Goodbye Paul

[Monty Burns]

Yeah I think he should be a bit more animated on the sidelines. If he can see that what he has said isnt being implimented then bollock somebody, dont be scared Boss.

[oafcprozac]

7 wins in 34

 

He's changed it round and brought new personnel in. He's even changed the keeper..it's all gone a little bit Brian Talbot for me as in what else can he do to change things round?

 

The two defensive midfielders are killing us, if we keep the form up we have shown since the turn of the year then the outcome is inevitable. To stand a chance we need Derbyshire and Baxter here for a full season. This league is poorer than it has been for years, but it's also a lot more competitive than it has been with teams all of a muchness.

 

We need to win another 4 games by the end of October, if not then we have to consider his position. So Dickov has another 8 games to get us entrenched in mid-table, if not I'll be sad to see him go but his record is pisspoor up there with the poorest managers we have had. I want to see us with a minimum of 20 points by the end of october which means 4 wins and a couple of draws.

 

Brentford (A)

Coventry (H)

Crewe (A)

PNE (H)

Sheff Utd (A)

Orient (H)

Carlisle (A)

Crawley (A)

 

Over to you Paul...

[oafcprozac]

And as for people praising the second half, for me that was the bare minimum we should expect as a home side. It really does seem that people are prepared to accept mediocrity, clueless and brainless football concocted by an equally devoid coaching team...

[UpTheLatics]

And as for people praising the second half, for me that was the bare minimum we should expect as a home side. It really does seem that people are prepared to accept mediocrity, clueless and brainless football concocted by an equally devoid coaching team...

 

I'm half and half with your views prozac, but your last two posts I can't agree with more, especially your second. I'm bemused by some people's views on last night's game. I also believe there's a few who say they are "really encouraged" but simply putting on this daft mask of optimism.

 

Personally, prozac, I don't think it's the "two defensive midfielders" that is the problem. I don't expect much more Wes when he's in the engine room, but Furman is irritating me. It's up to a player to find space for themselves. I didn't really see Furman do that. When he does and can command the ball, and when he does that he's an excellent player for us. Yesterday he was possibly the worst on the field, with Croft a close second.

 

Those two are supposedly our better players, yet their start to the season has been shockingly inconsistent. I thought the pair were excellent on Saturday. Yesterday they were abject.

 

I don't agree with getting on the backs of players but I found myself booing the players at half time. I haven't done that since we got battered at Hereford. But some fans seem to have brushed the first half under the carpet and focused on this last quarter (when Scunthorpe had settled for a point and were sat deep). We wouldn't have had any pressure to exert if we hadn't have been handed a lot of fortune. I must have been watching a different game, of course.

 

We were very lucky to have escaped with a point last night. At home. Again. I'm not pushing an attitude of doom and gloom because I was impressed by the way we grew into the game, but only after Scunny had missed three glorious chances and Bouzanis had made two brilliant saves, one of them world class. If that is acceptable then we don't need to worry about the attendances dropping further, do we?

 

But, as the managers say, we move on to the next game.

[Stevie_J]

I reside in between the two extremes displayed on this thread. Yes, Dickov's bought himself time with recent signings and talk of having the best squad since he took over. But, unless results improve quickly, he's on borrowed time. Yes, we've played a bit better in the past couple of games but unless we start winning, it'll be irrelevant as we get dragged into a proper relegation battle. The bare facts of this season so far is that we have played eight and won once thanks to a very fortunate goal.

[opinions4u]

It's completely his team.

 

The players, man for man, look as good as, if not better, than we had last season - when there was a feeling of underachievement.

 

The last two home games have said it all for me. The seconds half of both proved the ability can be there. The desire can be there. The effort can be there. That's all I ask for from my football team. Yes, a promotion or a Micky Mouse cup would be nice. But if they turn up for 23 home games a season and give it a go I'm happy.

 

Equally, the first half of both these games - totally unacceptable drivel. More of the same and Dickov won't survive.

[oafcprozac]

It's completely his team.

 

The players, man for man, look as good as, if not better, than we had last season - when there was a feeling of underachievement.

 

The last two home games have said it all for me. The seconds half of both proved the ability can be there. The desire can be there. The effort can be there. That's all I ask for from my football team. Yes, a promotion or a Micky Mouse cup would be nice. But if they turn up for 23 home games a season and give it a go I'm happy.

 

Equally, the first half of both these games - totally unacceptable drivel. More of the same and Dickov won't survive.

