Longlostfan

hamstring- not properly warmed up?

28 minutes ago, whittles left foot said:

Didn't he start off as a right back but then came good when moved to centre half?

You may be right. My hazy recollection is of a scrawny ginger not really up to it- was he trying to fill in for John Hurst. As a youngster I couldn't understand why our supporters gave him grief rather than encouragement- sound familiar?

Then suddenly he came good. Bolton had been a bit of a bogie team. I think we beat them 4-2 in a night league cup match to my suprise and I recall him getting to the bye line to put a great delivery in. One of those games where he didn't seem to put a foot wrong. I remember telling my dad who couldn't make it how well he had done.

A one club player?

Reality is there is no 'control' ie we can't run both scenarios in real life.

I'm a great believer in points won in August/ September count the same as those in April/ May but whats done is done.

Win the next 4 and our rate for the season equates to Dale's, as would averaging a bit over 2 pts a game over the next 9. Both a bit of an ask but not impossible. The 'catch up rate' is less still over the whole season.

Might be Chesterfield are out of reach- them averaging over 2.5 pts per game. But lets see. Most teams have a wobble.

I have an unusual feeling- can anyone remember what optimism felt like?

On 9/23/2023 at 11:13 AM, Steve_R said:

Gary Hoolickin type player.

More similar than you think. If I recall he got pelters for a long time but kept plugging away. Eventually was seen to come good.

On 9/17/2023 at 9:28 PM, Wardie said:

as Thompson will not be able to turn it around with a day or two of training..

I'm pleased to see that didn't age well

Might still be a work in progress - but oh so much better

4 hours ago, Ackey said:

he best-pedigree striker the league has ever seen

go one I'll say it in the absence of BP- Jamie Vardy?

has the b team idea been dropped? not seen anything for a while

and so it happens

1 hour ago, laticsfanatic said:

No more journeymen with multiple sackings on their CV.

Very few managers who haven't been sacked these days.

I'd hazard a guess in the '92' there aren't more than half a dozen excluding those in their first appointment.

According to wiki if a manager has been in place 3 years it puts him in the 12 longest serving of the 92.

In contrast 47 have done less than a year.

I take your point though-need to avoid a serial failure. It would be great to have a manager being offered a renewal at 3 years- would mean we are progressing.

14 hours ago, Sparkleking said:

Norwood was suspended.

I could have been clearer. It would be a braver call not to start Norwood.

For me that would show long term thinking and a clear message you need to earn your place in the starting 11.

1 hour ago, IanMarshall's Mullet said:

Not starting Norwood to me would show he IS capable of making ‘tough calls’.

That's what I was trying to say but you did it better, avoiding Monty overthinking the tense

4 hours ago, Shrek said:

It tells me he isn't willing to make the tough calls.

One could argue it was a tougher/ braver  call to not start Norwood.

you can get a few of the top scorers here Monty

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/national-league/top-scorers

says Dipo Akinyemi their top scorer on 4

less than both Poleon and Dieseruvwe 7 and 6 respectively.

We have a poor disciplinary record. It has cost us points. Sure some of it is frustration but arguing with the ref is just stupid.

Starting Norwood from the bench says 'discipline matters'. Silly bookings cost you your place. I expect he'd be brought on after an hour with the chance to earn his starting place.

Reid- brought on, got a goal. Seems a bit harsh to put him back on the bench but again I'd expect to bring him on. Needs a word from the manager- 'great, you did what I asked,.....keep it up............your time will come.'

Same starting 11.

13 hours ago, kowenicki said:

Bit harsh. Thought they were a tidy side. 

couple of comments from the radio York commentary

- talking about York  'they seem to make every side look good'- how many times did we say that under DU?

-talking about the result 'a straight forward home win'- it is a while since we have put a fe of those together , lets hope this is the start.

1 minute ago, Worcester Owl said:

I remember getting his autograph there, wonder if it was the same day!

Good chance it was. Don't imagine he was there very often.

