sundance Beast]

I am not a Football manager. I am a manager in another industry. If I plan to do something and it doesn`t work then I have to find an alternative way to achieve success. All I am saying is that our game plan is to out pass our opponents. If this doesn`t work then there has to be a different effective approach. ATM if the passing game is ineffective for whatever reason (Kids too tired, Blackpool brilliant -I don`t know) then there has to be an ability to change the style and emphesis. What that change of style is is down to JP not me. I`m not sure why this is difficult to understand.

 

And how long MOG does it take you to identify a problem and react and make the necessary changes to influence the outcome? IMO JP had about 30mins and made the wrong decision at HT by bringing on Dyer when perhaps Gillet was showing signs of over-confidence. Never made a mistake in managing your 'multi-million' pound contracts? If you have may I suggest most typists use spellcheck.

[derry]

I think it's a bit unfair to criticise Svennson. He was up against a streetwise, physical, tall striker. He had no help from either fullback or Perry dropping off to deal with the flick ons.

 

When it was obvious what was happening, the forward players didn't pressurize the ball, one of the fullbacks needed to drop in whilst one of the midfield players needed to get in front of Burgess, but they didn't and gave him a clear run at the ball.

 

Because of his physique, short of going through the back of Burgess, there was no way Svennson was going to get to the ball first.

 

We can accept their pace provided we aren't square and the full backs are there to defend. For the penalty James was missing whilst Gillett made a mess of his tackle leaving White to dive in and clip the attacker.

[derry]

I'm not a big fan of our 'system' becaise it lonly allows for one striker, you definitely need 2. Even 3-5-2 would be better than one striker, leaves the lone striker isolated. Stern is a great hold up player and would be more effective with a striker playong off him, even if it is McGoldrick....

 

Talking rigid numbers makes no sense. JP is trying to attack in numbers and defend in numbers. As soon as the ball is lost everybody gets behind it and pressurizes to get it back, that happened in previous matches but not yesterday.

 

The team play anything from 2-8 to 9-1 when adhering to the game plan. Playing with width and depth.

 

As for John I can see him only being on the fringe, with Pekart, should he be successful, play in front of McGoldrick with Lallana wide right. There has to be a place for Cork whether midfield or fullback.

[derry]

I agree, 3-5-2 would be alot better, 10x as much hard work for the wingers but more effective.

 

I think Jan saw the attackingpotential yesterday and believed that they had a goal comming unfortunately they did'nt, guys he is going to make mistakes, jeez

 

Wing backs not wingers, nowhere as good, I prefer the way it is.

[Wes Tender]

Kelvin did it in the last 20 mins, bombing balls into a penalty area occupied by close on 21 player and every time it gave the ball to Blackpool.

 

We were beaten by a penalty, so BPL caused us problems, so what, close calls at times, but disallowed goals for fouling the goalkeper and offside don't count. Davis made some saves, that's what he is there for.

 

One of the things JP said, was, we didn't pressurise the ball like we did in the other games, he put that down to tiredness.

 

White yesterday was totally ineffective and by coming inside all the time stopped us from passing wide right. The surprise for me was he wasn't taken off sooner.

 

I think they expected to win yesterday, that caused them to take their foot off the pedal. A lesson hopefully learnt. I bet they wil be giving it a go again v QPR.

 

I expect Pekart to give them an alternative with McGoldrick behind and Lallana wide right. IMO he will find a place for Cork in midfield or fullback.

 

I was not advocating that we play the hoofball game, merely pointing out that there are teams who have players in their squad who it suits and who use it to good effect to counteract the passing teams like us. The best teams are those who have in their armoury a mix of good players who can vary the tactical play to suit different situations dictated to them by managers astute enough to plan the strategy most capable of getting the three points. Hull was a good example last season when they bypassed our midfield by hitting the ball over it for a very quick striker to run onto it and by this method they hit 5 past us for no response. Unless I'm mistaken, Hull aren't known to be a hoofball team by reputation, so I surmise that they employed a good game plan and reaped the rewards from it. They obviously had a decent gameplan to beat enough teams in the season to gain promotion and had learned the lessons of the defeat by us earlier in the season. I look forward to seeing whether JP learned the lessons that Blackpool taught us and makes adjustments to turn it around on the return away match.

