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Post by socrates on Apr 12, 2024 20:01:52 GMT
DC inherited a god awful squad then lost players to injuries, whereas this squad, when it wants to, can beat the best teams in the league, MT is coming across more of a BG than a DC. That was a god awful league 2 side you’re right but I see this squad as an aging unbalanced league 1 side with zero pace and a lack of leadership and goalscorers. They’re different but both had many weaknesses.
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Post by socrates on Apr 12, 2024 19:59:48 GMT
If Taylor was the right man for the job in December then from a board point perspective I’d imagine he’s still going to be here at the end of the Summer. He’s had one jan window where very little gets done in the market. If the board sack him this season then he’s not been given a chance to build anything so therefore what was the point in employing him ? They might as well have let Mangan have it until the end of the season. I get the form is dreadful but I’ll be amazed if he isn’t given the summer to build his squad whether it turns out for the best or not. In fact if they sack him before at least 10 games in to the new season then I’ll be more convinced then ever that they’ve really got absolutely no clue how to run a football club. Plymouth's board, who give the impression they know how to run a football club, sacked their manager after a similar number of games in charge. I assume the likes of GF, even TG, must know if MT is up to the job or totally out of his depth. I assume like us they must have wondered what MT was doing starting with Brown and McCormick as our strikers on Tuesday night? It’s hard to say if a manager is out of his depth if someone else’s signings have downed tools though isn’t it. If after building a side with what I’d imagine is probably going to be around a mid table budget we’re still losing most weeks then I’ll be convinced that Taylor is the wrong man for the job. But until then I’m not convinced. Thing is I’ve learned over time. I wanted DC out after relegation , I was so wrong.
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Post by socrates on Apr 12, 2024 19:53:36 GMT
I think the owners will stick with him and give him a budget to re assemble , and as is clear it will have to be pretty hefty.
It seems to me what happens between now and the end of the season will not make the slightest difference.
Personaly I would move him on , appoint someone with real pedigree , that can bring in decent players , and swallow pride.
New canvass , if you like.
Decent players like half the shower of sh**e we have now, brought in by someone who people think has contacts? If we ship the sicknotes and bad attitudes out and get 5 or 6 players with Contehs attitude and resale value then I'd consider that a success. The myth that we have a decent squad of professionals should be well and truly dispelled for everyone by now surely? Totally agree with this and this also sums up why I’m not convinced we’ve really seen what Taylor can do for us yet good or bad. Just like we hadn’t seen what DC could do for us when we were relegated. I simply can’t make up my mind if we should sack him or let him rebuild but that’s because I’m a supporter and as supporters were pretty much on the outside looking in. If I was the club owner and having meetings with him every week I’m sure I’d have a more educated opinion, we all would.
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Post by socrates on Apr 12, 2024 18:44:12 GMT
If Taylor was the right man for the job in December then from a board point perspective I’d imagine he’s still going to be here at the end of the Summer. He’s had one jan window where very little gets done in the market. If the board sack him this season then he’s not been given a chance to build anything so therefore what was the point in employing him ? They might as well have let Mangan have it until the end of the season.
I get the form is dreadful but I’ll be amazed if he isn’t given the summer to build his squad whether it turns out for the best or not.
In fact if they sack him before at least 10 games in to the new season then I’ll be more convinced then ever that they’ve really got absolutely no clue how to run a football club.
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Post by socrates on Apr 10, 2024 22:45:01 GMT
I’m starting an A level in history tomorrow. When I finish my course I’ll let you all know the last time we scored.
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Post by socrates on Apr 10, 2024 22:11:40 GMT
I get why people are saying sack him the last 7 games results are awful but prior to that we were doing ok. Also if we’d sacked Barton when we went in to free fall would we have come back up the following season? Same with DC and we didn’t sack him either we won back to back promotions. I’m in the don’t know group to be honest because when I look at our squad it’s slow, unbalanced and average at best. I think if I was the owner I’d want to see his list of players he’s trying to recruit for next season , who he wants to keep and where he wants to take the club and how. Only then could I decide. Obviously we don’t know any of that so it’s too black and white to say keep or sack. Barton and DC are history. Taylor is now. He has underperformed and I would not trust him with a transfer budget this summer. He’s on a downward spiral. If the clueless owners had not appointed him, he would be gone already. It seems he has lost the dressing room and many fans. The same could be said when we went down without a wimper under DC and Barton though. I’m not saying we should definitely sack him now but if I was the owner I’d definitely want to see a list of possible recruits and a plan i liked or he’d be out of the door.