1 hour ago, RoytonLatics said:

I once had the displeasure of speaking to "Sir" Geoff Hurst in a previous job roll, horrid man

Seemed nice enough signing autographs on the top floor of Middleton Arndale Centre when I was a youngster. Think they had the 'dulux dog' the week after which many found more appealing.

On 9/17/2023 at 4:29 PM, Wardie said:

Has anyone thought about the players who Unsworth wanted to offload? Will they still be unwanted, maybe get another chance or is further recruitment still on the cards, once the incumbent is in place?

Be interesting I think Wardie.

Obvious step is to have a chat with them all- clean slate, chance to prove yourself, progress etc

Bit more complex perhaps given he has had a hand in bringing many of them in.

I guess we will know more come 8pm

6 minutes ago, nzlatic said:

I think you’re over complicating it a bit. 
 

Another way to look at it is that we’re 7 points off the play offs with 37 games to go. Perfectly doable. 

You make a good point. Whilst Barnet and Woking have 13 and 11 from the last 5 Harlepool and Dale with 6 and 8 look more catchable. There will be other contenders too- its a long season.

Can the season be saved or are we now just looking for progress?

70 points might make the playoffs. But given the absence of two 100pt plus teams maybe 75 would be a sensible target.

Another 68 points over the remaining games is 1.8 per game- equivalent to three wins in 5

10 games from now to hit the 1.8 for the season to date would require 9 wins in the next ten. Isn't going to happen.

Don't know how long recruitment will take- or even if there is a 'if you do OK you can keep the gig option' but let's say 5 games.

Do we have a target return - or is some pride. passion,performance and players in proper positions enough?

if I were a football manger I'd start out with 'how I want to play?'

That would vary a bit depending on the opposition.  Let's say 4-5-1 away against the best teams, 4-4-2 for the others, maybe 4-3-3 at home. (other formations are available... take your pick this is just an example for a thought process)

Next who are the strongest 11 in the chosen formation? Does that leave any holes/ weaknesses- maybe today you would say 'oh I'm short of a right full back'.

Do I need a different formation for this game to avoid an obvious weakness?- say the opposition have a brilliant left winger. Do I keep the formation but change the personnel- a more defensive RM to support the weaker fullback?

So I have my starting 11.

Next what happens if any individual player is injured? Do my 5 subs offer an adequate replacement ( including if I do a shuffle- lets say I loose my right back can I move a CD over and bring a CD on more comfortable in the centre.

So I have my draft bench. Right what about scenarios

- I can't break them down- how do I change it?

-I've gone behind- how do a get back in it?

-I'm overwhelmed in the middle/ down the flank etc- how do I stiffen the side

-I'm just in front - do I need to change it to close the game out?

-I've got this won- If I want a cricket score who do I give time too.....

Does this bench give me good/ reasonable options for those scenarios and others?

So yes I'd have a Keeper on the bench.

I'd also have thought about the scenarios above (and others) and the team would know what i'd be likely to do in those situations.

I'm not convinced DU has a plan let alone communicated it to the team.

26 minutes ago, nzlatic said:

their experience in business is to give employees the time and resources to flourish.

Two things come to mind

-Our most successful period was under two long serving managers

-The five longest serving managers in the premier league are currently in 1st/3rd/4th/5th and 8th

I get it that if you are successful you get to stay in the job so it becomes a little self fulfilling but constant chopping and changing hasn't been a glorious success over the last 10 years..

If Unsworth is to flourish I'd just wish he'd get on with it.

Leaving aside DU curious choices and tactics  what does our best first team and cover look like?

Isn't that the starting point for disposals/ aquistions?

7 minutes ago, doctor evil said:

I think if we're serious about challenging at the top end this season, Sutton shouldn't be starting, at least not yet. He's got potential and I know he's mostly playing out of position but I still don't think he's at this level yet.

So how does he get there then? Not seen a lot about the 'B' team- is that still a thing?

just for Monty