chris_ktf

'He'd taken us as far as he could' WTF!!!

What's different from PD's time to now???

What circumstances was he under that LJ isn't?

We were/are a small prudently run 3rd division club.

It sticks in the throat that he can't just say I learnt a lot, an it didn't work out for me.

You didn't do us a favour Paul. You got sacked.

FA Cup aside- the football the season he got sacked was as bad as it got for me.

Wonder where Tidser fits in? Didn't see the game he played, but apparently he did really well.

I hope you burn in Hell. Forever.

Haha. Fair play.

To many people on this board go to extremes when you offer even a slightly contentious (or non contentious) opinion. Why do some posters feel the need to patronise people just because they disagre.

Some posters really do come across as wannabe super fans.

LJ has done more enough to earn our trust, but does that then mean we can never question him? Do me a favour.

LJ said- he hasn't got a first touch. He can't shoot. He can't play with with his back to goal.

That IMO is pretty damning, an doesn't fall into the caterogry of- he's jus getting him going.

How you can say that, then offer him the sholder is a bit beyond me. Time will tell if that sort of 'criticism' gets the best out of poleon. I didn't always agree with how LJ spoke about Harris in public, but he sold him for massive profit. . .

Maybe he does know best. Maybe what he said was misplaced.

Only an opinion like.

I think his comments on Poleon are very ill-judged.

Thought that myself.

I doubt its that simple to be honest, If thats the case why pay fees for Poleon and Turner and never play them ? Didnt I read in the Chron that our deal with SD will elevate us into a position where we can compete with the top teams in the division ? Mixed messages Id say.

Spot on.

He makes me laugh, 10 years in he still puts outs occasional sounds bites about low crowds, or we're a league two club in league one, or general doom an gloom.

When in reality, he's kept us going, runs the club prudently, is developing the stadium, an above all backs his managers time an again. . .

All with no money an low crowds. . .

Either things aren't as bad as uncle Simon likes to let on, or he's hiding a money tree somewhere.

What bollox are you talking?

 

You are taking words out of context to suit your argument.

 

I have stated for over 2 years that IMO Connor Brown is not good enough, not up to standard, prone to mistakes and basically :censored:. I pretty sure 90% of this board can back that up. I'm sure they will also agree that I said there was improvements last season.

 

In this thread I have said that if you want to be in relegation battles then players of Connor Browns standard will take you there. He has for the last 2 years, not on his own but he helped. Not good enough.

 

Is he good enough for league 1? Well he has played in league 1, been consistantly dropped and had 3 players brought into the club to replace him. All better I think most would agree.

 

No I don't think he is good enough and I honestly don't imagine we will receive gloiwing reports from Brunton Park. He may do a Mark Tierney and turn it all around and go from strength to strength. I hope he does but.......will he :censored:!

Is Brown your boo boy?

I only ask because when you don't rate players it's based on intellect. When others don't rate a player, it's same old oldham fans.

Do you think Barry understands irony?

He been our most consistent player all season.

It's rare at our level to get a player as complete as him. Tackles, great energy, great touch, vision, has got a shot on him.

He's class.

I've seen 5 goals. 5!! In the last two home league games.

I've stopped looking at my phone for the majority of the game.

We play for 90 minutes.

We look very resolute, yet very creative!!

Even the half time coffee was decent.

Happy days.

I think all most fans want to see is progress.

I'm not getting giddy yet, but what he is building looks very promising.

He's very shrewd in the transfer market. No manager since big Joe has done as well as Johnson IMO.

The biggest thing for me though, he does seem to learn from his mistakes. The team seem to be evolving in similar fashion to him personally. It's been a long, long, time since I've been to BP really fancying us- instead of blind hope.

The only issue ( if we keep going at this rate) will be keeping hold of him, but as others have said Corney put a lot of faith in him, the stand is going up, an he may feel he can really build something.

Jamie Cureton. Always seemed to bag against us, an get a hatful for whoever he played for.

Pleased with point down there. Good result.

I just think a well organised, average 9 players, behind two decent-ish strikers an you'll do very well in this league.