 

This

[stevesidg]

7 wins in 34

 

He's changed it round and brought new personnel in. He's even changed the keeper..it's all gone a little bit Brian Talbot for me as in what else can he do to change things round?

 

The two defensive midfielders are killing us, if we keep the form up we have shown since the turn of the year then the outcome is inevitable. To stand a chance we need Derbyshire and Baxter here for a full season. This league is poorer than it has been for years, but it's also a lot more competitive than it has been with teams all of a muchness.

 

We need to win another 4 games by the end of October, if not then we have to consider his position. So Dickov has another 8 games to get us entrenched in mid-table, if not I'll be sad to see him go but his record is pisspoor up there with the poorest managers we have had. I want to see us with a minimum of 20 points by the end of october which means 4 wins and a couple of draws.

 

Brentford (A)

Coventry (H)

Crewe (A)

PNE (H)

Sheff Utd (A)

Orient (H)

Carlisle (A)

Crawley (A)

 

Over to you Paul...

 

Brentford. Win

Coventry. Draw

Crewe. Draw

PNE. Win

Blades. Loss

Orient. Win

Carlisle. Draw

Crawley. Win

 

15 points is achievable out of these games

 

[oafcprozac]

I know that Steve, you know that but do the players and will they deliver? I'm not so sure…more likely to be 5-8 points...

Edited September 19, 2012 by oafcprozac

[slystallone]

Brentford. Win

Coventry. Draw

Crewe. Draw

PNE. Win

Blades. Loss

Orient. Win

Carlisle. Draw

Crawley. Win

 

15 points is achievable out of these games

 

I love it when people post up this, how the frig do you come up with that?

Preston thumped 5 in last night, and (annoyingly) Westley seems to be getting it to gel; yet we're winning that one? Drawing with managerless & out of sorts Coventry?.......Beating 4th placed Crawley? Drawing with Crewe?

Conjecture and pure guessing.

 

I know what the fixtures are, have a realistic points total in mind, but i'm dammed if I have any idea of exactly where we're going to pick up the points from them though.

[oafc1955]

I know that Steve, you know that but do the players and will they deliver? I'm not so sure…more likely to be 5-8 points...

 

I can see about 7 myself cos we don't win at home.......the thing is, will Dickov still be here at the end of that sequence of games?

[AnthonyOAFC]

Brentford. Win

Coventry. Draw

Crewe. Draw

PNE. Win

Blades. Loss

Orient. Win

Carlisle. Draw

Crawley. Win

 

15 points is achievable out of these games

 

Eh? no way.

[oafcprozac]

I can see about 7 myself cos we don't win at home.......the thing is, will Dickov still be here at the end of that sequence of games?

 

Well on that basis we will be 14 league games in (a third of the season) and be sitting on 13/14 points which will be imo bottom 4. The Slew injury has proved to be a blessing in disguise as we do look much more threatening but the defence and midfield are still massive issues that need resolving, as does our slow starts in home games. If we'd have been playing a decent side last night we could not have complained going in four or five down at HT. The last time we had a fast start at home was v Chesterfield in the 5-2 last season.

[opinions4u]

Home form will get the fans back to BP.

 

Win 12 draw 6 lose 5 at home and end up mid-table would be a start, even if we're poor away.

[oafcprozac]

We've only won 15 out of the last 52 Home league games, that'd take a helluva turn up in home performances mate….

[Break The Silence]

We've only won 15 out of the last 52 Home league games, that'd take a helluva turn up in home performances mate….

 

Christ, didn't realise it was quite that bad until I saw it in black and white. Our chairman is obviously much more understanding than AFC Wimbledon's....

[beag_teeets]

Too many changes are counter productive, sticking Derbyshire in and expecting results with Simmo was ambitious but then changing it and expecting it to work with Smith was nigh on ridiculous.

 

BUT, football isn't an exact science, the best place for Simmo last night was the bench, to be fair it might even have been at home with the missus to get his head straight. Dickov had no option but to play Derbyshire and Smith last night. Baxter isn't ready for a start so he has started both games on the bench and he will gain fitness the more he plays, I expect him to have even longer on Saturday.

 

An odd one for me was putting Cisak straight back in on Saturday, I'd have kept Bouzanis in as he had the shirt from the Chesterfield game, now he has it again I expect him to keep it until it is time for another change, that's management.