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Post by socrates on Apr 10, 2024 16:09:01 GMT
I get why people are saying sack him the last 7 games results are awful but prior to that we were doing ok. Also if we’d sacked Barton when we went in to free fall would we have come back up the following season? Same with DC and we didn’t sack him either we won back to back promotions. I’m in the don’t know group to be honest because when I look at our squad it’s slow, unbalanced and average at best. I think if I was the owner I’d want to see his list of players he’s trying to recruit for next season , who he wants to keep and where he wants to take the club and how. Only then could I decide. Obviously we don’t know any of that so it’s too black and white to say keep or sack.
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Post by socrates on Apr 9, 2024 18:43:43 GMT
Glad Mc cormicks playing, I think with a fun of games he could be a top player for us again. I know he’s had problems with injuries and it hasn’t worked out for him since he returned but there’s a player there .
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Post by socrates on Apr 9, 2024 18:39:58 GMT
Watch Jevani Brown nail a hat trick now 🙄 I’ll have a pint of what you’re on. Has he even scored one for us in the league yet? Blokes looked utterly useless every time I’ve seen him, and definitely not a target man leading the line! UTG Had a great game home to port vale and a decent game a few weeks ago when he did that clever trick to create and assist and that’s literally all he’s done in nearly a whole season. But in the past he’s played much better so there’s a player there it’s a case of getting him going and the question is how long can the manager stick with a player who’s not performing ? In the summer I wouldn’t mind seeing him , Sinclair and Marquis all leave and with us having already lost Collins that’s four , I’d bring in two strikers and two quick wide players. Pace is key. This must be the slowest Rovers squad in all my years supporting.
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Post by socrates on Apr 7, 2024 15:22:30 GMT
Well he didn’t have that many games in charge this season before he was sacked but yes he obviously built the squad in the summer. Staying up was always going to be a big ask though as I’d imagine they’ve got one of the smallest budgets in the championship and they were the lowest ranked club at the beginning of the season in terms of odds for promotion / favourites to go down. So D.c took us down. Joey took us down. Wasn’t Matty’s fault Rotherham going down despite record summer signing. You trust Matty to work on an even smaller budget, harder to attract players to Rovers than Rotherham. What ever fits your agenda. I have no agenda. DC took us down as did Barton but they were both given a chance to bring us back up. Taylor has us in mid table and many seem to want him gone. That was my point. Patience is key but most fans and owners have none these days unfortunately.
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Post by socrates on Apr 7, 2024 10:42:52 GMT
… starts with recruitment. We need to build a squad capable of making the play offs. Looking at the squad at the moment, the players we have who can do this, and stay fully fit are: Anthony Evans Grant Ward Luke Thomas And that’s it. We’ve got a major rebuilding job this summer, and if the rumours of a cut in the wage structure is true, I can see nothing more than a repeat of this season, even if Mourinho fancied a spell in BS7. Thing is to make the play offs we’ll probably need around a top 6 budget and I can’t see us having that with a stadium that holds 11,000 and pretty much no non Matchday income. If we were to release the likes of Taylor , Connelly, Hoole and Gordon it’s unlikely we’d be able to bring in better than those on the budget well have. Better to keep those kind of players , play them and coach them to get them more experienced and make them better players whilst adding a couple of decent strikers an commanding CD and some pace out wide in attacking areas. Ripping it up and starting again will probably see us with a similar sized squad with similar quality and the players won’t know each other. It’s also not as easy to say we’ll just keep 3 and change the rest. It’s not a computer game. Also I’m surprised you haven’t included Taylor and Conteh in your keep list.
