WBA - away - match thread

[AucklandRover]

I agree that there's a hell of a lot more to it than money, but I believe the same applies to managers.
Everybody says, "Ooh, aah!" when a manager leads a team to promotion, and he is immediately labelled "brilliant" by fans and the media. Very often, the same guy is a flop within a season or two - sometimes with the same club!
Reducing success in football to ONE criterion is ridiculous. Apart from with the top PL teams (which I could probably manage quite successfully!!), the whole business involves a wide combination of factors - including luck, even.
I played four team-games in my younger days, and when I put in a poor performance (a regular occurrence!), I never once thought it was the manager's or the coach's fault. That's why I'm mystified when a manager at League level gets blamed for everything - even down to individual errors from players.
Incidentally, I really don't think you can say Graham is past it and a liability. He was our best player last season, and I doubt that he has spent the summer boozing and eating deep-fried Mars Bars.

[champs95]

Every player reaches their peak. Then every player has a sell buy date. I've been lightly impressed by DG since he came to Rovers. He's been superb. Does that mean he automatically plays now because he used to be decent? Based on his performances now? No. Same with Bennett. Same with Mulgrew. Weird how only one of those was vetoed from the squad? When it's clear all 3 are simply past their best. 2 where consistently played out of position, which has caused us problems. DG may come good? Does he have a future here? Why not let the next player in to gain experience? Especially if his performances have dipped. Which I feel they have. Therefore I feel he is now stopping s younger player coming in. Same with Bennett.

[AucklandRover]

Champs - Graham has only started two league-games! That's not much evidence to support the idea that he's past it.

[champs95]

Champs - Graham has only started two league-games! That's not much evidence to support the idea that he's past it.

He has fallen down the pecking order for a reason. I just think in his case, he leaves us at the end of the season. So in no way does he represent the future. The guy we spent £5m on DOES!!! And underneath him, a guy we spent £7m on needs time. Then there is Samuel, and also the likes of Butterworth and Vale. And having seen him play this season, this is not a swan song. He looks laboured, and not the same zest as he had last year.
Are we seriously waiting for a 34 year old in his last season with us to come good?? No wonder things have gone off the rails a little.
Rothwell has also dropped down the pecking order, big time. There will be a reason for that too.
And Chapman, he really has nosedived. And TM has been very vocal about his numerous issues and poor attitude. He has dropped down the pecking order for a reason too.

[AucklandRover]

To me, Champs, age, investment, the future and all the rest are secondary to who is most likely to score goals. If it's Graham, so be it. if it's not, that's fine too. I'll let the manager and the coaching staff decide.
So far, he's been on for two lots of 71 minutes, and a few brief spells as a late sub. I don't know how you can draw damning conclusions from that.

[champs95]

That should answer your own question then.