I can't get my head around why he seems to bemoan how we can't kill games- or take our chances- Why didn't he rectify it over the summer? It's not a new problem we've got.

If Forte plays on the left, an poleon an philly start up front? Who've we got after that? The young lads. . . It's a lot to ask. Yet in defence an midfield we seem to have loads of options? Last season we had four strikers- this season we have two. (If Forte plays on left- which he will.)

The most frustrating thing is, I think we are two short up front from being very decent. Sadly we now relying on youth loans, an the like. Shame.

How big is the squad? 26/27? Is it not feasible to run the squad at 22ish an give yourself more money for up top?

Rooney was :censored:. I don't care what he does from now until the end of time, he was :censored:ing :censored: here, no blame to anyone, goodbye and good luck.

I was trying to be diplomatic, but with I'm you, he was :censored:.

we got a proven goal scorer last season, but he ended up playing every else other than his position, the fans got on his back, the manager got on his back, then we released him from his two year contract so he could sign for a club up scotland who won the scottish league cup thus themselves in the europa league thanks to it

 

not saying he dont need a striker who can put it away.. of course we do but when the next one rocks up at BP lets not lynch him for not scoring when he's suffering from poor man management

See I thought LJ handled The Rooney situation brilliantly. He came in, most thought he was a bit of coup, it didn't work out, an LJ protected the club. A lot of mangers would of let their ego get in the way. Ok he got his fingers burnt, but at least with Rooney you thought we might have someone who could genuinly get us 20 goals. With JCH, Philly, Carlie Mac, Poleon, I was/am hoping LJ can turn them into something. Rather than thinking we've got a bit of predigree. As I said maybe we jus have to accept that's where we're at.

Frustrating though, when you dominate games an it's just that bit of quality between finishing 15th an top 8.

Didn't go yesterday but from the games I've seen, reading people's views, and LJ's comments, we are short of a poacher.

Poleon it's to early to tell- he may come good. He may not. Philly- if played up front will get goals- but I don't think he'll be prolific- not selfish enough. An can you rely on Forte's goals- When you consider his fitness an playing on the left? (Hope so)

How many games in LJ's tenture have we created enough but jus lacked the finish? A lot IMO.

I've always thought your only as good as your strikers in this league, the only time we got anywhere in this league we had someone prolific up front. I find it strange that we don't sacrifice maybe 2/3 squad players to pay for a bit of quality of front. Rather than a gamble/journeyman/young kid.

Just for saying sake- why bring in or offer deals to Dieng, Mellor, Morgan smith- (I'm jus picking picking three current fringe players, not I don't like any of them) when that could of gone on a striker/poacher we need.

I understand money is tight, I understand we need a squad, I jus think we've got quite a few who aren't really gonna get a game, an yet LJ says he needs/wants a striker. In which case has he used his budget wisely? Or do we jus accept that he has to juggle, an you can't commit to much on one player?

 

I get that. Buts lets not forget; wes, rooney, schmeltz, rodgers, an macdonald where his choice to leave. If he wanted he could of had far more 'continuity' than he had. Some is enforced, some is his choice!

 

 

Lip service. Every time. Modern football management is [sadly] as much about PR as it is about tactics on the pitch. If he says what it really is (i.e. crowds fallen so low, you're reaping what you've sown) then the same muppets having a go at him here are going postal at him for that. The bottom line is year on year the playing budget gets cut accordingly. Until we have more investment (as a poster further up correctly pointed out) we'll always be seeing a jigsaw with tons of pieces missing being taken apart season after season.

 

Continuity is absolutely essential for us to thrive. It seems tons are really missing this pertinant point.

I think most of us are fickle(I know I am) a couple of wins an things will be rosy again.

However, certain things are nagging at me.

Why complain about his budget? When that same :censored: budget has seen 26 pros, an likes of Paddy Kenny maybe coming in- yet no striker? No one can tell me he's got a relativly :censored: budget. He hasn't.

For the millionth time. . . . Corney has always backed his mangers. If I was Corney I would be so pissed off. Im doing what I can afford to give Johnson what he needs- only to hear in the press- I' need more faces'- 'if only people knew what willie Gros on.' Your the manager! It's your budget!!!!