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Post by socrates on Apr 7, 2024 10:17:25 GMT
The squad is only as good as it is. I’m not sure that even a top Premier league manager could get this squad in to the top 6 with the players we have and the injuries we’ve had. Taylor’s done alright since he took over, not great but alright. What’s he supposed to have done make Marquis a prolific finisher when he wasn’t for 18 months before Taylor joined ? Make Sinclair Rapid and able to beat his man for pace again ? Roll back the clock and make Wilson more than an aging centre half and not injury prone ? Barton built this squad opened his trap too many times with rubbish flowing from it whilst finishing 17th last season and we were 17th this season when he was sacked and we then hit the winter months had a ridiculous amount of injuries and we find ourselves in mid table with a few games left. Like I said he’s done ok and I look forward to the summer and a transfer window and next season before I judge whether Taylor can take us forwards or not. Barton took us down DC took us down Taylor hasn’t. Be patient. Taylor took Rotherham down this season. Well he didn’t have that many games in charge this season before he was sacked but yes he obviously built the squad in the summer. Staying up was always going to be a big ask though as I’d imagine they’ve got one of the smallest budgets in the championship and they were the lowest ranked club at the beginning of the season in terms of odds for promotion / favourites to go down.
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Post by socrates on Apr 7, 2024 0:23:55 GMT
Not read the rest of the thread so haven't seen what general opinion is of today. For my view, an automatic promotion chasing team beat a midtable team with a flattering scoreline. No biggie and I thought we at least showed some fight. First half - contained them well. Bolton may have shaded it slightly but not enough to deserve a lead. Second half - gas come out well and were good value for a goal, a very good save from Martin header. Connelly allows Collins too much time with his positioning and Collins does what he couldn't seem to do when he was here, score from a 1on1 with a tidy finish. A decent reaction from us and some huffing and puffing but no clinical edge. Apart from one dive that got a free kick on the half way line, Collins didn't deserve any stick today. Bit silly from fickle fans imo. The only poor performances I saw today were Wilson and the ref. Everyone else I'd argue had an average 6 or 7 out of 10 game. Connelly played more football than I've ever seen him play but was caught defensively at times, need a new CB to partner Taylor but we should keep him as backup. I'd be happy if Evans was our captain at the start of next season, he clearly cares and we don't need to change an entire team every summer. We need a striker under 30! Grant ward has started shooting which I didn't expect. We need to find an LT for the other side of the pitch. Sinclair is worth another season. I don't think finley will be here by August. Good post. Although I think we desperately need pace up front as Sinclairs legs have gone and who else on the squad is quick ? We’re so slow and I like Thomas but he ain’t quick either to be fair. We need to keep Martin for the experience and lose Marquis who has mostly offered nothing in two years. With Marquis and Collins gone that means two strikers in I think one who can hold it up / win headers and one who’s quick and can run at people so we’ve got more than the one option as we currently have. In replacement to Sinclair we need a similar player to what Sinclair was 10 / 15 years ago , we are crying out for a quick wide player who scares the crap out of league 1 defenders , they hate running back towards their own goal with a quick player running on to a through ball and we just haven’t had that option at all this season and are so one paced its predictable to play against. The hate for hoole and Gordon personally I don’t get as they’re in their 3rd and 2nd years as pros and are good enough for this level and with the right coaching and game time could be top league 1 full backs. In midfield we need at least one more Conteh type as Finley is aging and becoming injured more often as is Ward snd we need another of the Evans mould for creativity because when he’s not available we’re lacking creativity in midfield. I don’t think a massive overhaul is needed in the summer. Just shipping Marquis Sinclair and Wilson out for a striker who’s up and coming, a quick quality wide player and a solid centre half who’s not aging and injury prone could make the difference between mediocre and top half next season. To push on further we probably need a bit of luck, Taylor to be the right man and the recruitment to be absolutely spot on and I’ve got no idea of any of those three things will happen and if they do we’ll have to finish above clubs that have a better stadium , better non Matchday income etc. We’re miles behind the top clubs in league 1 every season it feels to me like if we make the top 6 next season it’ll be by doing it the Wycombe / Stevenage way because that’s where we are as a club.