 

Agreed that we didn't pressure the ball, but whether that was tiredness or something else, who knows? I'm finding it a bit hard to believe that the youngsters would suffer a decline in their prowess after three games in a week at their age and standard of fitness.

 

Unfortunately, being so strapped for cash, I don't believe we have enough variety of player to effect this sort of strategic gameplan, unless the new striker Pekhart has that potential. I agree with most of your assessments. Why Cork wasn't played at right back or midfield is a mystery. He looked a class above most of our young defenders last time out. I'm not keen on Surman at left back and would be pleased if Mills made the slot his own in time, but in the meantime, if Scacel is here still on Tuesday, I'd prefer him to play there and move Surman into midfield.

[Saint Fan CaM]

Unfortunately I work in an industry were I have no direct employees under me- all sub-contract. I manage multi-million pound contracts with a work-force that is only interested in themselves, but it`s that gets the credit/takes the blame at the end. I have to make sure that the job is a success by any means available. If it does not work one way I have to find a viable way of doing it (Plan B). JP has to do the same. If the passing game does not work then has to change things during games to get 3 points. ATM I don` think that he can.

 

Completely agree MOG. It's my firm belief JP will win or lose many games this season due to his inexperience to deal with a variety of different opposition tactics. You could see very clearly that the youngsters lost confidence and composure when they realised Blackpool had them sussed and stopped them playing. It happened quite quickly actually - well before half-time. And JP did not act early enough - he should have brought off Gillett who very clearly was having a mare of a game, partly because of his inexperience to change out of a system the Coach has imposed and partly due to his physical size.

 

The 'plan B' does not have to be about changing from a 'passing game' as suggested...the fact is the midfield is narrow by design using JP's formation and opposition teams can easily squeeze the life out of our midfield play by packing the midfield and applying pressure to the likes of Gillet and Sneiderman. We need to change the formation in these circumstances - not the STYLE of play!!!

[ottery st mary]

British coach/tactician with knowledge of CCC would have been useful to have alongside JP to negate the opposition tactics etc. Bringing Wotton on earlier or actually playing from start in certain games. Cork is to be wasted unless he plays and from the start.

JP is in the chair and I support for now but it will not hurt him to have a Rice,Clarke,Jorda, Adams or in fact my choice SNODIN there to assist.

[Alain Perrin]

The fact is we lost, but on the positive side JP does seem willing to change things when the gameplan isn't working. Hoddle was the last manager we had (IMHO) who could change the game with a substitute or tactical switch. Since then we've had people who just made stock changes at 65 minutes.

 

Jimmy Case made an interesting point that we looked at subs on a like for like basis, not a midfielder for a leftback or complete team juggle to accommodate a new player.

 

Given time I believe that JP will deliver the goods. He certainly says the right things and identifies what's wrong in the post-match analysis. I know fixing it is a whole different thing, but it is a start!

[VectisSaint]

I'm not a big fan of our 'system' becaise it lonly allows for one striker, you definitely need 2. Even 3-5-2 would be better than one striker, leaves the lone striker isolated. Stern is a great hold up player and would be more effective with a striker playong off him, even if it is McGoldrick....

Amazing really that we got to post 49 before anyone realised that changing the system doesn't have anything to do with playing the passing game or playing hoofball. Yes, in the game yesterday one of the problems was that our players could not work out that they were supposed to pass to players in stripes not players in orange (perhaps they have watched too many videos of Holland or something). The problem was that like several coaches before JP, he does not seem able to get players to change their formation during a game. He seems to have drummed in the 4-2-1-2-1 formation really well, and the players understand it well and can play it, but they don't seem to be able to change to something different if it doesn't work. Yesterday, the simple change that may have been effective, would have been for McG to play alongside John when he came on. But instead, McG dropped back into the hole behind John, so that we were playing exactly the same formation. We were not playing total football, we were playing a rigid formation (one that encourages total football but is not total football in itself). We were crying out for two in the box with crosses from Holmes and Dyer. Blackpool's defence was very suspect, but we never tested them when we were attacking with 1 v 4. If you play 2v4 it gives them something to think about that is different.