 

Sticking Wabarararrararra in had the potential for unsettling the defence, yet another right back, fortunately it has worked, it helps that he is a decent footballer, good pedigree and now that Brown's suspension is up we have options which is good.

 

Wes did well to play 1 and 2/3 games in 4 days, taking him off when he did was the right thing to do, I as did Wes thought he was going to be taken off on Saturday, thankfully we got away with it, he should be right for more important games to come.

 

Montano is still a newby, as is Grounds, they are learning each other's games and both are doing well, Montano is coming on leaps and bounds, a good spot from Dickov and props to Corney for stumping up for him but he's still a kid and will have dips.

 

Croft is quality which we knew, he is going to be a really big player for us this season and is improving every game. As is M'voto, he has been immense for these last two games, he's filled out and is a really handful, County's lump got little change out of him on Saturday and he is growing into the hard nasty centre back that players hate playing against. I would get him round that boardroom table now and sign him up longer.

 

He and Byrne started complementing each other last night, a partnership is forming there, the whole back 5 now need to work on that, I hope we can get Wabara for longer.

 

Cut out the silly mistakes, have belief, play your natural games, work as a unit and it'll come.

 

If we are going for 4-4-2 we have to work hard to stop the front two being isolated, Smith has to become the link man for Derbyshire, win the headers and learn Derbyshire's runs. He also needs to keep the ball and hold off the challenges until he can feed it into Derbyshire. And both of them need to gamble occasionally, we've got crosses coming in now and they have to stick their big heads on them and get us some goals, Saint.

[slystallone]

Christ, didn't realise it was quite that bad until I saw it in black and white. Our chairman is obviously much more understanding than AFC Wimbledon's....

 

I was talking about AFC Wimbledon in the Range after our game. I feel for Terry B, but i just get the feeling that he'd taken them as far as he could.

Got them climbing up the non-leagues, but the professional game is a different beast.

[oafc1955]

We've only won 15 out of the last 52 Home league games, that'd take a helluva turn up in home performances mate….

 

That would include all the home matches on Dickov's watch .........that really is an abysmal record under any circumstances. Is it any wonder our home attendances are so poor.

 

I really can't see him being here much longer unless there is a dramatic improvement in results.

 

I'll bet there isn't a manager still In employment with a worse record!

 

[boboafc]

.wrong thread

Edited September 19, 2012 by boboafc

[slystallone]

Too many changes are counter productive, sticking Derbyshire in and expecting results with Simmo was ambitious but then changing it and expecting it to work with Smith was nigh on ridiculous.

 

BUT, football isn't an exact science, the best place for Simmo last night was the bench, to be fair it might even have been at home with the missus to get his head straight. Dickov had no option but to play Derbyshire and Smith last night. Baxter isn't ready for a start so he has started both games on the bench and he will gain fitness the more he plays, I expect him to have even longer on Saturday.

 

An odd one for me was putting Cisak straight back in on Saturday, I'd have kept Bouzanis in as he had the shirt from the Chesterfield game, now he has it again I expect him to keep it until it is time for another change, that's management.

 

Sticking Wabarararrararra in had the potential for unsettling the defence, yet another right back, fortunately it has worked, it helps that he is a decent footballer, good pedigree and now that Brown's suspension is up we have options which is good.

 

Wes did well to play 1 and 2/3 games in 4 days, taking him off when he did was the right thing to do, I as did Wes thought he was going to be taken off on Saturday, thankfully we got away with it, he should be right for more important games to come.

 

Montano is still a newby, as is Grounds, they are learning each other's games and both are doing well, Montano is coming on leaps and bounds, a good spot from Dickov and props to Corney for stumping up for him but he's still a kid and will have dips.

 

Croft is quality which we knew, he is going to be a really big player for us this season and is improving every game. As is M'voto, he has been immense for these last two games, he's filled out and is a really handful, County's lump got little change out of him on Saturday and he is growing into the hard nasty centre back that players hate playing against. I would get him round that boardroom table now and sign him up longer.

 

He and Byrne started complementing each other last night, a partnership is forming there, the whole back 5 now need to work on that, I hope we can get Wabara for longer.

 

Cut out the silly mistakes, have belief, play your natural games, work as a unit and it'll come.

 

If we are going for 4-4-2 we have to work hard to stop the front two being isolated, Smith has to become the link man for Derbyshire, win the headers and learn Derbyshire's runs. He also needs to keep the ball and hold off the challenges until he can feed it into Derbyshire. And both of them need to gamble occasionally, we've got crosses coming in now and they have to stick their big heads on them and get us some goals, Saint.