Why does he pick on the same young players in defeat? Never does it to the senior pros.

Why is Winchester always his first sub? When he's been blatantly our best plsyer ?

Why does he keep playing people out of position?

I honestly still believe he's got something about him, but without question he over compicates things, an in many ways seems his own worst enemy.

If we have not won by 8th september (looking at the fixtures, that is very possible) I dread to think what this board will be like

Who implied, or said they wanted him out? I don't. However he is offering a lot more excuses. He's quicker to blame anyone/anything other than himself. The results however early in the season aren't great. Harry is probably right though. Things wouldn't be as bad if he just kept his counsel. (a lot more)

I'm happy with the budget- is now- if only people knew what willie Gros was on.

He's already assembled a squad of 26, after saying repeatedly in the close season he wanted a smaller squad with more quality. . . Mmmm ok Lee.

One minute he's more than happy with the squad, the next (usually after a loss) he wants to bring in more 'fresh faces' How about working the squad YOU'VE bought.

Why are we in for paddy Kenny if we are so skint? I doubt elokobi is on :censored: money.

For me he has totally mis managed his budget. The squad hasn't got a good balance. At all.

We won't go into his utter refusal to play Winchester in the middle, his snide remarks at fans. His fascination with 4141 4231 352 450 or any other 'modern' formation. Or, an this is my personal favourite- signing players an then playing them out of position- then blaming cos they don't affect the game. Genius.

Having said all that we did play well for twenty minutes in the second half on Saturday. So every cloud.

I think it's safe to say nobody wants us to be :censored:, or doesn't want our manager to do well.

However the buck stops with him. A lot of very reasonable posters on here have got legitimate concerns.

Is he learning from his mistakes? Is he getting the best out of certain indivduals? When IMO they are played out of position, criticised publicly, dropped to often, or asked to play the opposite of their natural game.

In his post match interview- he talks about adding 2 or 3 because 'heads should roll when you lose a couple. . ' Er what? How many players was it last season, 36? How about taking some responsibility an working with your squad?

I think he massively over complicates the game. If I hear one more time a 451 becomes 4141, but if we have the ball it's 433. Whatever it is, Still not seeing any runners on a consistent basis, Still not seeing us apply ourselves for 90 mins. If it's one or two, then fine look to the indivdual. But collectively we were so poor second half.

You hear him talking endlessly about players who can do job in a number of positions. There in laeague one for a reason. Generally there steady in there given position. An :censored: elsewhere.

Please, please, can we keep it simple. Go back to basics. Get players where there comfortable- an will effect the game!

The players are not being helped by Johnson. Lets start at the back. Elokobi is a left back playing centre half. Mills strength was always going forward, he can't do that in this formation. Midfield - Winchester was effective in the first half from the middle of the park he isn't a winger. Jones looked half decent, kelly is very defence minded and cant pass to his own team mates he has been coupled with Dieng who is a centre half being told to play as a second defensive midfielder at home FFS. Clarke-Harris being asked to play up front on his own in a team where there is no support from the central midfield as the central midfielders are holding defensive players doesn't and never will work. Forte gets away with being isolated due to his pace but his only option is to beat everyone in front of him as again there is no support from the full back or central midfielders. Johnson needs to shoulder alot of the blame. Play players in positions they are used to and tactics that actually suit the way the team has been set up.

Great post.

Winchester- our best ball player- right wing. .

Philliskirk has been asked to play 3 different positions in the last two games. People wonder why he's short on confidence/form.

JCH- still a raw kid- with lots to learn- is being exposed by LJ- asking him to lead the line on his own every week- people wonder why he's going missing in games. Feel for him.

Elokobi is primarily a left back- plays centre half.

Dieng is a centre half- plays as a deep lying midfielder.

The players look confused, an lack belief.

Very worrying.

Or it was a stipulation that if fit he started was in his contract, and the club wouldn't meet that (having allegedly been done over by that when Kuqi went cack)?

 

We have a good defence. This isn't a big loss at all.

Would make a lot of sense why kuqi was continually played despite being gargabe towards the end. On the other hand I would be genuinely gob smacked if that was in his deal. Surely not???