 

To be fair to JP, even WGS, and Burley especially had the same problem, an inability to be able to effectively change tactics during a game. I'm sure it will come, perhaps this is what we need during the 2 week break.

[St Landrew]

What the FECK is a PLAN B??

 

Seriously...

 

 

Well of course it's a media thing, and supporters have latched onto it. In Sven's case it may have been appropriate. He spent so many years trying to find an effective game plan, and when it went well everybody thought England were worldbeaters. Every time it went badly, everybody thought he was the worst international manager, and his players were useless. Plus everyone wondered why England played in such a regimented style, and seemed have no answer to opposition tactics. In fact, no Plan B.

 

JP has been in his position at Saints for 5 minutes. He wants our players to play the passing game. Great. I love the passing game. It's the best, most entertaining way of playing football. But sometimes you're going to lose with it, because on occasions, it isn't the most effective.

 

JP is just starting to find out how good our players actually are, against opposition. Whether they can take game after game that matters. Whether they can play well if they are only 80-90% on their game, rather than 100%. Whether they can play the passing game on sh!tty pitches as well as on the relative billiard table of St Marys. Whether they can play well when it's bloody cold and wet, probably somewhere northerly, and where the wind blasts them in the face, or down the back of their neck.

 

And we are going to be finding out whether JP has it when a trend might start where things don't quite go to plan. Will he have the tactical nous to change when it is required..? I think he will. He has a very good record of achievement with young players on very little money. He could continue that whether these are the best young players he has had under his management, or the worst. Win or lose, will he get the best out of them..? I think he will. So whether or not the phrase means anything, I think he'll have a Plan B.

[Legod Second Coming]

Well of course it's a media thing, and supporters have latched onto it. In Sven's case it may have been appropriate. He spent so many years trying to find an effective game plan, and when it went well everybody thought England were worldbeaters. Every time it went badly, everybody thought he was the worst international manager, and his players were useless. Plus everyone wondered why England played in such a regimented style, and seemed have no answer to opposition tactics. In fact, no Plan B.

 

JP has been in his position at Saints for 5 minutes. He wants our players to play the passing game. Great. I love the passing game. It's the best, most entertaining way of playing football. But sometimes you're going to lose with it, because on occasions, it isn't the most effective.

 

JP is just starting to find out how good our players actually are, against opposition. Whether they can take game after game that matters. Whether they can play well if they are only 80-90% on their game, rather than 100%. Whether they can play the passing game on sh!tty pitches as well as on the relative billiard table of St Marys. Whether they can play well when it's bloody cold and wet, probably somewhere northerly, and where the wind blasts them in the face, or down the back of their neck.

 

And we are going to be finding out whether JP has it when a trend might start where things don't quite go to plan. Will he have the tactical nous to change when it is required..? I think he will. He has a very good record of achievement with young players on very little money. He could continue that whether these are the best young players he has had under his management, or the worst. Win or lose, will he get the best out of them..? I think he will. So whether or not the phrase means anything, I think he'll have a Plan B.

 

Hmm, I'm not so sure. Six competitive games into the season we have only won three of them trying PLAN A. Let's assume B works half the time and we would have won every game.

 

Of course, having started PLAN A only two months ago, we could give it a little time with a young team to work, but I think it best if we try and change now before it's too late and we start playing good football every week...

 

I mean, at least three times yesterday we hit a ball 50 yards and it landed at Holmes' feet. That sort of thing should not be needed when it bypassed three players and the keeper who did not get a touch.

 

I wonder whether this Dutch bloke has even seen total football?? I mean, statistically, he was the second youngest of the Dutch squad for the 78 World Cup - possibly the world's most beautiful football team ever. But that side had an average age of 28 and ours are mere youngsters.

