Does anyone care about performances this season?

[UpTheLatics]

A good performance, especially at home, as always been a demand from me, but this season is different. Firstly, I'll knock a dismal display that is riddled with errors, for example Hartlepool earlier this season, but look at the squad, the new coaching staff, and of course the off-field problems.

 

There are about 8/9 sides in this league who have a lot more money than we do, and there are about 12 or so who I think have a better squad than ours. There's been a constant negative vibe around the club since last January, and it's emitting from everyone. There's little positivity, and I definitely share the major cause for concern. We've ruined Boundary Park and wasted a bit of money by knocking down the Lookers. That in turn has disgruntled a lot of fans and we're now seeing shocking attendances. We've also got the on-going new stadium debate. Anyway, we all know about that, it's just boring going over it for the 700th time.

 

What I'm obviously getting at is our performances on the field. Dave Penney has come in and inherited a squad that had absolutely no morale, and really needed sorting out. He's brought in a bunch of risky signings mostly on frees, and has been told by a lot of fans to get this club out of the division, and more than likely been told by the ever-confusing and error-prone TTA that the POs are a must for this club's survival. To be honest, looking at the clubs in this league, I thought the only way we would be going at the end of the season is though the drap door, and not up into the loft.

 

I wasn't expecting anything amazing. I hoped for it obviously, but I'm not stupid. I haven't gone away from many games this season thinking we were unbelievably good, but for the first time in my life I've cared more for the result than for the performance. I used to hate the 4-5-1, now I look forward to it, and how hard the players the work. I've heard a few fans dig at our general play against Brighton, but I couldn't care less. Last season I would have been disappointed, but this season I couldn't care less because we came back from the South Coast with a 2-0 win.

 

We don't have a squad that is meant to be aiming for promotion, but a win on Sunday could take us up to 5th, which would just be fantastic! We've got a few exciting players to return, in particular Deane Smalley, so we can imrpove further.

 

Well done Dave, the coaching staff and the lads on the field.

[oafcprozac]

A good performance, especially at home, as always been a demand from me, but this season is different. Firstly, I'll knock a dismal display that is riddled with errors, for example Hartlepool earlier this season, but look at the squad, the new coaching staff, and of course the off-field problems.

 

There are about 8/9 sides in this league who have a lot more money than we do, and there are about 12 or so who I think have a better squad than ours. There's been a constant negative vibe around the club since last January, and it's emitting from everyone. There's little positivity, and I definitely share the major cause for concern. We've ruined Boundary Park and wasted a bit of money by knocking down the Lookers. That in turn has disgruntled a lot of fans and we're now seeing shocking attendances. We've also got the on-going new stadium debate. Anyway, we all know about that, it's just boring going over it for the 700th time.

 

What I'm obviously getting at is our performances on the field. Dave Penney has come in and inherited a squad that had absolutely no morale, and really needed sorting out. He's brought in a bunch of risky signings mostly on frees, and has been told by a lot of fans to get this club out of the division, and more than likely been told by the ever-confusing and error-prone TTA that the POs are a must for this club's survival. To be honest, looking at the clubs in this league, I thought the only way we would be going at the end of the season is though the drap door, and not up into the loft.

 

I wasn't expecting anything amazing. I hoped for it obviously, but I'm not stupid. I haven't gone away from many games this season thinking we were unbelievably good, but for the first time in my life I've cared more for the result than for the performance. I used to hate the 4-5-1, now I look forward to it, and how hard the players the work. I've heard a few fans dig at our general play against Brighton, but I couldn't care less. Last season I would have been disappointed, but this season I couldn't care less because we came back from the South Coast with a 2-0 win.

 

We don't have a squad that is meant to be aiming for promotion, but a win on Sunday could take us up to 5th, which would just be fantastic! We've got a few exciting players to return, in particular Deane Smalley, so we can imrpove further.

 

Well done Dave, the coaching staff and the lads on the field.

 

good post mate, but 4 years ago we had a few similar peformances under Ronnie Moore with a completely new team and by about 14 games in people were already calling for his head amazing how attitudes change, or perhaps DP is more in tune with the fans and the vast majority are willing to give him time?

 

October 2005 Our record P14 W5 D3 L6 F14 A16 Pts 18 Position 14th (3 points off 6th)

October 2009 Our Record P14 W5 D5 L4 F13 A14 Pts 20 position 9th (2 points off 6th)

[oafcprozac]

good post mate, but 4 years ago we had a few similar peformances under Ronnie Moore with a completely new team and by about 14 games in people were already calling for his head amazing how attitudes change, or perhaps DP is more in tune with the fans and the vast majority are willing to give him time?