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Post by socrates on Apr 6, 2024 23:39:12 GMT
I thought we played quite well but our squads weaknesses were there for all to see. We only have one goal scorer in the squad and that’s Martin, if he’s marked out of the game we generally don’t score. We have no pace in the side whatsoever, Thomas is a tricky winger but hasnt much pace and is probably our fastest player. Taylor has to be given support financially and with recruitment and then we’ll see where he can take us. I’m judging Barton on what this squad does more than Taylor as other than one signing it’s Barton’s squad and I’m not saying Taylor is the answer I don’t know but he’s generally picking our best players and they seem to be trying so I’m not sure what more he can or could have have done up to this point other than mid table which to be fair is better than Barton , Tisdale or Garner did for us in league 1. Patience is key. Will he be given that support tho ? I’m doubtful 🙃💙 I think he’ll be given around the same support in terms of league 1 football as the likes of Barton , Coughlan and DC were given which in my opinion is probably around a mid table budget. Not a lot has changed since they were here to be fair so I don’t see why our budget in relation to the rest of the league would be that different? I get that the ones who are saying “ enough is enough “ are frustrated that it’s been so long since we were a championship side that it feels like a distant memory and they want more and they think I’m setting my sights too low with my posts but we just simply are not a big club in league 1 and it’ll take giving a manager time to build something great to achieve promotion but it’s unlikely in our current situation anyway. The Mem holds around 11,000 not that big and we’ve got very little in the way of non match day income which pales in comparison to many other other sides in league 1 every season. If you’re only bringing in money once a fortnight as opposed to everyday then that’s a massive disadvantage against your big hitting opponents. This season we’ve only looked likely to make the top 6 at one point and that was shortly after Taylor took charge we went on a bit of a run and had two home games vs opposition coming up that we all would have thought we’d pick up at least 3 points probably 4 maybe even 6 but we lost both and our seasons become a dead rubber ever since. But it’s been so much worse in very recent history. Garner sent us South very quickly and if the season hadn’t been postponed early we may well have gone down, Tisdale was awful and Barton took over in similar circumstances as Taylor and we finished bottom of league 1 without any fight whatsoever. When Barton was sacked and the overhaul began if could have easily gone south again very quickly and ended up in another relegation and I’m quite satisfied with mid table considering the turbulent season we’ve had with changes at the top right down through the club in management , staff and add to that the massively unbalanced injury prone squad lacking in pace that was built in the summer. Taylor may be just another Garner or Tisdale or he might be special , the board might support him or they might not but right now I’m biting anyone’s hand off for mid table cos this seasons been a colossal mess and that usually means relegation. On to the summer and next season it’s the hope that kills us.
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Post by socrates on Apr 6, 2024 20:40:15 GMT
No he’s taken over an average league 1 squad in 17th and taken them a couple of places higher in to a very average position. He hasn’t improved us much because he’s only brought in one player. The most important thing this season for me is we got rid of Barton and have stayed up. Job done and we move forward still in league 1 with a summer window and next season to look forward to, although I think anything higher than mid table next season would probably be punching above our weight as we simply are not a big club in league 1. Socrates, you're wrong again mate. We were 11th when he took over. Ok yeah I meant when Barton was sacked, I was up for giving Mangan the job until the end of the season but he wasn’t fair enough they gave it to Taylor and he’s done a similar job to be fair. Both an improvement on Barton in league 1. I think if Mangan had stayed we’d be around where we are now too.
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Post by socrates on Apr 6, 2024 20:36:10 GMT
No he’s taken over an average league 1 squad in 17th and taken them a couple of places higher in to a very average position. He hasn’t improved us much because he’s only brought in one player. The most important thing this season for me is we got rid of Barton and have stayed up. Job done and we move forward still in league 1 with a summer window and next season to look forward to, although I think anything higher than mid table next season would probably be punching above our weight as we simply are not a big club in league 1. Or he’s not improved us because he can’t? The squad is only as good as it is. I’m not sure that even a top Premier league manager could get this squad in to the top 6 with the players we have and the injuries we’ve had. Taylor’s done alright since he took over, not great but alright. What’s he supposed to have done make Marquis a prolific finisher when he wasn’t for 18 months before Taylor joined ? Make Sinclair Rapid and able to beat his man for pace again ? Roll back the clock and make Wilson more than an aging centre half and not injury prone ? Barton built this squad opened his trap too many times with rubbish flowing from it whilst finishing 17th last season and we were 17th this season when he was sacked and we then hit the winter months had a ridiculous amount of injuries and we find ourselves in mid table with a few games left. Like I said he’s done ok and I look forward to the summer and a transfer window and next season before I judge whether Taylor can take us forwards or not. Barton took us down DC took us down Taylor hasn’t. Be patient.