 

No, on reflection I think it would be better rather than concentrating on doing the basics well - like passing, moving, spreading play and working together as a team with confidence and comfortably on the ball - if we simply reverted to a variety of either 4-4-2 or 4-4-2 as the game necessitates. And if the team have a bad game, bad half even, then simply swap their positions around - that's bound to work. Works every week for other teams. Go behind, playing badly, swap formations and BINGO the team wins. Why can others not see this?

 

Actually, you know what? 50% win ratio, let's just sack the fecker now and be done with it... save all the whining eh?

[St Landrew]

I think you need to pop a in there somewhere LGSC or otherwise someone is going to take your last post seriously..!

Edited 31 August, 2008 by St Landrew

[Snowballs2]

I still believe that one of our basic problems is that the head coach has no experience of the English leagues, and, therefore does not have the tactical knowledge to counter changes by the opposition, its the same with substitutions

[Legod Second Coming]

I still believe that one of our basic problems is that the head coach has no experience of the English leagues, and, therefore does not have the tactical knowledge to counter changes by the opposition, its the same with substitutions

 

It's true.

 

This held back Mourinho and Wenger. Oh and Ferguson.

[Legod Second Coming]

Oh and Benitez.

[Legod Second Coming]

And Avram Grant.

[miserableoldgit]

And how long MOG does it take you to identify a problem and react and make the necessary changes to influence the outcome? IMO JP had about 30mins and made the wrong decision at HT by bringing on Dyer when perhaps Gillet was showing signs of over-confidence. Never made a mistake in managing your 'multi-million' pound contracts? If you have may I suggest most typists use spellcheck.

More often than not I have to react almost immediately because sub-contractors have found a problem and if it is not solved they will not earn money and tight programmes will be affected. We all make mistakes in our lives/job (except you obviously) and it`s how we react and rectify them that is important.

 

I am not negative as far as JP is concerned. I am quite confident in his ability to make Saints competitive and am looking forward to an exciting season, it`s that I am concerned as to whether he is able to, or has the playing staff to change things when the passing game is not working. We did not get going yesterday and a bit of desperation and long-ball crept in. Thats all.

 

I hope that the spelling is a bit better this time (sorry that you were offended) and , yes, multi - million. Why the quotation marks?

[Snowballs2]

It's true.

 

This held back Mourinho and Wenger. Oh and Ferguson.

 

But they had decent squads

[CB Fry]

But they had decent squads

 

 

I would like to venture it wouldn't take very long for me to name an English manager or coach with that natural born "experience of the English leagues and therefore having the tactical knowledge to counter changes by the opposition and substitutions" that you wouldn't want anywhere near this football club.

 

I believe Harry Bassett is currently out of work, and he's English through and through. John Gregory, anyone? Bryan Robson? Les Reed? Bobby Gould?

[Thedelldays]

I would like to venture it wouldn't take very long for me to name an English manager or coach with that natural born "experience of the English leagues and therefore having the tactical knowledge to counter changes by the opposition and substitutions" that you wouldn't want anywhere near this football club.

 

I believe Harry Bassett is currently out of work, and he's English through and through. John Gregory, anyone? Bryan Robson? Les Reed? Bobby Gould?

remember when tony pulis, neil warnock and co were laughed at on here...

 

I wonder how many would have welcomed phil brown last summer with open arms...

[Dalek2003]

I would like to venture it wouldn't take very long for me to name an English manager or coach with that natural born "experience of the English leagues and therefore having the tactical knowledge to counter changes by the opposition and substitutions" that you wouldn't want anywhere near this football club.

 

I believe Harry Bassett is currently out of work, and he's English through and through. John Gregory, anyone? Bryan Robson? Les Reed? Bobby Gould?

 

 

Glenn Hoddle, and if we had done that four years ago we would still be dicking Pompey in the Premiership !

[ottery st mary]

JP type of system will still take time and he seems to be all or nothing for his style and does not really seem to discuss debate or take any info from those around him during the game. Most managers seem to have at least one if not two or more words of advice to rely on during a game. Not trying to take it away from JP and I don't know how good Hockaday is other tha a good youth coach. Not sure he had a big part with first team at Watford.