 

Love that Beag, love it.

 

It's how I see things. It's getting there, and with not too much more work, it'll properly click. This new team, with 3 even newer players - always needed a bit of grace affording them, same for the manager.

 

The big issue is now, the manager has lost that from a number of our fans. You only have to click on a thread on here, any threrad really, and you can see plenty of fans who have already made their mind up - Dickov out for them.

 

I said at the start of the season, and I'll say it again here, PD needs until Jan 1st 2013 at least. If at that point, we're in a dodgy position, things haven't fully clicked and performances have been 'meh' - I would say that fair & reasonable time frame to have given - 2 full seasons, and 1/2 a 3rd. It would give a new man (Feck know's who that would be) the whole transfer window to assess and bring in if needed - and then 4 months to have an impact.

 

Talk of PD going now is stupid IMO. Granted the man himself did himself no favours whatsoever with his media comments of 'judge me after 10 games' - but getting shot now would add our woes (and I don't think there are that many of those really; pitch wise) - we need to give PD the time he needs to follow this through.

 

He is learning.

He is developing tactically - yep; slower than I thought he would, but he is.

He now has options to change it up.

He used those options and did change it up.

It is starting to gel, it is starting to click into place.

We are not a million miles away from this side, under this manager, stringing some results & performances together & flying up the league; away from the bottom 4.

 

 

It needs more time. What we don't need is more fans turning against PD and the side.

[Midsblue]

PD put his balls on the line by stating 'judge me in 10 games' and all credit to the bloke for his confidence.

 

Also saw above the people's assessment of upcoming games and quoting anything between 7 and 15 points. We should be aiming to win all those games as we are more than capable of doing so!

 

No team in this league is head and shoulders above us and PD should be enforcing self belief into every one of the team and squad.

 

The key is securing Derbyshire, Baxter and Wabara on longer deals to deliver continuity, competition for places and a winning mentality.

 

We are that close to bringing success to BP.... think me mad but we have the players. PMA!

[shefflatic]

aside from signing the 3 loanees up the key is to get a central midfielder over the fecking halfway line and in the god damn box!!!!!

 

we will continue to play as :censored: as we have in both halves if we continue with 2 holders - Furman spends all game tipp tappying back to the centre halves; no confidence at all to bring a high ball down on his chest, carry the ball forward and play a through ball - actually its probably because he hasn't the ability to do it.

 

Wes in as i think he is a better worker and all-round player than Furman, and either Furman out Baxter in, or Furman EXPLICITLY becomes an ATTACKING midfielder.

 

Now just watched PD LP post match - 'we work a lot on keeping our distances right' - it's no wonder as soon as a tackle is made both Wes and Furman retreat to the halfway line again to mark space rather than mark a man or bust a gut to get forward and help the rest of the attacking players to score.

 

If i was DF or JW if PD goes off on one because you didn't 'keep shape' because you decided, you know, just once in a while to get forward and attack; you know, as midfielders should do - i'd tell him where he can stick it - your job is a midfielder to both defend and attack!!

 

FOR GOD SAKE MIDFIELD DO IT!!!!!

[Omar Don't Scare]

Sacking a manager 6 games in, after a draw? Some of our fans need a serious reality check. He's brought some very decent players int the team who are beginning to gel, and we seem to be improving a bit. We're a league 2 club pushing above our weight now, tonight's attendance confirms this. Sacking the manager at this point is going to solve absolutely nothing. In reality, which manager in his right mind is seriously going to want to manage Oldham Athletic and replace Paul? If in 6 or 7 games results haven't improved, maybe then we can begin to ask some serious questions. But 6 games in? Do me a favour.

 

Happy clapper etc etc etc

 

1 win in 8 competitive fixtures, ditched out of 2 cups in the 1st round whatever floats your boat.

 

Out of interest was his 'judge me after 10 games' quote based on league or competitive fixtures?

[bigfatjoe1]

Am i correct in thinking it's been 7 wins in 33 this year?

The year before it was a run of 2 in 22 or thereabouts?

He's actually been very fortunate and the chair has been very patient compared with others.

i repeat, i like pd but the clock is ticking very loudly. His replacement (for me at least) has just joined Coventry, so if another figure is/becomes available we might be wise to make a move sooner rather than later.