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Post by socrates on Apr 6, 2024 18:35:49 GMT
I really don’t know what people expect. Looking at our most recent managers in league 1 we’ve had DC - mid table sort of form Coughlan - top 6 form Garner - relegation form Tisdale - relegation form Barton - relegation / marginal survival form Taylor - mid table form. Coughlan has the best record in league 1 of any of those and the majority bitched and moaned about him until he’d had enough and left and that pretty much sums us up as a support well at least on here anyway and I get that this place isn’t totally reflective of our support as a whole. Taylor has taken over an unbalanced side who were 17th at the time has had to deal with a ridiculous amount of injuries to key players and had one January transfer window where he hadn’t been allowed to bring any of his staff in and that window was largely a wasted opportunity because of that. He did however bring one player in in Conteh and I’ve been very impressed with him. Taylor needs the summer window and a decent run of games in to next season before he’s judged in my opinion. When did we last score a goal? He’s made an average squad a poor squad. No he’s taken over an average league 1 squad in 17th and taken them a couple of places higher in to a very average position. He hasn’t improved us much because he’s only brought in one player. The most important thing this season for me is we got rid of Barton and have stayed up. Job done and we move forward still in league 1 with a summer window and next season to look forward to, although I think anything higher than mid table next season would probably be punching above our weight as we simply are not a big club in league 1.
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Post by socrates on Apr 6, 2024 17:53:21 GMT
I really don’t know what people expect. Looking at our most recent managers in league 1 we’ve had DC - mid table sort of form Coughlan - top 6 form Garner - relegation form Tisdale - relegation form Barton - relegation / marginal survival form Taylor - mid table form. Coughlan has the best record in league 1 of any of those and the majority bitched and moaned about him until he’d had enough and left and that pretty much sums us up as a support well at least on here anyway and I get that this place isn’t totally reflective of our support as a whole. Taylor has taken over an unbalanced side who were 17th at the time has had to deal with a ridiculous amount of injuries to key players and had one January transfer window where he hadn’t been allowed to bring any of his staff in and that window was largely a wasted opportunity because of that. He did however bring one player in in Conteh and I’ve been very impressed with him. Taylor needs the summer window and a decent run of games in to next season before he’s judged in my opinion.
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Post by socrates on Apr 6, 2024 17:29:27 GMT
I thought we played quite well but our squads weaknesses were there for all to see. We only have one goal scorer in the squad and that’s Martin, if he’s marked out of the game we generally don’t score. We have no pace in the side whatsoever, Thomas is a tricky winger but hasnt much pace and is probably our fastest player. Taylor has to be given support financially and with recruitment and then we’ll see where he can take us. I’m judging Barton on what this squad does more than Taylor as other than one signing it’s Barton’s squad and I’m not saying Taylor is the answer I don’t know but he’s generally picking our best players and they seem to be trying so I’m not sure what more he can or could have have done up to this point other than mid table which to be fair is better than Barton , Tisdale or Garner did for us in league 1. Patience is key.
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Post by socrates on Apr 2, 2024 18:25:01 GMT
Even Monk seems to getting a tune out of Cambridge within a month with the same players he inherited, and he had no window at all. How has Taylor made us worse? Hmm, Monk came in on 4th March and has had 5 games in charge. In those 5 games their results were: 1-1 Northampton (D) 0-6 Lincoln (L) 0-4 Reading (L) 2-0 Barnsley (W) 3-1 Wigan (W) Goal Difference: -6 Taylor's first 5 games were: 1-1 Cheltenham (D) 4-2 Crewe (W) 2-1 Bolton (W) 1-3 Blackpool (L) 2-1 Pompey (W) Goal Difference: +2 Even if you were to take Crewe out of there as its a cup game, the next game was a 2-1 Win Vs Charlton. I'm not delighted with how Taylor has started, but why let facts get in the way of a selective memory to beat Taylor even more? Taylor hasn’t made us worse. We were lower in the league before he joined than we are now. Barton would have taken us down this season I reckon. I’m not saying Taylor will get us in the top 6 he might not be the answer I don’t know , nobody does but he needs a summer window and a run of games into next season before we can really judge him in my opinion. When Barton was sacked I’d have been happy with mid table and I think that’s where we’ll finish. His one signing looks a very good player with bags of potential , when another 10 or so leave in the summer and he brings a load in n then we’ll really see what he’s about. Patience is key.
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