I'm just advocating that if you can't always see where it's going wrong do not be afraid to talk to your side kick with a different view on the opposition tactics especially someone who knows this game. By the way that is why Benitez brought Sammy Lee back into the fold at Liverpool.

Just my opinion that might not agree with yours and does not make me wrong.

Edited 31 August, 2008 by ottery st mary

[Legod Second Coming]

Glenn Hoddle, and if we had done that four years ago we would still be dicking Pompey in the Premiership !

 

Tell you what friend, you get my vote for persistence.

 

As for Snowballs:

 

Squad quality is all relative. JP is not required to beat Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, etc. He is required to beat Blackpool, Derby and Birmingham, etc...

 

And I fail to see why not having seen them play until recently will be a stumbling block.

 

Or can one of our Dutch friends tell me that:

 

a) no one in Holland owns a television set

 

b) everyone in Holland plays total football, which is why they dominate world club football, not...

 

c) no Dutch team has ever played outside of Holland.

 

Do you not think that JP might have played against a team who park the bus on the goal-line before?? Or at least seen one or two? No bruisers treadin the lower echelons of Dutch football??

 

Or is it specifically experience of Darren Moore that you're worried he's missing??

[Legod Second Coming]

JP type of system will still take time and he seems to be all or nothing for his style and does not really seem to discuss debate or take any info from those around him during the game. Most managers seem to have at least one if not two or more words of advice to rely on during a game. Not trying to take it away from JP and I don't know how good Hockaday is other tha a good youth coach. Not sure he had a big part with first team at Watford.

I'm just advocating that if you can't always see where it's going wrong do not be afraid to talk to your side kick with a different view on the opposition tactics especially someone who knows this game. By the way that is why Benitez brought Sammy Lee back into the fold at Liverpool.

Just my opinion that might not agree with yours and does not make me wrong.

 

I'm sure he takes advice. He seems like he has his head screwed on.

[Dalek2003]

Tell you what friend, you get my vote for persistence.

 

As for Snowballs:

 

Squad quality is all relative. JP is not required to beat Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, etc. He is required to beat Blackpool, Derby and Birmingham, etc...

 

And I fail to see why not having seen them play until recently will be a stumbling block.

 

Or can one of our Dutch friends tell me that:

 

a) no one in Holland owns a television set

 

b) everyone in Holland plays total football, which is why they dominate world club football, not...

 

c) no Dutch team has ever played outside of Holland.

 

Do you not think that JP might have played against a team who park the bus on the goal-line before?? Or at least seen one or two? No bruisers treadin the lower echelons of Dutch football??

 

Or is it specifically experience of Darren Moore that you're worried he's missing??

 

Hmm, why employ a pretender when we could have the master.

[ottery st mary]

I'm sure he takes advice. He seems like he has his head screwed on.

 

Totally agree but don't you think after all I said I could sit alongside him in the dugout just to make sure.

[Legod Second Coming]

Totally agree but don't you think after all I said I could sit alongside him in the dugout just to make sure.

 

You one side, me the other. If we STILL cannot win, we're doomed...

[Charlie Wayman]

Plan B is a euphemism as I am sure you realise LSC. Ant 'Plan' is Plan A until two minutes after implementation when there is no plan left worth the mullah, at which time it is more kindly called "time for Plan B" rather than "You are a useless pr*ck for c*cking it all up!"

[ottery st mary]

You one side, me the other. If we STILL cannot win, we're doomed...

 

If I get the job I will put a good word in for you and if we end up being doomed I will be the first to blame JP and of course you. Onwards and upwards. Things WILL get better.

[Red and White Army]

I still believe that one of our basic problems is that the head coach has no experience of the English leagues, and, therefore does not have the tactical knowledge to counter changes by the opposition, its the same with substitutions

 

Moron. They have tactics and substitutions in Holland too.

 

The new Chelsea boss doesn't have experience in English leagues and he seems to be doing ok. Leave your sad little xenophobic mindset at the turnstiles please.