 

October 2005 Our record P14 W5 D3 L6 F14 A16 Pts 18 Position 14th (3 points off 6th)

October 2009 Our Record P14 W5 D5 L4 F13 A14 Pts 20 position 9th (2 points off 6th)

 

by the way performances? Couldn't give a toss really, winning is everything to me - if we do it with a bit of style along the way it's a bonus if not a win's a win! Southampton two weeks ago showed us the way to go. Big and strong with goalscorers and a threat at set-pieces - that's what gets you promotion in the lower leagues, ask Luton, Southend, Plymouth, Colchester, and even the richer clubs like Brizzle and Wigan.

 

Ronnie would have got us where Shez did, no doubt about that but his team may not have bottled it from February onwards. DP will do fer me, get the pace back on the flanks and we'll be a pain in the arse to play against and that's what I want not a team that rolls over for its belly to be tickled and too often under Shez we did that - not necessarily against the big boys but against the Yeovils and Cheltenhams and the less said about the Herefords the better!

Edited October 26, 2009 by oafcprozac

[laticsmad]

by the way performances? Couldn't give a toss really, winning is everything to me - if we do it with a bit of style along the way it's a bonus if not a win's a win! Southampton two weeks ago showed us the way to go. Big and strong with goalscorers and a threat at set-pieces - that's what gets you promotion in the lower leagues, ask Luton, Southend, Plymouth, Colchester, and even the richer clubs like Brizzle and Wigan.

 

Ronnie would have got us where Shez did, no doubt about that but his team may not have bottled it from February onwards. DP will do fer me, get the pace back on the flanks and we'll be a pain in the arse to play against and that's what I want not a team that rolls over for its belly to be tickled and too often under Shez we did that - not necessarily against the big boys but against the Yeovils and Cheltenhams and the less said about the Herefords the better!

 

A couple of points. Firstly, expectations were higher under Ronnie Moore than with Dave Penny. Hence the reasons for penney being given more time etc! Secondly, the only time performance do count for me is when the team is not losing and not having that bit of luck. Shezza's first season in start we were losing most of the games at first, but the performance was overall pretty good and it was only a matter of time before he turned it around.

Edited October 26, 2009 by laticsmad

[GlossopLatic]

good post mate, but 4 years ago we had a few similar peformances under Ronnie Moore with a completely new team and by about 14 games in people were already calling for his head amazing how attitudes change, or perhaps DP is more in tune with the fans and the vast majority are willing to give him time?

 

October 2005 Our record P14 W5 D3 L6 F14 A16 Pts 18 Position 14th (3 points off 6th)

October 2009 Our Record P14 W5 D5 L4 F13 A14 Pts 20 position 9th (2 points off 6th)

 

Interesting stats there.

 

From what I have seen I think we do play a better style of football than under Moore we do knock the ball around well the biggest difference is that DP is far more tactically aware than previous managers we can adapt bewteen 4-5-1 and 4-4-2 as the game necesitates. We can win with abit of style but we can win ugly too and you need to be able to do both to get promoted not saying we will I don't think we have the strength in depth in certain areas to do that but he is getting alot out of this team which is arguably the least natrually talented since Brian Talbots 04-05 team.

[singe]

Good post and thread, one point I do have with UptheLatics post is that DP "inherited" a squad low on morale, when realistically he inherited virtually no one!

We know the areas we need to improve on, but the marked difference seems to be (though not seeing games) is that error areas are worked upon and changes take place. Although a general admirer of Shez, he knew what needed to be done, even his most ardent supporters got frustrated with him not being able to get the players to do it.

We are a bit higher than expected, but it is the additions of the likes of Sheehan that have imporved things (result v Soton with Sheehan might have been different IMO), therefore January becomes very intereting. A couple of astute signings or loans, and a couple of players returning from injury could give the squad a real boost, and a not often seen chance to kick on for the run in part of the season rather than the fear of dropping.

this squad still has some settling to do , but has settled remarkably quickly cosnidering we are only a third of the way through the season. To be 9 points of auto with the start we had and the settling in is remarkable.

Could DP be the most astute signing of all?

[Lags]

Another marked difference of late is the good fortune our nets are currently enjoying. The amount of times our woodwork as been hit is remarkable, this as even transferred to our stiff's last night! (3 times last night alone) Now I know it would be far fetched to put this down to Penney but I did see a strange chap getting out of Penney's car a couple of months back carrying two bag's marked powdered hen's beck and frozen rat breath.

A pleasant change from early season form where we weren't exactly getting steam rollered every week (Hartlepool aside) yet losing goals and not scoring ourselves.

[bowl]

I'd love to compare this seasons wage bill to last seasons. Even though Dave Penney has made a couple of strange decisions (getting rid of Fleming and having no covering centre half), I think he's doing a really good job.

Edited October 27, 2009 by bowl