[Wes Tender]

Moron. They have tactics and substitutions in Holland too.

 

The new Chelsea boss doesn't have experience in English leagues and he seems to be doing ok. Leave your sad little xenophobic mindset at the turnstiles please.

 

It's a perfectly valid opinion, debateable maybe, but still arguable. And anybody with intelligence would also see that neither was it xenophobic. The style of football played in this country is different from that played on the continent, in the same way that it is even different in this division from that played in the Premiership. Whenever a player comes here from abroad into the Premiership it is often an excuse for his poor performance during the first few matches that he wasn't used to the speed of play in English football, or often the physical nature of it. Even Ronaldo took some time to adjust when he first arrived.

[Legod Second Coming]

It's a perfectly valid opinion, debateable maybe, but still arguable. And anybody with intelligence would also see that neither was it xenophobic. The style of football played in this country is different from that played on the continent, in the same way that it is even different in this division from that played in the Premiership. Whenever a player comes here from abroad into the Premiership it is often an excuse for his poor performance during the first few matches that he wasn't used to the speed of play in English football, or often the physical nature of it. Even Ronaldo took some time to adjust when he first arrived.

 

Not sure that professional football played anywhere now differs that much by virtue of the globalisation of football.

 

But even assuming it does, it wouldn't take much research for JP to work out how football is played by some teams in this league - SKY is presumably installed somewhere at the training ground.

 

Although, I personally still vehemently dispute this idea that the Championship boasts a large number of teams who are simply physical. It's not what I see played out in front of me week in and week out.

 

Take Derby for example. When they beat us 1-0 at home two seasons ago, for all their supposed physical strength we ran rings around them and should have been 5-0 up inside twenty minutes, had we been able to finish!!

 

Now, no-one is saying Darren Moore and Dan Sh!ttu are Rio Ferdinand or Carlos Alberto.

 

But watching Sunderland/Man City, I would say that as much football was played on Saturday as in that game. The problem remains, we played the poorer of it overall!!!

[Wes Tender]

Taking Derby as an example, they were a team who managed promotion playing a strategy of playing to their strengths of having very big defenders to muscle the strikers off the ball at the back, whilst hoofing the ball quickly over the midfields of passing teams, so that mobile big strikers like Howard could run forward quickly and get amongst a defence before they could reorganise. It was generally effective in this division against teams like us, but not in the Premiership where clubs could cherry the pick the quality of player to counteract it, hence their speedy return.

 

But I hadn't mentioned the physical side of this division; I had pointed up the speed of the football, which is a surprise for many continental footballers and in order to adjust to it, they need to get used to much quicker thinking and action.

 

I agree that a good manager will analyse matches played by his forthcoming rivals either through Sky or by attendance at matches to assess what squad to name and which tactics to play against them. But in the same way that the longer somebody does a job, the better they become at it, the managers that have been players or managers in this division do have an advantage over somebody with no experience, unless that person is a very quick learner.

 

It remains to be seen whether JP has the tactical nous to deal with the other teams like Blackpool in this division. If he can't, then we are in for a hard time as others suss out our shortcomings. Until we have evidence on this, any doubts expressed by Snowballs are perfectly valid.

[Legod Second Coming]

Taking Derby as an example, they were a team who managed promotion playing a strategy of playing to their strengths of having very big defenders to muscle the strikers off the ball at the back, whilst hoofing the ball quickly over the midfields of passing teams, so that mobile big strikers like Howard could run forward quickly and get amongst a defence before they could reorganise. It was generally effective in this division against teams like us, but not in the Premiership where clubs could cherry the pick the quality of player to counteract it, hence their speedy return.

 

But I hadn't mentioned the physical side of this division; I had pointed up the speed of the football, which is a surprise for many continental footballers and in order to adjust to it, they need to get used to much quicker thinking and action.

 

I agree that a good manager will analyse matches played by his forthcoming rivals either through Sky or by attendance at matches to assess what squad to name and which tactics to play against them. But in the same way that the longer somebody does a job, the better they become at it, the managers that have been players or managers in this division do have an advantage over somebody with no experience, unless that person is a very quick learner.

 

It remains to be seen whether JP has the tactical nous to deal with the other teams like Blackpool in this division. If he can't, then we are in for a hard time as others suss out our shortcomings. Until we have evidence on this, any doubts expressed by Snowballs are perfectly valid.

 

Don't really disagree with what you're saying, although it wasn't really that effective against us. At home they beat us twice not by virtue of their style of play but because our finishing was appaling! At Pride Park twice we showed that playing good football will earn you at least a point.

 

I agree that we have little evidence on which to judge but I am frustrated that people are using Blackpool as an example of an approach that will work against us. They were in no way a Derby type outfit. They played counter-attacking football but predominantly down the wings until Hammil went off. Yes they hit it long a bit (but probably no more than we did). My gut feel is had we played with the same zest, buzz, pace - call it what you will - against Blackpool as we did against Birmingham, then this debate would be rendered pointless.

 

I don't think Saturday showed any lack of tactical nous by our management team - more a lack of failing to apply the basics that had previously been working so well by our team. I think in an earlier post you ascribed this to tiredness (or at least made the point that tired players make basic errors through tired minds). To me, that's what was happening on the pitch, not a brilliant strategy effected by Blackpool.

[Wes Tender]

I don't think Saturday showed any lack of tactical nous by our management team - more a lack of failing to apply the basics that had previously been working so well by our team. I think in an earlier post you ascribed this to tiredness (or at least made the point that tired players make basic errors through tired minds). To me, that's what was happening on the pitch, not a brilliant strategy effected by Blackpool.

 

I had questioned JPs excuse that having played 3 games in a week, some of the players were tired. Yes, it is valid to say that tired players make fundamental errors, but the reason that I had highlighted the tiredness issue was because JP had said quite clearly that having beaten Birmingham, the next match couldn't come quickly enough. It was therefore a bit rich him using tiredness as an excuse 4 days later.

 

I don't think that it is conclusive yet whether the loss against Blackpool was because of tiredness, lack of application of our gameplan, them having out thought us strategically or any other reason that might have excused it.

 

All I do know is that having beaten a team like Birmingham who had just been demoted from the Premiership but had kept most of their players and are considered to be the best team in the division, we typically could not beat a team who most consider will be at the foot of the table come the end of the season. The management changes, but that scenario seems to have remained annoyingly constant. I hope that JP fixes that.

[Legod Second Coming]

I had questioned JPs excuse that having played 3 games in a week, some of the players were tired. Yes, it is valid to say that tired players make fundamental errors, but the reason that I had highlighted the tiredness issue was because JP had said quite clearly that having beaten Birmingham, the next match couldn't come quickly enough. It was therefore a bit rich him using tiredness as an excuse 4 days later.

 

I don't think that it is conclusive yet whether the loss against Blackpool was because of tiredness, lack of application of our gameplan, them having out thought us strategically or any other reason that might have excused it.

 

All I do know is that having beaten a team like Birmingham who had just been demoted from the Premiership but had kept most of their players and are considered to be the best team in the division, we typically could not beat a team who most consider will be at the foot of the table come the end of the season. The management changes, but that scenario seems to have remained annoyingly constant. I hope that JP fixes that.

 

On that we are 100 agreed. Personally, just from a 'gut feeling' watching, I think we got a bit too carried away with ourselves and went into the game thinking we could roll Blackpool over believing our own hype. But hey, so long as we learn and this does not become a recurring them, I'll take the odd rough with a bit more smooth!!!!

[Ian the Red]

Excellent commments from LSG, WT & others. But I really do believe too much has been read into the defeat. It was simply a fact that some players were too tired, Gillet, Spiderman in particular and perhaps we were a little over confident. In a way it is not a bad thing to lose providing the players and JP learn the lesson.

It will be interesting to see JP's selections for the 6 games in 17 days: 14th Sept to 30th Sept??? He will need to juggle the players and certainly use more of the older players. It is the next 6 games that will make or break our season. I'm going for 4 wins and 2 draws...... I have no doubts!! COYR